WATCH: Mick Cronin, Jaime Jaquez, Jules Bernard on UCLA Men's Basketball Losing to Arizona

UCLA men’s basketball coach Mick Cronin, guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. and guard Tyger Campbell spoke to reporters after the Bruins’ 84-76 loss to Arizona in the Pac-12 tournament championship game on Saturday night.

Cronin talked about UCLA’s defense breaking down in the second half and what he hopes his team can learn from the defeat. Bernard touched on the snowball effect getting in the Bruins’ way while Jaquez broke down what made the Wildcat big men so difficult to face in the post.

Opening statement

Arizona was the tougher team down the stretch, that’s where the game was decided, they were more physical, our defense left a lot to be desired, to say the very least. Hopefully, we’ll watch film and learn a lot about what it takes to be a great team. You give up 40 points in the paint and 23 free throws, you’re not beating anybody, let alone a team as good at Arizona. But a lot of it has to do with their talent level, so congratulations to them.

Arizona's length became a bigger factor as the game went on?

Mick Cronin: Their length’s always an issue, but The Art of War, there’s always a way to use the other team’s strength against them, so you’ve got to pass the ball. We were minus-11 in assists to Arizona, so we didn’t get the job done, I didn’t that across to the team, so that’s my fault that we got 11 shots blocked. We didn’t pass the ball. When they rotate to block a shot, you’ve got to pass the ball to an open man.

What changed in that 15-2 run?

MC: Oh, from that point on, they just played harder. They were the more physical team, they played much harder. Our defense broke down, we gave up back doors. When you're playing great teams, it just becomes a test of two wills. And as hard as it is for me to swallow, cause I made a career out of never losing because of that. If my teams have gone down, it's cause the other team's just got better players, and they may, but I like my team, I wouldn't trade em. But they were the tougher team. It's hard for me to say but it's the truth. I told our guys in the locker room, the only way we're gonna learn from this is if we can look in the mirror and admit what happened. And that run, whatever it was, we gotta admit. Last year, we were the tougher team in March for a lot of games and that's why we went where we went. If we learn that lesson, then today will be worth it, but they taught us a lesson.

Takeaways on the crowd making it feel like a road game at times?

I got no takeaway. Again, if you need a crowd to win games, you’re not going anywhere. That’s – Sam, you’ve got no chance. If you’re not tough enough to deal with whatever the environment is, you’re not going to get anywhere as a team. I pride myself, that should never be a factor.

Big run in second half, couldn't get stops?

Jules Bernard: I think it may have been a snowball effect. We started out the half, I believe on two backdoors. I think one on me, and one on someone else. Regardless, just their energy on both ends was better than ours. It shows, especially on the defensive end. They made their cuts hard, they ran their offense hard, I just feel like we may have been a little lackluster down the stretch and it showed. They got easy buckets at the rim and when you’re trying to make a run, it’s demoralizing.

Difficult going against two seven-footers?

Jaime Jaquez Jr.: Like you said, they're big, two 7-footers, it's tough to go against. I didn't pass it out as I should have. Just a couple times I went up, got blocked, should've passed it out. And then I think when I did do that, we got some open clean looks. But you have to deal with it.

MC: In a game like that for Jaime, he couldn't get a 3 to go down, he had some good looks. So when you guard him with a bigger guy, if he knocks down 3s, then they have to adjust and maybe have to put a smaller guy on him. He had some good looks, they just didn't go down for him. Like I said, I wouldn't trade him or anybody else on my team.

Johnny getting going in first half?

MC: I think it's just a matter of him getting multiple games to get his rhythm back. You gotta take that as a positive.

How big of a factor was foul trouble for Myles and Cody?

MC: Big. Big. Definitely wasn't good. But again, they forced that. So you gotta give them credit for that.

Kenny replacing some of their minutes?

MC: He was fine. Except he gave up one and-1, which is a cardinal sin for us. But he did fine in his stint.

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