Feb 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin with guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) and UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) during the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Top Takeaways From UCLA's Cronin's Postgame Brief

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI
By Andrew L. Ferguson Jr | Last updated Mar 4, 2026 7:00 AM ET

The Bruins would cruise past Nebraska on Tuesday night, winning 72-52. It can be safe to assume Mick Cronin was extra happy with how the Bruins played.

After falling to Minnesota in the previous game, UCLA’s tournament hopes hinged heavily on the outcome of this matchup. With UCLA taking care of business in decisive fashion, the looming threat of them missing the tournament outright has been lifted.

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Massive Turnaround

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The Bruins really struggled to find success against an inferior Minnesota team. However, they completely rewrote the script against Nebraska. This win showed growth that not many people believed was possible. If the Bruins can maintain this level of play, they should make some noise in the tournament.

Why Attitude Is the Key to Success

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There are plenty of reasons why UCLA has not lived up to expectations this season. But the recurring theme that has been on Mick Cronin's mind since November has been the team's overall attitude. With that seemingly improving, we might see sustained long-term success.

"I saw walking into the arena tonight that Georgetown was beating St. John's, and somebody said St. John's barely came back and won. I watched St. John's beat Villanova by 30 Saturday. I think Georgetown's in last in the Big East. I mean, Rick Pitino's the best there is and he can't bottle it. You know, the answer I tell our guys, we had a heart-to-heart, and I said, look, guys. You know, here's a team. Their record is what it is because their attitude and their effort and their commitment to doing the hard things. I'm so impressed with them. Tonight, we were great. If we would just have their attitude, we would have their record. That's my opinion."Mick Cronin

Improvements on the Bench

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Besides effort and defensive issues, the most glaring problem for UCLA this season has been its lack of depth. Opponents have been able to outlast the Bruins late in games, which ultimately led to a few losses. However, the bench really stepped up against Nebraska, and it showed—UCLA did not trail once in this one.

"We have some guys off the bench. Eric Freeny with six deflections. He kept some balls alive. We got layups. We had him on Sandfort a lot. He was awesome. Book [Xavier Booker] came in and hit some monster shots. Brandon Williams, unsung hero, six [points] and three [rebounds]. Had a couple wipeouts, got guys layup. So I thought our bench was big tonight, and it hasn't been all year. You know, consistently.Mick Cronin

This article first appeared on UCLA Bruins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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