Mick Cronin on how time, experience guided UCLA to their strong finish

No one knows how the season would have ended for the UCLA Bruins men’s basketball team, but one thing is for certain, this was not a team that anyone wanted to face in March/April.

Head coach Mick Cronin led his team to a 19-12 overall record during the 2019-20 shortened season, looking much better as a team down the stretch.

In fact, the Bruins had a 12-6 Pac-12 record and before the Pac-12 tournament was cancelled, had landed a No. 2 seed in the tournament. Prior to the two-point loss to USC to end the regular season, the Bruins had won seven straight and nine of their last 10.

Experience and time as a unit helped them mold into a feared team down the stretch as they went from one of the bracketologists’ ‘First Four Out’ teams to a solid No. 11 seed and then even flirted with No. 8/9 seeds in some brackets.

Again, this was not a team anyone wanted to face come tournament time.

Now, nearly two months after the coronavirus pandemic shut down the postseason and all nonessential businesses across the country, Cronin sat down virtually to speak with the Pac-12’s Andy Katz on the 2019-20 season among other topics.

Here’s hoping this team continues their 2019-20 success into the 2020-21 season this coming winter!