Postgame Quotes – UCLA vs. Arizona
POSTGAME QUOTES
UCLA 75, Arizona 59
January 25, 2022
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men’s Head Basketball Coach
opening statement
“By far, I thought (that was) our most spirited 40 minutes of the year. Obviously, fans back helped, but I really think it was our players’ excitement to play against a great team like Arizona. And they are a great team. Nobody’s held them to 59 points or even close all season. They shoot 31 percent for the game. But effort matters. I learned a long time ago effort matters. Our effort was awesome. I told Peyton Watson his spirit and athleticism – he changed the game in the first half. Just tremendous, tremendous, tremendous effort from our guys. The three things that (Arizona is) great at – running the floor, rebounding, and their defensive denial – they weren’t factors tonight. They got some rebounds, but they missed 49 shots. You’re going to get some rebounds. The size factor is real. They’re huge.”
on the team’s defensive effort after the first five minutes of the game
“Well, they were 4 for their first 4 from three at the first T.V. timeout. So, from there, they were 3 for 24 (from three). I thought our effort defensively to disrupt them from what they’re good at and not let teams play a team like that. If you let them get comfortable, they just destroy teams offensively. So, the kids did a great job. Coach (Darren Savino) should not be with me, but I love him. He makes me look thin. But his scouting report was awesome. It’s such an advantage for me to have three head coaches sitting with me. But again, we got a lot of rhythm. And some of it is sometimes you make shots and you don’t. That is somewhat of a factor.”
on Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s contributions
“We were trying to get him the matchups we wanted. The thing about us, we have multiple guys that can take turns offensively so we don’t have to have a guy carry us for 40 minutes. As good as Johnny (Juzang) is, you see tonight and you get Cody (Riley) with 12 … Jaime dominates the second half. We only turned it over eight times. It negates their fast break. My dad taught me a long time ago you can’t run without the ball. So if you score and get fouled, it’s hard for a team to run on you. So far this year, they’ve been so awesome defensively that not only did they force turnovers, they forced a lot of desperation shots that I’ll call – in Van Gundy terms – shooting turnovers. We tried to get the shots we wanted so we can set our defense.”
on the defense against Christian Koloko
“He got behind our head on some lobs, but we did a good job of not letting him be a dominant shot blocker. We had eight, they had two. I haven’t seen Jaime (Jaquez Jr.) jump that high in three years. I mean, he got three blocked shots? Are you kidding me? He blocked him once, I couldn’t believe it was him. Effort matters. Coaching is overrated. Coaching only matters if you can get your team to play with that kind of effort. Then, coaching matters. A lot of guys can X and O. It doesn’t matter if your guys can’t do it with a lot of heart. Jaime’s effort was spirited.”
on the crowd being back for the first time since Dec. 1
“Oh, it was awesome. For me, coming here three years ago, it’s just been an awesome experience. To be able to bond with our fan base and be a part of UCLA and our tradition and become closer with our students, their support has been awesome. They were waiting outside, lining up at 6 a.m. When I walked in an hour and a half early, I was over there talking to them. I was telling them I missed them. It’s what makes this fun.”
on Peyton Watson’s defensive performance
“Yeah, he was awesome. I told him this was his best game by far. Learning how to play with the physicality at this level in a game like that with the effort it takes, it takes time for kids. … I don’t care how talented you are, guys need time to adjust to how hard it is. Peyton’s adjusting. His spirit was awesome tonight. All of the guys were, but (when) you can come off the bench and get better – your rebounding gets better, our defense gets better – and when he gets in there with his length and he plays with that kind of fight and scrap and spirit, he makes his athleticism a factor.”
junior guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr.
on how locked in the team was tonight
“I think it’s just been something we’ve been pressing all week: trying to take our game and our team to the next level. Like coach said earlier, we had another gear w can get to, and it was really all week it was about harping on trying to get to that next level and find that intensity that we have and put it out on the floor.”
on his mentality when re-entering after being subbed out
“I’m trying to think of what play you’re talking about, but it was probably just ‘go back and try to be a menace on defense.’ That’s something I’ve been trying to work on: being a menace on defense and just being more active, getting more defense (and) try to do anything I can to be disruptive.”
on having expectations this season
“I’ll just say I think we like being the underdogs. That’s all I’ll say.”
junior guard Johnny Juzang
on the atmosphere of the rivalry game and having fans back
“First, it’s so huge to have the Den back (and) all the Bruins’ support, so having all the fans back is huge. That was great. I would say this group of guys, we love these type of games, man. We love these big games, these big matchups. It’s a great feeling to be a part of a team with guys that love to go out and battle.”
senior guard Jules Bernard
on the spirit Peyton Watson brought defensively off the bench
“Peyton is one of the most spirited guys on the team (and) … in the nation to be honest. His energy is amazing. He’s always positive and what he did tonight and all his energy, his blocks, spirit in the game – I think it catapulted us in the second half and throughout the game. I feel like he’s one of the hardest working guys and most active guys we have and it showed tonight. It was unbelievable.:
on if this win means UCLA is the team to beat in the Pac-12
“Of course. We have a talent team. I think to come out and prove we have the energy and fight and grit to beat a team like Arizona – obviously, they’re a great team – it was telling. We know that we have a lot more games left so this type of energy is something we need to bring throughout the rest of the Pac-12 season and after that.”
UCLA 75, Arizona 59
January 25, 2022
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men’s Head Basketball Coach
opening statement
“By far, I thought (that was) our most spirited 40 minutes of the year. Obviously, fans back helped, but I really think it was our players’ excitement to play against a great team like Arizona. And they are a great team. Nobody’s held them to 59 points or even close all season. They shoot 31 percent for the game. But effort matters. I learned a long time ago effort matters. Our effort was awesome. I told Peyton Watson his spirit and athleticism – he changed the game in the first half. Just tremendous, tremendous, tremendous effort from our guys. The three things that (Arizona is) great at – running the floor, rebounding, and their defensive denial – they weren’t factors tonight. They got some rebounds, but they missed 49 shots. You’re going to get some rebounds. The size factor is real. They’re huge.”
on the team’s defensive effort after the first five minutes of the game
“Well, they were 4 for their first 4 from three at the first T.V. timeout. So, from there, they were 3 for 24 (from three). I thought our effort defensively to disrupt them from what they’re good at and not let teams play a team like that. If you let them get comfortable, they just destroy teams offensively. So, the kids did a great job. Coach (Darren Savino) should not be with me, but I love him. He makes me look thin. But his scouting report was awesome. It’s such an advantage for me to have three head coaches sitting with me. But again, we got a lot of rhythm. And some of it is sometimes you make shots and you don’t. That is somewhat of a factor.”
on Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s contributions
“We were trying to get him the matchups we wanted. The thing about us, we have multiple guys that can take turns offensively so we don’t have to have a guy carry us for 40 minutes. As good as Johnny (Juzang) is, you see tonight and you get Cody (Riley) with 12 … Jaime dominates the second half. We only turned it over eight times. It negates their fast break. My dad taught me a long time ago you can’t run without the ball. So if you score and get fouled, it’s hard for a team to run on you. So far this year, they’ve been so awesome defensively that not only did they force turnovers, they forced a lot of desperation shots that I’ll call – in Van Gundy terms – shooting turnovers. We tried to get the shots we wanted so we can set our defense.”
on the defense against Christian Koloko
“He got behind our head on some lobs, but we did a good job of not letting him be a dominant shot blocker. We had eight, they had two. I haven’t seen Jaime (Jaquez Jr.) jump that high in three years. I mean, he got three blocked shots? Are you kidding me? He blocked him once, I couldn’t believe it was him. Effort matters. Coaching is overrated. Coaching only matters if you can get your team to play with that kind of effort. Then, coaching matters. A lot of guys can X and O. It doesn’t matter if your guys can’t do it with a lot of heart. Jaime’s effort was spirited.”
on the crowd being back for the first time since Dec. 1
“Oh, it was awesome. For me, coming here three years ago, it’s just been an awesome experience. To be able to bond with our fan base and be a part of UCLA and our tradition and become closer with our students, their support has been awesome. They were waiting outside, lining up at 6 a.m. When I walked in an hour and a half early, I was over there talking to them. I was telling them I missed them. It’s what makes this fun.”
on Peyton Watson’s defensive performance
“Yeah, he was awesome. I told him this was his best game by far. Learning how to play with the physicality at this level in a game like that with the effort it takes, it takes time for kids. … I don’t care how talented you are, guys need time to adjust to how hard it is. Peyton’s adjusting. His spirit was awesome tonight. All of the guys were, but (when) you can come off the bench and get better – your rebounding gets better, our defense gets better – and when he gets in there with his length and he plays with that kind of fight and scrap and spirit, he makes his athleticism a factor.”
junior guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr.
on how locked in the team was tonight
“I think it’s just been something we’ve been pressing all week: trying to take our game and our team to the next level. Like coach said earlier, we had another gear w can get to, and it was really all week it was about harping on trying to get to that next level and find that intensity that we have and put it out on the floor.”
on his mentality when re-entering after being subbed out
“I’m trying to think of what play you’re talking about, but it was probably just ‘go back and try to be a menace on defense.’ That’s something I’ve been trying to work on: being a menace on defense and just being more active, getting more defense (and) try to do anything I can to be disruptive.”
on having expectations this season
“I’ll just say I think we like being the underdogs. That’s all I’ll say.”
junior guard Johnny Juzang
on the atmosphere of the rivalry game and having fans back
“First, it’s so huge to have the Den back (and) all the Bruins’ support, so having all the fans back is huge. That was great. I would say this group of guys, we love these type of games, man. We love these big games, these big matchups. It’s a great feeling to be a part of a team with guys that love to go out and battle.”
senior guard Jules Bernard
on the spirit Peyton Watson brought defensively off the bench
“Peyton is one of the most spirited guys on the team (and) … in the nation to be honest. His energy is amazing. He’s always positive and what he did tonight and all his energy, his blocks, spirit in the game – I think it catapulted us in the second half and throughout the game. I feel like he’s one of the hardest working guys and most active guys we have and it showed tonight. It was unbelievable.:
on if this win means UCLA is the team to beat in the Pac-12
“Of course. We have a talent team. I think to come out and prove we have the energy and fight and grit to beat a team like Arizona – obviously, they’re a great team – it was telling. We know that we have a lot more games left so this type of energy is something we need to bring throughout the rest of the Pac-12 season and after that.”