UCLA's Mick Cronin on Loss to Purdue: 'I Was Never Happy With Us Defensively'

UCLA's conference-leading defense was exposed by Purdue in its 76-66 loss to the Boilermakers on Friday.

Purdue Boilermakers guard Gicarri Harris (24) shoots the ball past UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, during the NCAA men’s basketball game at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind. Purdue Boilermakers won 76-66. | Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

UCLA men's basketball prides itself on its defense.

It's been the engine for this team throughout its first year in the Big Ten, but on Friday, it was a large reason it fell to No. 4 Purdue on the road.

The Bruins, who are the No. 1 defensive team in the conference, gave up 76 points, including 16 second-chance points and 15 off of turnovers.

The Boilermakers went on a 12-0 run in the final 7-and-a-half minutes after UCLA had taken a 1-point lead with under 8-and-a-half to go. The stretch would ultimately make the difference, as UCLA was never able to battle back.

“Our defense wasn’t quick enough to win," said Bruins coach Mick Cronin after the loss. "We had too many turnovers. We had 14 turnovers, and we were minus five on the turnover chart.

"We don’t do that. And they were unforced. To give Purdue credit, their backs were against the wall tonight, and we got their best effort.

"We couldn’t handle it. I thought it was a close game, we took a few iffy shots, but then the bottom line was we couldn’t stop them."

UCLA trailed by just 2 at halftime, even after trailing by 10 with roughly 6 minutes to go in the first half. Up until its 12-0 run, Purdue had only led by as many as 5 in the second half.

But as has been the case for much of this season, the road environment proved to be too much for the Bruins.

"They were sold out with an unbelievable crowd, and they knew they had to will their team to victory," Cronin said. "In this league, you can play well. We did for about 32 minutes.

"It was somewhere around the 7-minute mark in the game is when they went on their run. But even when we’re were playing well, and it was a close back-and-forth game, we got the lead in the second half, I was never happy with us defensively. Never happy with us defensively.

"I say this every time, but real teams, they can defend for 40 minutes. Teams that are going to march on, they can defend for 40 minutes. We just couldn’t do it tonight.”

UCLA has just two games left in its regular season -- a road matchup with Northwestern before its season finale at home against USC.

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