Mick Cronin Rips UCLA Despite Win: ‘Fire Myself’

It took one game for UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin to deliver a classic postgame rant. The Bruins may have won their season-opener against Eastern Washington, but the 80-74 result left far too much to be desired. So Cronin let it rip.

The Bruins led by as much as 15 points in the second half as the offense struggled to get anything consistent going for the better part of both halves. The Big Sky's eagles continued their gritty effort and brought the game to within six points as the buzzer sounded.

Dent was as good as advertised in his debut, leading UCLA with 21 points, four rebounds and nine assists on 8-of-17 shooting. The transfer guard's first half is what kept EWU from assuming control over the game. Dent's play faltered in the second half, but just because other UCLA contributors started finding shots.

ucl — Nov 3, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Donovan Dent (2) dribbles the ball against Eastern Washington Eagles guard Johnny Radford (21) during the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Here's a transcript of what Cronin said in his impassioned postgame rant:

Opening Statement

“Congratulations to Eastern Washington. Dan (Monson) is a great guy. They’ve been doing this a long time. He lost his father earlier this year. It was good seeing them. They got good kids. They battled. Tonight’s effort (from UCLA) doesn’t surprise me.

"I played San Diego State so we could lose in front of 10,000. We didn’t. Played Irvine. Russell (Turner) is a great coach. A great mid-major program. Unfortunately, we won that game easily. When you have the wrong attitude in life it shows up. So, I blame myself. I knew this was coming and I couldn’t stop it, so I failed miserably. I tried in shootaround. You were there [points to Chris Carlson].

"Arrogance. Lack of humility. Don’t want to defend. Don’t want to rebound. Don’t want to play defense. There’s so many mistakes I’d like to fire myself for our defense. Fifty-four percent (shooting) on us? We gave up 38 points in the paint. I blame myself. I knew it was coming. I couldn’t stop it.”

ucl — Nov 3, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) looks on during the second half against the Eastern Washington Eagles at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

On what he did to try and stop it

“Film. Speeches. Went off in shootaround today about intensity. Pros show up every day. Nick Saban 101: the process is more important than the opponent. I lost them with three easy exhibition games. I knew I lost them. I could tell I lost them all week. We’ll see if this will humble them a little bit tonight. If you think you’re going to give up 53.7 percent (shooting) in your own gym in a buy game and have a good year, there’s no chance.”

On giving up points in the paint

“We get beat in layups. We had everything you can think. I’m going to throw this at you, because I want to get the hell out of here: lack of adherence to the scouting report, terrible pick-and-roll defense, help when we shouldn’t, rotate off the best shooter to a non-shooter, post defense embarrassingly terrible. And those are all coaching. Defense is coaching.

ucl — Nov 3, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) shoots the ball during the first half against the Eastern Washington Eagles at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

"Everybody always says, ‘Hey, I’m going to get this guy to play defense.’ The reason I’m in my 23rd year and I’m at the coach at UCLA (is that) I’m able to do it. When you lose your team mentally and they’re worried about other things. ‘We’re going to win anyway, we’re a great team, so I’m going to worry about whatever I want to worry about. I’m not going to worry about fighting around the post and the scouting report, because I have no fear of losing.’ And that’s what happens.

"That’s what happens all the time, and I’m getting old. That’s why I knew it was going to happen, and I tried to stop them. But I failed. It’s on me.”

On if he liked what he saw in the locker room

“No. I could care less what I saw. They got to see me. … Listen, we’ll just bench guys. We’re going to play defense or you won’t play. Obviously, we were a little shorthanded without Eric (Dailey Jr.). If somebody blows an assignment, they won’t play the rest of the game.”

On Donovan Dent

“We’re way more talented than Eastern Washington. When you’re trying to put a team away, and you haven’t had a dunk since you transferred, and you try to dunk it?”

ucl — Nov 3, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin talks to guard Donovan Dent (2) during the second half against the Eastern Washington Eagles at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

On any positives from UCLA's defense

“None. I had maybe, if I saw on film, one. Every time we took a step forward, we took two back. When you are not ready to put forth the effort— our saying is you have to win the fight to be able to win the game. You got to be able to win the fight, and you got a chance to win the game. We had no interest in getting to the rim tonight. We were too good for Eastern Washington. We’re losers, Ben, in everything at life.”

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