Mick Cronin of the UCLA ends the 500th career victory – Orange County Register

Los Angeles – Mick Cronin will win his 500th career victory with his next victory, an achievement that the UCLA male sneakers’ head -up coach said that he had never thought about his return to Murray State in 2003.

“It was just” how can I survive? “” Said Cronin. “You are extending or off.”

Cronin maintains this state of mind, even now. In fact, he did not know the imminent milestone before his father, hep, told him that he planned to fly for the match.

On the contrary, Cronin went so far because of its ability to focus on success in the present, to approach each game, each season in the same way.

“Win or lose,” he explains, “you just have to get better.”

However, expectations have changed Cronin’s prospects. In Murray State, regular season victories and recruitment lessons have determined its employment status. At the UCLA, there is a different standard.

“For us, this is the NCAA tournament, that’s how it,” said Cronin after the Bruins 72-70 victory against Indiana on Saturday. “I know that everyone thinks they know who will win it and that we have no chance, but it is not the way we approach.

Cronin, too, quickly recalled that he led the UCLA to a record of 9-3 in the NCAA tournament on the back of its ideology – learn from each game whatever the result; Then take these lessons and apply them when it matters most.

Bruins will use their next home as more fuel and study equipment for the NCAA tournament. They welcome Minnesota (13-12 in total, 5-9 Big Ten) Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and Ohio State (15-10, 7-7) Sunday at 12.45 p.m. when they honor the late Walton bill.

The two opponents win victories in their last games and fight for spots in the Big Ten tournament. The Golden Gophers have the oldest departure range of anyone in university and Cronin basketball complimented their coach, referring to the way Minnesota plays the defense.

With five games to play on its calendar, the UCLA positioned itself for a place in the NCAA tournament. The Bruins display a curriculum vitae, with seven victories against quad 1 opponents (last season 22 out of 23 teams which won six Quad 1 games made the tournament); In addition to the victories against three teams currently classified 20th or better in the poll of Associated Press. And, according to the most recent prediction of ESPN, Joe Lunardi, Les Bruins (19-7, 10-5) would be a seeded n ° 6.

Due to his impressive record in the tournament, Cronin is not so concerned about the exact seed as the earthly Bruins, just that they crossed a perfidious Big Ten calendar and positioned themselves for an after-season race .

However, they have the opportunity to improve their sowing because they should be strong in all their remaining games except one. But again, Cronin’s spirit is on a bigger question, which he points out on Monday saying: “Win or lose, how to improve us?”

For example, he considered that the defeat of 83-78 of the UCLA against Illinois was a chance for his players to learn that it takes a precise and coherent execution to set up a late return. And, from the Indiana game, in which the Bruins let the Hoosiers erase an advantage of 10 points in the last six minutes, they could learn to better protect an advance.

The season of the first year Trent Perry can serve as an analogy for Cronin’s state of mind, because it has gradually improved whatever its statistical outing.

“His out -of -ball defense and his intelligence are great,” said Cronin about Perry. “Could really help us in March.”