A game that was supposed to be a fist fight between two aggressive coaches turned into one that caught the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Two different events: one never-seen instance of a player getting ejected by his own coach, and a post-game tussle with a reporter, but with one similar epicenter: Mick Cronin caught much of the attention in UCLA’s 59-82 loss to Michigan State Spartans on Tuesday.

The reality set in at the post-game press conference, when Cronin was asked about his views on the Spartans’ crowd chanting the name of former Michigan State player Xavier Booker. Reacting to it, the UCLA head coach absolutely lost it at the reporter.

“I couldn’t give a rat’s *** about the other team’s student section,” he said. “I would like to give you kudos for the worst question I’ve ever been asked. Do you really think I care about the other team’s student section?”

While the reporter tried to calm down the situation, his slightly louder tone just added more fuel to the fire. “Are you raising your voice at me? Yeah, you are,” Cronin added. “Everybody’s standing here, listening to you. This is on camera; they can hear you. I answered the question, I could give a rat’s *** about the other team’s student section. I coach UCLA, I don’t care about Michigan State students, I mean, who cares?”

Cronin’s antics were also prevalent in the second half of the game when Steven Jamerson, a UCLA forward and a former regular student for Michigan State, came off the bench. In his short 8-minute stay, Jamerson conceded a rough foul on Spartans center Carson Cooper to protect his rim, with just over 4 minutes remaining.

While the referees didn’t hesitate to concede a foul instantly, Cronin, in turn, took charge and sent Jamerson straight to the locker room, a bizarre incident where even the crowd joined to bid goodbye to Jamerson. “I was thoroughly disappointed,” Cronin said of Jamerson’s foul. “Guy was defenseless in the air. I know Steve was trying to block the shot, but the game’s a 25-point game. You don’t do that.”

This isn’t the first time, though, that Mick Cronin’s antics have put his team on edge. Throughout his coaching career, Cronin has been in the spotlight for his unapologetic nature. Be it expressing his dissatisfaction with officiating earlier this season or calling his team ‘soft’ in public following a blowout defeat to Michigan last year, Cronin never hesitates to present his opinions.

However, ejecting his own player in a game has never been heard of and even surprised Spartans coach Tom Izzo for a moment. “That’s the first time I saw a coach do it. But that sounds like Mick, so he’ll get that straightened out,” Izzo said.

Notably, Cronin’s frustration with his team isn’t unjustifiable. The team did manage a brief comeback last month, clinching five of six games before the Michigan stretch. Two blowout defeats on the on-road Michigan trip have worsened the Bruins’ situation further this season.

Mick Cronin Highlights the Aspect Where His Team Got Outplayed by Michigan State

For starters, the UCLA Bruins’ performance against the Michigan State Spartans was laden with errors. The team struggled on the boards at times, which hurt their ability to regain possession and generate offensive output. This makes the cause-and-effect relationship clear However, for Mick Cronin, there was one decisive factor that separated the two teams on Tuesday.

“I thought that was their best game they played all year, Cronin said in the post-game press conference. “14 of 27 for three; they don’t shoot it like that, but it’s not a surprise we took their best shot. Not a surprise at all.”

Cronin’s assessment was spot on at the press conference. Throughout the season, the Spartans haven’t had great momentum while shooting from the perimeter. The team has scored just over 7 three-pointers per game, ranking 211th in the nation. However, against the Bruins, Tom Izzo’s team did much better, scoring 14 of 27 for 52%.

In reply, the UCLA Bruins trailed by a wide margin, making just 8 of 25 shots (32%). The Bruins struggled to defend the perimeter, costing them a major defeat. Tyler Bilodeau impressed with 30 points in the game, but lacked support from his teammates. On their homecoming to Michigan State, Xavier Booker and Steven Jamerson combined for just 4 points in 33 minutes.

Cronin’s team is now 17-9 and 9-6 in the season, sitting seventh in the Big Ten conference. They have five remaining regular-season games, starting with their immediate assignment against No. 10 Illinois. The game will tip off on Saturday (February 21) at the Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins have just 35.4% chances of winning the contest, per ESPN. But can Cronin’s team defy the odds and clinch a Quad 1 victory against Illinois? Do let us know in the comments.