Top Takeaways From UCLA's Cronin's Postgame Brief

The Bruins would cruise past Nebraska on Tuesday night, winning 72-52. It can be safe to assume Mick Cronin was extra happy with how the Bruins played.

After falling to Minnesota in the previous game, UCLA’s tournament hopes hinged heavily on the outcome of this matchup. With UCLA taking care of business in decisive fashion, the looming threat of them missing the tournament outright has been lifted.

Feb 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruin head coach Mick Cronin communicates during the first half against the Southern California Trojans at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Massive Turnaround

Feb 14, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin talks to guard Trent Perry (0) in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Bruins really struggled to find success against an inferior Minnesota team. However, they completely rewrote the script against Nebraska. This win showed growth that not many people believed was possible. If the Bruins can maintain this level of play, they should make some noise in the tournament.

Why Attitude Is the Key to Success

Nov 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Donovan Dent (2) looks on during the first half of the Hall of Fame Series game against the Arizona Wildcats at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

There are plenty of reasons why UCLA has not lived up to expectations this season. But the recurring theme that has been on Mick Cronin's mind since November has been the team's overall attitude. With that seemingly improving, we might see sustained long-term success.

"I saw walking into the arena tonight that Georgetown was beating St. John's, and somebody said St. John's barely came back and won. I watched St. John's beat Villanova by 30 Saturday. I think Georgetown's in last in the Big East. I mean, Rick Pitino's the best there is and he can't bottle it. You know, the answer I tell our guys, we had a heart-to-heart, and I said, look, guys. You know, here's a team. Their record is what it is because their attitude and their effort and their commitment to doing the hard things. I'm so impressed with them. Tonight, we were great. If we would just have their attitude, we would have their record. That's my opinion."
Mick Cronin

Improvements on the Bench

Feb 3, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Eric Freeny (8) is defended by Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Tariq Francis (0) in the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Besides effort and defensive issues, the most glaring problem for UCLA this season has been its lack of depth. Opponents have been able to outlast the Bruins late in games, which ultimately led to a few losses. However, the bench really stepped up against Nebraska, and it showed—UCLA did not trail once in this one.

"We have some guys off the bench. Eric Freeny with six deflections. He kept some balls alive. We got layups. We had him on Sandfort a lot. He was awesome. Book [Xavier Booker] came in and hit some monster shots. Brandon Williams, unsung hero, six [points] and three [rebounds]. Had a couple wipeouts, got guys layup. So I thought our bench was big tonight, and it hasn't been all year. You know, consistently.
Mick Cronin

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