46 Comments
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gbruin's avatar

Good news: The Bruins can beat Just *$c by playing only 21 minutes of basketball.

Bad news: All of the other 19 minutes. Yeesh. Cronin needs to do more to change things up when the game is getting away like that.

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Bruinbaskets's avatar

I actually don’t have a lot to say… not much left to say as you said it all

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ArmyBruin's avatar

Let’s face it. The 2nd half was abysmal. Early on in the half, it appeared that Mick was micromanaging the offense. That is one aspect of CMC that I don’t like. He doesn’t always do it, but it was a problem tonight. Then, he was exhorting Tyger to push the ball more. We got out of rhythm. Our defense was less intense and we couldn’t hit free throws.

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kingjim1954's avatar

Yes, the 2nd half did SUC (Sorry). I thought the Toe-jams made adjustments at the half that were effective. Eventually our talented players figured out how to win. Under pressure we start forcing bad shots.

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The War Planner's avatar

"Burn This Game Film, Bury the Ashes - Let’s never speak of this again.'

Agreed. I originally had a USAF Auxiliary meeting tonight but thought I'd listen to these radio broadcast of the second half instead. What the hell, I wanted to hear the Bruins put the Toe Jams to the sword.

I promise never to do this again!

Also, arrest the arrogant little prince who passed out the UCLA "We Run L. A." T-shirts! The almighty despises haughtiness.

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Bruin4ever's avatar

A completely awful 16-point, 2nd-half performance by the Bruins that almost did them in. The terrible aftertaste of this game feels like they had suffered an ugly loss instead. But Purdue, Zags, and AZ almost got upset too. Could be symptomatic of a New Year's hangover for these top-ranked teams. In any case, hope the Bruins bounce back strong next week against Utah and also get a healthy Amari back in the lineup. Go Bruins!

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Evan's avatar

Credit to the underdogs too. USF played exceptionally well and should have beat Zaga. Ditty UW. Also big credit to USC -- one of the best coaches in the nation had something to do with slowing us down.

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Evan's avatar

A win is a win...in January at least. Get your act together Mick!

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Henry Tse's avatar

You said it to the wrong coach.

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Evan's avatar

Wut?

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mgibby's avatar

You should be saying that to Chip. Who can't even coach a victory against a middle of the pack ACC team.

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Henry Tse's avatar

Buddy, let me buy you a tequila ! Lol

!!!!

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Steve's avatar

Oh look it’s the anti chip sycophant

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mgibby's avatar

Oh look, Steve got butthurt.

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mgibby's avatar

Chip Kelly sucks. Period. Can't even coach a victory against Pitt who was missing a bunch of starters.

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Steve's avatar

This is a basketball thread is it not?

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mgibby's avatar

Oh boohoo.

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mgibby's avatar

Cronin is 14-2 coaching this year, has coached the team to be undefeated at home, undefeated on the road, has them ranked in the top 10, and according to Kenpom has them in the top 10 in offensive and defensive efficiency. "Get your act together, Mick" is perhaps one of the dumbest comments I have ever read here. Get your act together Evan.

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Henry Tse's avatar

Ignore the noise of an annoying few.

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Evan's avatar

Lol Mick literally admitted in the post game press conference that he did a shitty job coaching that game

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mgibby's avatar

Not really. He was pissed off at the selfish play. It's funny how you kiss Chip's ass but you criticize Cronin.

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Henry Tse's avatar

Another tequila is coming your way, buddy.

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Evan's avatar

and he blamed himself like a real man. Great coaches don't pass the buck. Who is criticizing Cronin???

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mgibby's avatar

Not what I saw or heard from the postgame. He was pissed about ridiculous shots for no reason. He was mad about "bad 2nd half defense" although IMO holding a team to 32 points in a half isn't really bad. Saying that he needs to get his act together is a ridiculous statement. He is 14-2, not 2-14. If he was a consistent losing coach, then go ahead and say that crap and you wouldn't get any pushback from me.

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Evan's avatar

Absolutely Nobody:

mgibby and Henry Se: ucla basketball played poorly so let's blame Chip Kelly

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mgibby's avatar

Evan, your reading comprehension skills are garbage. I didn't blame Chip Kelly for UCLA Basketball playing poorly. You're a damn troll.

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Henry Tse's avatar

So does his spelling. Tse, not Se, is my last name. My UCLA undergrad professor once told me the initials for Toronto Stock Exchange are also TSE. So does my family own it, he asked jokingly. I laughed. This was one of the highlights in my freshman semester at UCLA.

I thought I share this interesting tidbit of my time at UCLA on a dreary rainstorm battered morning after in Southern California. Unfortunately, we are again waiting wearily for yet another one approaching this weekend.

Ths professor kept up with me over the years even after I returned to Wisconsin for grad school. He and his wife, coincidentally a Wisconsin native, attended my commencement when then Vice President Dan Quayle handed me the PHD diploma.

In case you want to know, Badgers just hired a football coach from Cincinnati. Luke Fickell is the name. He is, in every way, a feisty hard charging coach similar to Mick Cronin's style in basketball. UCLA better be ready for him in fall 2024.

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Evan's avatar

wow, look who needs the reading comp work. Didn't say you blamed Chip for basketball. Went right over your head!

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kingjim1954's avatar

That last three from Jaylen was pure joy!

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Steve's avatar

Borderline iconic shot

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kingjim1954's avatar

Tru dat, Steve!

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Chenalex's avatar

Enfield had some harsh words for Boogie Ellis to reporters after his offensive foul in the final seconds, calling it "immature" and a "lack of IQ" to commit that foul. He must have been pretty mad to publicly call his own player stupid to the media. He's a senior, isn't he? Must be tough to be called immature at this point.

Ellis also didn't box out when Singleton got that offensive rebound. Watching the highlights, it looks like Singleton was battling Jaquez for the rebound, not a USC player.

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SEAUCLAn's avatar

I don't care what it says in the W-L column, but this game was not a win.

I think CMC would agree.

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Henry Tse's avatar

Cut Cronin some slack. This is in no way his coaching pattern.

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mgibby's avatar

Cronin was pissed off during the postgame presser and basically told the reporters that there was no growth to be gained from the game.

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mgibby's avatar

The offensive play was pretty terrible in the 2nd half.

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Chenalex's avatar

Perhaps we shouldn’t have fretted so much abt UCLA’s close win against Washington St. they’ve now beaten SC and Arizona at Arizona. They’re definitely showing their potential right now and can be a dangerous team in the conference

Utah has lost now too and ucla now is the sole unbeaten, so we gotta show up against them next wknd

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Steve's avatar

Driver’s seat

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mgibby's avatar

Got to sweep that homestand against Utah and Colorado.

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Henry Tse's avatar

Trust me, Cronin will deliver those victories. In some way, he reminds me of Larry Brown in the way the latter developed his players’ potentials to peak condition in March. In my view, had those free throws gone in, Brown could have beaten Louisville that year with a mostly freshman team even.

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Henry Tse's avatar

He was the senior captain. He led a freshman team through a tumultuous season with multiple losses, including a lopsided defeat by USC, hitherto unheard of, under Larry Brown and his multiple substitution style. He was a quick hire after Gary Cunningham's surprise resignation. Brown' style was initially bewildering to both players who, for years, had been coached on a seniority based starting five with designated back up. As such, nobody expected UCLA would go beyond the regular season, let alone into the tournament final. So even with Kiki flubbed at the most crucial time, I still regard theloss as a moral victory.

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