UCLA's Cronin Hints at Approach Against Short-Handed Opponents

A simple tactic that helped UCLA stay on task against Oregon

Jan 20, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) reacts after a dunk in the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Life as a Big Ten basketball team can be difficult. Not only does the league feature many of the nation's top teams and players and one of the more brutal travel arrangements, but there seems to be a new challenege each team faces every night.

UCLA found itself in that position on Wednesday against Oregon, facing a struggling Ducks team without a couple of its best players. Most would think that would be a helpful situation, and oftentimes they'd be correct, but in instances like this one, UCLA had to expect the unexpected and be ready for anything or risk overlooking a still-talented yet perhaps underachieving team.

"I think players are intuned to the coach, so in any situation like that, I'm more intense in our preparation," UCLA head coach Mick Cronin told the media after his team's 73-57 win. "If you're playing the No. 1 team in the country, you don't even have to [be intense]. Your players are going to be intense. So, I make sure that, in situations like this, I bring the intensity and focus, and the guys see how intuned I am for a game like this."

Oregon's Missing Stars, UCLA's Improving Defense

Oregon played the game without three of its top four scorers in center Nate Bittle and guards Jackson Shelstad and Takai Simpkins. That left forward Kwame Evans Jr (13.3 ppg) to lead the way, and he did with 24 points, eight rebounds, and two assists. Yet, he had little help against the UCLA defense, which continues to grow.

Oregon's Nate Bittle leaves the court after the loss to Ohio State at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene Jan. 8, 2026. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Bruins allowed no other scorers to reach double figures while holding the Ducks to just 36% shooting. The remaining four starters only made six shots for 16 points, and the bench did little else to aid the cause. UCLA's Tyler Bilodeau, Xavier Booker, and Eric Dailey Jr. also made the most of the circumstances, snagging 24 rebounds, collectively, and helping UCLA dominate in the paint.

Obviously, much of that is due to the missing players, but UCLA should still get some credit for its preparation for the unknown circumstances, particularly with how Oregon has been able to compete in their absence.

Oregon guard Wei Lin moves the ball up the court as the Oregon Ducks host the UCLA Bruins on Jan. 28, 2026, at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"They were beating Michigan and Michigan State right behind me in this building in the second half last week," Cronin added. "Those two teams rank in the top 10, and they were beating both of them. ... I give our guys credit. They did a good job [defensively]."

That just goes to show that life in the Big Ten (and college basketball as a whole) is truly unpredictable. It has its top-tier teams, but others, like UCLA and Oregon, can make it competitive on any given night, regardless of who's healthy and available. But if you have the right approach, you'll survive most tests.

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