Agree with NF, T and B4E here: Trent’s development this year and over the last several games has been dramatic. Watching him take over yesterday’s game, hitting a variety of shots, rebounding from the guard position (a way underrated trait) draining free throws, playing great defense, diving for loose balls, it was something to see, and all with that grin on his face. He’s oozing confidence right now (He needs to do a Vulcan mind meld on Dent; and I don’t care if it was Penn State, how the hell do we win this game on the road with Dent: zero points; Daly: one point and Skyy not playing? Amazing!).
As bad as Dent has been shooting the ball, he’s still our team’s top playmaker. He consistently creates open shots for others by attacking the paint and kicking it out; game in/game out he leads our team in assists by a wide margin. IMHO, we have to stay with him and pray that he conquers the mental funk he’s gotten himself into this season. Unwavering support by his teammates will hopefully help that. The light bulb over Jamerson’s head is starting to flicker on. His hustle, especially on the offensive boards is critical.
We will need a high functioning EDJ and Dent and a consistent performance from the others to take another step in our development as a team and take down Ohio State on the road.
We have to be realistic about Skyy's hamstring. It only happened two weeks ago, and for those who were watching when it happened, he literally was limping heavily to get off of the court. That usually indicates more than a "tweak" or grade 1 hamstring strain. That type of injury takes maybe two to three weeks to recover from. This seemed more like a "pull," or a grade 2 hamstring moderate strain (partial/minor tears impacting the muscle's function). This takes more like 30 to 40 days to heal (grade 3 is a significant tear and takes 3 to 6 months. He didn't do that. If he did, no one would be talking about him coming back). Even with all of the therapeutic modalities UCLA has at its disposal, this is probably going to be another two week process. Bringing him back too early, could result in a re-injury and a potential worsening of the tears they are trying to treat. As frustrating as it is for Skyy, given that he is feeling better, he needs to be cautious with this so he can play in February and March, as opposed to being lost for the season/post season.
Trent Perry is my favorite player. He put this team on his back and carried them to victory.
I do think the starting line-up should be:
Perry
Skyy
EDJ
Bilo
Jamerson
Dent sadly reminds me of Dylan Andrews. He has been greatly struggling this season and his confidence seems very low. I feel bad for him.
EDJ is also struggling and it's hard to see. But I do think he is capable of coming back.
Jamerson plays with passion and so much heart. He needs to be our starting 5.
Perry was the reason we won. Bilo had a good game and his 9 rebs were a surprise. Jamerson had a good game as well.
This was a really bad Penn State team, made worse due to injuries. We still don't have a win against a quality opponent and overall we didn't shoot well. But D was good, FTs were great and then there was Perry!
Yep, Perry may only be a sophomore, but he's shown a lot of confidence and potential leadership ability to eventually become a full-time starter. Unlike some of his teammates, he seems to be thriving under HC Cronin. Injuries and illness are major factors, but I think the mental toughness is still a work in progress for some of the players who are still struggling or have performed inconsistently.
Opportunities exist for the Bruins to face some tough, quality opponents. Of the teams currently ahead of them in the conference standings, the Bruins have already lost to the Badgers and have to play at #4 Michigan and at #12 MSU, but will have home games against #5 Purdue, #8 Nebraska, and #13 Illinois (so far, the Bruins are 10-0 at Pauley). If the Bruins can play good defense, they'll have a decent chance of finally beating a quality opponent.
My question is why are so many players not thriving under a coach who recruited them and is supposed to be developing them.
Here's the thing... yes, mental toughness is very important. But look at Chesney... he celebrates the little achievements, step by step, and builds players who would run through walls for him and who are loyal.
Chesney is leaps and bounds ahead of Cronin in terms of success and building championship teams and programs. Chesney has a vastly different method of developing and it works.
Cronin has some players that survive him and do well but the lack of overall success is damning. If he wants to build mental toughness in his players the he needs to find players who can endure his 'tyrant' like methods and treatment. And who love iso ball. So far, he has had very few.
Perry fell into Cronin's lap due to coaching change at suc. Otherwise we would be playing against him. He reminds me of JJJ who also was not a Cronin recruit.
Hi Ms. Tamara, HC Chesney hasn't demonstrated anything on the field during his inaugural season in the Big-10 as the new UCLA HC yet, so I can't judge or compare him to any other HC until then. As I know you and some others truly hate or dislike HC Cronin's personality, coaching style, recruiting, and/or team performance shortcomings (especially in this NIL/transfer portal era), I'm reserving judgment until the Bruins start losing more games and miss out on March Madness entirely (remember, this team had a preseason #12 AP ranking). Last season it was norovirus, this year it's the flu, but I don't want to come down with either anti-Cronin fever or Cronin's disease just yet! :-)
Chesney's first transfer portal class at UCLA ranks #7 in the nation and #2 in the Big Ten according to On3 (hat tip to Barstool UCLA)
Granted, Chesney has not coached at the P4 level but he has built historically losing programs into perrenial champions within their division. He had to rebuild JMU as well, as Cignetti took a ton of players to Indiana. Cronin hasn't come close to what Chesney has done and Chesney did it with far less $$$.
But yes, you are correct, I truly dislike Cronin as a coach and person and he has yet to change my mind (not that he cares 🤣)
It does sound promising for HC Chesney and the JMUcla coaching staff--can't wait to see what arises out of the dumpster fire ashes. But not to worry, your persistent anti-Cronin fever is still curable.
T, I share your excitement as to the upcoming 2026 season, but I agree with B4E, that it’s a bit premature to be talking about what a great coach Chesney is or how his players respond to him at this level since this is his first opportunity to recruit high school and portal players in mass and put a team together to compete in the Big 18. “Rankings” can also be deceptive (247 Sports ranks UCLA 28th nationally based on average quality of players given their 3-4-5 star system; On3 ranks by “cumulative” scores. We have 40 transfers, so even though most of our players are ranked with 3-stars, our “cume” is higher than most). However, it is hard not to get excited in what we may have next year and beyond, but that is primarily due to the stunning success of Cignetti.
Chez is both a benefactor and victim of Cig’s success. He is a benefactor because UCLA is giving him an opportunity to coach a Power 4 program in the Big 18 due to his ability (as you noted T) to duplicate JMU’s success over the two years after Cig’s departure. He is also a victim, because UCLA is banking on lightening striking twice with former JMU coaches and the cultures developed there. If Cig wins the National Championship with his previously inconceivable, undefeated club, Chez is going to be faced with some unreasonable expectations; not to duplicate what Cig has done over the past two years, because that hasn’t been done in the history of college football. But people will expect him to deliver an immediate program turn around. Cig did not have to work under such expectations. Even when he stated “I win. Google me,” People thought he was a blow-hard not a coaching “savant.” T, I’m not looking for lightening from Chesney, but a California quake shaking up the Big 18 next season would be pretty cool.
I agree that Jamerson and Perry should be in the starting lineup but I think it's Dailey that should be benched and Cronin should go with a 3-guard lineup. Dent is still ranked top 20 in the nation in assists, and with him as PG, UCLA had one of the most efficient offenses in the country before Skyy Clark's injury, so he clearly knows how to contribute and run an offense even if he's not lighting it up on the scoreboard.
I'm not sure what Dailey's issue is - like Dent, he's clearly more talented than he's showed, but he's just out of position playing the 3. Dent has improved as a defender under Cronin, but I can't really say the same for Dailey. Dailey might be better defending power forwards, but Bilodeau should have that job locked down. Tyler actually showed some great defensive effort yesterday, and hopefully, he carries that forward. Sometimes, beating up on conference doormats can lead to increased confidence for the whole team.
Such a great game from Perry. All of his hard work is paying off. In the post game presser, there were questions about Dent. According to CMC, Dent was actually hit in the head early in the game, that is why he went to the locker room and didn't return for so long. The flu bug is definitely going around the team. Bilo missed the entire week of practice.
Brutal Chen.....I didn't even know it was our "Mac" until I read your comment. Evidently, he was a major player. He recruited other players on his team to "underperform" in the first half of several De Paul games to allow gamblers to win their "spread" bets, and then expanded his role in contacting kids on allegedly 17 other NCAA D-1 basketball teams. Just Brutal!
Etienne had issues at UCLA... the alleged spitting incident at U of A game where he was arrested, and now the alleged point shaving scheme. Troubled kid who has likely destroyed his young life.
Agree with NF, T and B4E here: Trent’s development this year and over the last several games has been dramatic. Watching him take over yesterday’s game, hitting a variety of shots, rebounding from the guard position (a way underrated trait) draining free throws, playing great defense, diving for loose balls, it was something to see, and all with that grin on his face. He’s oozing confidence right now (He needs to do a Vulcan mind meld on Dent; and I don’t care if it was Penn State, how the hell do we win this game on the road with Dent: zero points; Daly: one point and Skyy not playing? Amazing!).
As bad as Dent has been shooting the ball, he’s still our team’s top playmaker. He consistently creates open shots for others by attacking the paint and kicking it out; game in/game out he leads our team in assists by a wide margin. IMHO, we have to stay with him and pray that he conquers the mental funk he’s gotten himself into this season. Unwavering support by his teammates will hopefully help that. The light bulb over Jamerson’s head is starting to flicker on. His hustle, especially on the offensive boards is critical.
We will need a high functioning EDJ and Dent and a consistent performance from the others to take another step in our development as a team and take down Ohio State on the road.
That makes the Bruins undefeated against Penn State this year.
From Cronin's press conference:
"Donny took a shot to the head and was out for a while getting evaluated – not really himself when he came back."
Thank goodness for Perry's growth this year!
Hope freshman PG Freeny also receives additional minutes to gain experience during Clark's recovery.
Also Mick says Skyy is "doubtful" for Saturday :(
We have to be realistic about Skyy's hamstring. It only happened two weeks ago, and for those who were watching when it happened, he literally was limping heavily to get off of the court. That usually indicates more than a "tweak" or grade 1 hamstring strain. That type of injury takes maybe two to three weeks to recover from. This seemed more like a "pull," or a grade 2 hamstring moderate strain (partial/minor tears impacting the muscle's function). This takes more like 30 to 40 days to heal (grade 3 is a significant tear and takes 3 to 6 months. He didn't do that. If he did, no one would be talking about him coming back). Even with all of the therapeutic modalities UCLA has at its disposal, this is probably going to be another two week process. Bringing him back too early, could result in a re-injury and a potential worsening of the tears they are trying to treat. As frustrating as it is for Skyy, given that he is feeling better, he needs to be cautious with this so he can play in February and March, as opposed to being lost for the season/post season.
Trent Perry is my favorite player. He put this team on his back and carried them to victory.
I do think the starting line-up should be:
Perry
Skyy
EDJ
Bilo
Jamerson
Dent sadly reminds me of Dylan Andrews. He has been greatly struggling this season and his confidence seems very low. I feel bad for him.
EDJ is also struggling and it's hard to see. But I do think he is capable of coming back.
Jamerson plays with passion and so much heart. He needs to be our starting 5.
Perry was the reason we won. Bilo had a good game and his 9 rebs were a surprise. Jamerson had a good game as well.
This was a really bad Penn State team, made worse due to injuries. We still don't have a win against a quality opponent and overall we didn't shoot well. But D was good, FTs were great and then there was Perry!
Yep, Perry may only be a sophomore, but he's shown a lot of confidence and potential leadership ability to eventually become a full-time starter. Unlike some of his teammates, he seems to be thriving under HC Cronin. Injuries and illness are major factors, but I think the mental toughness is still a work in progress for some of the players who are still struggling or have performed inconsistently.
Opportunities exist for the Bruins to face some tough, quality opponents. Of the teams currently ahead of them in the conference standings, the Bruins have already lost to the Badgers and have to play at #4 Michigan and at #12 MSU, but will have home games against #5 Purdue, #8 Nebraska, and #13 Illinois (so far, the Bruins are 10-0 at Pauley). If the Bruins can play good defense, they'll have a decent chance of finally beating a quality opponent.
Hi b4e,
My question is why are so many players not thriving under a coach who recruited them and is supposed to be developing them.
Here's the thing... yes, mental toughness is very important. But look at Chesney... he celebrates the little achievements, step by step, and builds players who would run through walls for him and who are loyal.
Chesney is leaps and bounds ahead of Cronin in terms of success and building championship teams and programs. Chesney has a vastly different method of developing and it works.
Cronin has some players that survive him and do well but the lack of overall success is damning. If he wants to build mental toughness in his players the he needs to find players who can endure his 'tyrant' like methods and treatment. And who love iso ball. So far, he has had very few.
Perry fell into Cronin's lap due to coaching change at suc. Otherwise we would be playing against him. He reminds me of JJJ who also was not a Cronin recruit.
Hi Ms. Tamara, HC Chesney hasn't demonstrated anything on the field during his inaugural season in the Big-10 as the new UCLA HC yet, so I can't judge or compare him to any other HC until then. As I know you and some others truly hate or dislike HC Cronin's personality, coaching style, recruiting, and/or team performance shortcomings (especially in this NIL/transfer portal era), I'm reserving judgment until the Bruins start losing more games and miss out on March Madness entirely (remember, this team had a preseason #12 AP ranking). Last season it was norovirus, this year it's the flu, but I don't want to come down with either anti-Cronin fever or Cronin's disease just yet! :-)
Just the latest...
Chesney's first transfer portal class at UCLA ranks #7 in the nation and #2 in the Big Ten according to On3 (hat tip to Barstool UCLA)
Granted, Chesney has not coached at the P4 level but he has built historically losing programs into perrenial champions within their division. He had to rebuild JMU as well, as Cignetti took a ton of players to Indiana. Cronin hasn't come close to what Chesney has done and Chesney did it with far less $$$.
But yes, you are correct, I truly dislike Cronin as a coach and person and he has yet to change my mind (not that he cares 🤣)
It does sound promising for HC Chesney and the JMUcla coaching staff--can't wait to see what arises out of the dumpster fire ashes. But not to worry, your persistent anti-Cronin fever is still curable.
[Note: I'm not a doctor.]
T, I share your excitement as to the upcoming 2026 season, but I agree with B4E, that it’s a bit premature to be talking about what a great coach Chesney is or how his players respond to him at this level since this is his first opportunity to recruit high school and portal players in mass and put a team together to compete in the Big 18. “Rankings” can also be deceptive (247 Sports ranks UCLA 28th nationally based on average quality of players given their 3-4-5 star system; On3 ranks by “cumulative” scores. We have 40 transfers, so even though most of our players are ranked with 3-stars, our “cume” is higher than most). However, it is hard not to get excited in what we may have next year and beyond, but that is primarily due to the stunning success of Cignetti.
Chez is both a benefactor and victim of Cig’s success. He is a benefactor because UCLA is giving him an opportunity to coach a Power 4 program in the Big 18 due to his ability (as you noted T) to duplicate JMU’s success over the two years after Cig’s departure. He is also a victim, because UCLA is banking on lightening striking twice with former JMU coaches and the cultures developed there. If Cig wins the National Championship with his previously inconceivable, undefeated club, Chez is going to be faced with some unreasonable expectations; not to duplicate what Cig has done over the past two years, because that hasn’t been done in the history of college football. But people will expect him to deliver an immediate program turn around. Cig did not have to work under such expectations. Even when he stated “I win. Google me,” People thought he was a blow-hard not a coaching “savant.” T, I’m not looking for lightening from Chesney, but a California quake shaking up the Big 18 next season would be pretty cool.
I agree that Jamerson and Perry should be in the starting lineup but I think it's Dailey that should be benched and Cronin should go with a 3-guard lineup. Dent is still ranked top 20 in the nation in assists, and with him as PG, UCLA had one of the most efficient offenses in the country before Skyy Clark's injury, so he clearly knows how to contribute and run an offense even if he's not lighting it up on the scoreboard.
I'm not sure what Dailey's issue is - like Dent, he's clearly more talented than he's showed, but he's just out of position playing the 3. Dent has improved as a defender under Cronin, but I can't really say the same for Dailey. Dailey might be better defending power forwards, but Bilodeau should have that job locked down. Tyler actually showed some great defensive effort yesterday, and hopefully, he carries that forward. Sometimes, beating up on conference doormats can lead to increased confidence for the whole team.
All good points, Chen.
Such a great game from Perry. All of his hard work is paying off. In the post game presser, there were questions about Dent. According to CMC, Dent was actually hit in the head early in the game, that is why he went to the locker room and didn't return for so long. The flu bug is definitely going around the team. Bilo missed the entire week of practice.
Mac Etienne apparently was one of the 39 players charged in the basketball point-shaving scheme.
Brutal Chen.....I didn't even know it was our "Mac" until I read your comment. Evidently, he was a major player. He recruited other players on his team to "underperform" in the first half of several De Paul games to allow gamblers to win their "spread" bets, and then expanded his role in contacting kids on allegedly 17 other NCAA D-1 basketball teams. Just Brutal!
Easy money. Who thought that was a good idea? We can speculate why, but the facts will surface during the proceedings.
Meanwhile, social media snark, "He’s never been the same since he spent that time in a Russian jail."
Etienne had issues at UCLA... the alleged spitting incident at U of A game where he was arrested, and now the alleged point shaving scheme. Troubled kid who has likely destroyed his young life.