UCLA's Cronin on How Big Ten Changed This Year

The Big Ten expanded this season, bringing in UCLA, Washington, Oregon and USC. But Bruins coach Mick Cronin recently highlighted what was perhaps the biggest difference about the conference compared to years past.

Starr Portice

UCLA got its first taste of the Big Ten this season, and it fared rather well.

The Bruins finished fourth in the league, and while they failed to advance past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, they proved they belong in a conference that was as large as it has ever been.

UCLA was one of eight Big Ten teams to make the tournament. The conference was as deep as it's been in years, perhaps ever, and to have finished in the top four says a lot about Bruins coach Mick Cronin and what his group was able to achieve while making the transition to the Pac-12.

Cronin, of course, highlighted the travel disadvantage quite a few times this season, but there was one factor in particular that truly stood out to him about the conference this year, one that had been different from even before his team joined the league.

He discussed this during his appearance on "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" this past week.

"Look, the travel is what it is," Cronin said. "I would say our conference was way more higher scoring than the traditional Big Ten. Way more.

" ... I think it's talent, the game's evolved, there's more guys shooting the 3. You look at [what] Dusty May brought with Michigan. They could really shoot the ball. Coach [Tom] Izzo has pushed, Matt Painter is a great offensive coach, Brad Underwood's become a 3-point shooting guy, Kevin [Willard] at Maryland, they had a great team; they averaged over 80 a game.

"There was a lot of really good offensive teams. The coaching's great. The difference is the league's just deeper than the Pac-12.

" ... Look, I was a part of the old Big East in '11. It's like, you can get better, but you got to get better than. It's harder to climb the ladder. You got to get better than. We finished fourth, so in our first year, I was extremely proud of the guys."

Cronin's right. The conference took off this year, and it was a matter of both the talent and coaching, both of which he mentioned.

There's no easy nights in the Big Ten. With a full season in this stacked league now under his belt, you can assure Cronin and his team will be better suited for next year.

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