their respective roles.
“It’s like a racecar, you have to have different components and you have to have components that match well,” Cronin said to the media Tuesday morning.
He went on to identify key roles and how each player’s role complements another.
“Jaime Jaquez can get tough baskets while Jaylen Clark can make great defensive plays. ... Amari Bailey is a great athlete, super-talented explosive guy, while Tyger Campbell is a veteran, consummate, thinking point guard,” Cronin went on saying. “Adem Bona is an unbelievably talented, young athlete while Kenneth Nwuba is a big, strong, tough veteran. Then off the bench, Dylan Andrews brings pace and ball pressure. ... David Singleton is the best sixth-man in the country — he’s like a starter.”
Then Cronin summed it up.
“Sometimes you have a bunch of talent, but it doesn’t fit. These guys complement each other, which is why I think we’re doing pretty well,” he said.
Cronin is doing pretty well himself.
Through 125 games as the head coach at UCLA, Cronin is 91-34 (.728 winning percentage), which is tied with Jim Harrick and Caddy Works. It’s better than John Wooden (88-37), Steve Lavin (88-37), Ben Howland (87-39), Steve Alford (84-41) and Wilbur Johns (45-80). All eight coaches are the only individuals to even coach at least 125 games in UCLA’s history. Wooden coached 14 seasons at UCLA before winning the first of 10 national championships.
Cronin refers to Wooden’s greatness from time to time. While Cronin might have more wins than the legendary coach in his first 125 attempts, he knows the shadow of Wooden will never fade — neither do the expectations.
“I left a place where I could’ve easily been the all-time winningest coach ... so obviously, I embrace them. If I didn’t embrace (expectations), I took the wrong job. To come sit where coach (John) Wooden sat, you better be okay with that stuff,” Cronin said in October of 2021.
Against Utah
The Bruins recorded a 68-49 win over Utah earlier this season when the two programs faced off in Pauley Pavilion on Jan. 12.
UCLA has recorded an all-time record of 16-10 against Utah and won the last six matchups, including a 12-6 record against the Runnin’ Utes since they joined the Pac-12 in 2011-12.