PAC-12 CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 11, 2023

Mick Cronin

Amari Bailey

Jaime Jaquez Jr.

UCLA Bruins

Postgame Press Conference

Arizona - 61, UCLA - 59

THE MODERATOR: We'll go ahead and get started with an opening statement from coach and then take questions.

MICK CRONIN: I don't really have a statement, so if you got questions, bring 'em. We're looking to get home and get some rest.

Q. What's kind of your takeaway? Some unusual circumstances tonight and obviously could have gone either way.

MICK CRONIN: My takeaway is offensive foul not called, they hit a three. But that's an offensive foul on a guy that has the best dunk of the season. So that's my takeaway.

Q. Did an Arizona fan get in your face after the game and you concerned about lack of security?

MICK CRONIN: I did not, nobody got in my face. Now there's other guys with no hair on my staff. But if they got in Darren Savino's face, I don't think it turned out too well for them. But I didn't see it. Nobody got -- if they did, I missed it.

Q. I didn't see it. One of my colleagues said they --

MICK CRONIN: No, I didn't see that.

Q. Thoughts going into tomorrow's Selection Sunday? What the Committee might have taken out of this game?

MICK CRONIN: No.

Q. Bona was out today and your bigs got in foul trouble really early. How do you assess the toughness that your team showed tonight?

MICK CRONIN: We always play with toughness, but we had too many defensive mistakes and gave up too many offensive rebounds in the second half. But that's, that's how we do things. So it's not a surprise. We compete. It's five on five. We don't accept that somebody was out so you're supposed to lose. We don't roll like that.

I don't teach these guys that about life. They're going to have ups -- I try to train my guys for life like my father taught me to. So they're going to have things happen along the way. I know these guys well. They both have already in their life. You wouldn't know it by the way they compete and carry themselves. So can't worry about stuff like that.

Q. Jaime, how tough is this one, given the way you guys fought, being down a couple guys and still came up short against the same team?

JAIME JAQUEZ JR.: I thought I had a lot of great looks. I just missed. Yeah, it was just a tough one.

Q. That final possession, obviously your in scramble mode, can you take us through that final possession coming down the court.

MICK CRONIN: Our ball?

Q. Your ball. Last play of the game.

MICK CRONIN: Wide open shot to win the game. It is what it is. Tyger's beating himself up over a missed free throw, but that had nothing to do with some of our bad fouls and defensive breakdowns. Those are controllables. I'll take Tyger at the line and put my career on the line with Tyger at the line. It's a fact.

Dylan had a great look, great pass by Jaime -- I think you found him, right? Great pass by Jaime. In that situation I try to train the guys don't try to do too much. Take what they give you. Instead of forcing it, you throw it, you got a wide open look to win the game. We'll take it. It is what it is. Get some rest, get ready for the real tournament.

Q. (Question about Coach Cronin's father.)

MICK CRONIN: If somebody got in my dad's face?