POSTGAME QUOTES
Ohio State 86, UCLA 74
Columbus, Ohio (at Schottenstein Center)
January 17, 2026
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men’s Head Basketball Coach
on the team’s struggles in regard to defense and rebounding
“Gave up 54 percent almost – 53 percent. They missed 25 shots, they got half their rebounds, almost. 49 percent. They got 12 [offensive rebounds], so we only got 13 defensive rebounds. They’re live ball shots. Of their 25 misses, they got 12, we got 13. You got no chance.
“Highly disappointed. Our inability to play defense. I offer no excuses. Blame me. I recruited them. I signed them as free agents. We’re not going to win meaningful games if we can’t stop the other team. You can’t give up plus 80 [points] and win on the road. You can’t do it. We scored 74 points, on the road in the Big Ten. You should have a big-time shot to win. Our defense was an embarrassment today. Last couple games, it was great. Today, we couldn’t guard them. We had plenty of time to get ready and talk about it. The problem is that we didn’t have anybody who could guard [Bruce] Thornton and [John] Mobley. In my opinion, we didn’t have anybody interested in rising to that challenge. We didn’t have anybody interested in rising to the challenge, defensively. Everybody wants somebody else to get the dirty work. We’re a team that struggles to have dirty work guys.”
on what changes could be made going forward
“Nothing. I can’t trade guys. You don’t defend in the Big Ten, you’re going to lose.”
on UCLA’s shots that were close, but did not fall through
“I don’t care about that. You think you’re going to come in here and get 87? What are the odds of that? You get 74 on the road, you should at least have a chance to win. Not going to make everything.”
on Xavier Booker’s limited action
“Trying to play the guys that give us the best chance to win.”
on if this was one of Tyler Bilodeau’s best performances
“No. He can score. We wasted a great shot-making day by him with awful defense.”
UCLA senior forward Tyler Bilodeau
on the team’s struggles with defense and rebounding
“They had two really tough guards. We just got to be more ready to play, step up to the fight. We knew they were a good rebounding team. Then again, I don’t think we were ready to fight on the glass either.”
on if the team has the ability to make changes to improve defense and rebounding
“Of course.”
on his offensive success
“Teammates were able to find me and I was able to knock some down.”
on frustrations with the team’s rebounding struggles
“It’s definitely frustrating, but we’ve got to figure it out.”
on the next game against Purdue
“They’re a great team. Everyone knows that – a lot of really great players on that team. Definitely going be a tough matchup. But I think we’re gonna’ be ready to play.”
UCLA sophomore guard Trent Perry
on the team’s defensive struggles
“We were minus 10 [rebounds] on the glass. Cronin said they got 50 percent of their misses and they shot 56 percent. It’s hard to win that way, especially on the road.”
on the adjustments needed to improve defensively
“Everything. We got to just buy in. We just gotta play like we really want to play. Even if the ball doesn’t go in on offense, on defense, we have to grind.”
on the emotions of a tough loss
“It’s a tough loss, but we just got to learn from it. Like I said a couple days ago, we gotta take each game with a lesson and we gotta go into the next one.”
on Ohio State’s defense
“I had a couple good looks, but I went 2-for-9. I didn’t really, offensively, show up for my team. I feel like I could’ve done a lot better in different areas. Of course, on my behalf, it’s for sure on me.”
on if Coach Cronin had a message to the team after the game
“Not really, to be honest. There’s nothing else really to say. We have to come together as a group. We keep losing because we’re not rebounding. We keep getting out-rebounded. We’re not talking as much. There was a totally different energy from Penn State to now, especially just like, talking. Even myself. We were kind of quiet. We’ve got to pick it up. We have a lot of games left, and we just got to be prepared for the next one.”
Ohio State 86, UCLA 74
Columbus, Ohio (at Schottenstein Center)
January 17, 2026
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men’s Head Basketball Coach
on the team’s struggles in regard to defense and rebounding
“Gave up 54 percent almost – 53 percent. They missed 25 shots, they got half their rebounds, almost. 49 percent. They got 12 [offensive rebounds], so we only got 13 defensive rebounds. They’re live ball shots. Of their 25 misses, they got 12, we got 13. You got no chance.
“Highly disappointed. Our inability to play defense. I offer no excuses. Blame me. I recruited them. I signed them as free agents. We’re not going to win meaningful games if we can’t stop the other team. You can’t give up plus 80 [points] and win on the road. You can’t do it. We scored 74 points, on the road in the Big Ten. You should have a big-time shot to win. Our defense was an embarrassment today. Last couple games, it was great. Today, we couldn’t guard them. We had plenty of time to get ready and talk about it. The problem is that we didn’t have anybody who could guard [Bruce] Thornton and [John] Mobley. In my opinion, we didn’t have anybody interested in rising to that challenge. We didn’t have anybody interested in rising to the challenge, defensively. Everybody wants somebody else to get the dirty work. We’re a team that struggles to have dirty work guys.”
on what changes could be made going forward
“Nothing. I can’t trade guys. You don’t defend in the Big Ten, you’re going to lose.”
on UCLA’s shots that were close, but did not fall through
“I don’t care about that. You think you’re going to come in here and get 87? What are the odds of that? You get 74 on the road, you should at least have a chance to win. Not going to make everything.”
on Xavier Booker’s limited action
“Trying to play the guys that give us the best chance to win.”
on if this was one of Tyler Bilodeau’s best performances
“No. He can score. We wasted a great shot-making day by him with awful defense.”
UCLA senior forward Tyler Bilodeau
on the team’s struggles with defense and rebounding
“They had two really tough guards. We just got to be more ready to play, step up to the fight. We knew they were a good rebounding team. Then again, I don’t think we were ready to fight on the glass either.”
on if the team has the ability to make changes to improve defense and rebounding
“Of course.”
on his offensive success
“Teammates were able to find me and I was able to knock some down.”
on frustrations with the team’s rebounding struggles
“It’s definitely frustrating, but we’ve got to figure it out.”
on the next game against Purdue
“They’re a great team. Everyone knows that – a lot of really great players on that team. Definitely going be a tough matchup. But I think we’re gonna’ be ready to play.”
UCLA sophomore guard Trent Perry
on the team’s defensive struggles
“We were minus 10 [rebounds] on the glass. Cronin said they got 50 percent of their misses and they shot 56 percent. It’s hard to win that way, especially on the road.”
on the adjustments needed to improve defensively
“Everything. We got to just buy in. We just gotta play like we really want to play. Even if the ball doesn’t go in on offense, on defense, we have to grind.”
on the emotions of a tough loss
“It’s a tough loss, but we just got to learn from it. Like I said a couple days ago, we gotta take each game with a lesson and we gotta go into the next one.”
on Ohio State’s defense
“I had a couple good looks, but I went 2-for-9. I didn’t really, offensively, show up for my team. I feel like I could’ve done a lot better in different areas. Of course, on my behalf, it’s for sure on me.”
on if Coach Cronin had a message to the team after the game
“Not really, to be honest. There’s nothing else really to say. We have to come together as a group. We keep losing because we’re not rebounding. We keep getting out-rebounded. We’re not talking as much. There was a totally different energy from Penn State to now, especially just like, talking. Even myself. We were kind of quiet. We’ve got to pick it up. We have a lot of games left, and we just got to be prepared for the next one.”