University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Postgame Quotes -- UCLA vs. Washington State
POSTGAME QUOTES
UCLA 75, Washington State 65
T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas, Nev.)
March 10, 2022
ย
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Menโs Head Basketball Coach
opening remarks
โI thought Washington State gave everything they had โ made us play. [Tyrell] Roberts had a pretty good game. So did [Andrej] Jakimovski. Kyle [Smith]โs done a great job rebuilding their program so, hopefully, they make the NIT. Obviously, these two guys [Jaime Jaquez Jr., Jules Bernard] both got it going. We were stuck in the mud a little bit and Jules made some big shots, got us going. He got our energy level up, we got out in transition. I thought that changed the game.โ
ย
on holding Washington State to 27.6 percent from long range and if that was an emphasis
โYeah. Always is when you play Washington State. I think they made three late. I wasnโt happy with some of our guys that we put in at the end โ [they] didnโt finish the game right. But, in the meat of the game, I think we held them to five made threes.โ
ย
on what itโs like to have a player like Jaime Jaquez Jr.
โItโs why you develop players. I know that, in Westwood, weโre used to guys coming in ready-made, at times. Whether itโs Lonzo [Ball] or Kevin [Love] or Baron Davis โ all the greats. Even Peyton [Watson] needs development. When he doesnโt play well, I blame myself, not him. Itโs my job to develop him. Thatโs what Jaimeโs trying to help him with โ because Jaime didnโt finish. He was Peyton as a freshman. Jaime played a lot more because he wasnโt on a great team, but heโs developed. Coaching matters and attitude matters. Thatโs why we do things the way we do things. We have a formula. Mental state โ you need to be coachable. You canโt get better if youโre not coachable โฆ Jaimeโs come a long way, but thatโs hard work. His toughness, his talent, his great attitude. Just unbelievable attitudeโฆโ
ย
on winning battles on the glass and with second-chance points
โEarly on, they were beating us on the glass. [Efe] Abogidi โ I think his three offensive rebounds were all in the first four minutes. So, it wasnโt looking good, but we always talk about, โYou need to play harder than them. You need to run harder than them. You need to be more physical than them.โ. As the game went on, we were. We started doing that. Even if you look down โ second chance points, as you mentioned, but points in the paint we were +18. Itโs hard to lose when you get 40 points in the paint and you make 11 free throws. If you can get to 50 on layups and free throws, itโs hard to lose. Youโre going to make enough shots. Youโre going to get 70 [points]. As you know, our chances when we get 70, pretty good.
ย
junior guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr.
on adapting his game
โI would say just taking my time down there, playing at my speed, not trying to go get sped up or anything like that, just really slow down, and being able to find my teammates as well when the double team comes, and just take my time and be able to rise up and finish.โย
ย
on encouraging and mentoring Peyton Watson
โI just went back to Chris Smith. He was my guy. He mentored me when I came in, he was older, he tried to give me all the tips he knew, and that's what I am trying to do for Peyton as well. I just told him, โGet off two feet, rise up and score. Donโt worry about the foul, donโt try to draw a foul, just try to score. And they are going to foul you, and you get to shoot two free throws.โ I am just really telling him to be under control, take his time, and play at his speed.โ
ย
senior guard Jules Bernard
on if it felt like the energy shifted when Bernard hit a triple at the end of the shot clock in the first half
โI think the energy shifted when Peyton Watson came in. He gave us a lot of great energy. Just on the defensive end and then playing confidently on the offensive end. We started to get deflections and get out in transition. I feel like once we get easy buckets in transition, thatโs what gets our juices flowing. So, I think those two things really helped us pick back up our energy in the first half.โ
ย
on breaking out of a bit of an individual slump during conference play
โSlumps happen, but Iโve been working diligently and trying to get my rhythm back. Coming in later in the night and shooting and stuff like that. Iโm getting open looks. My teammates are drawing double teams and finding me on the perimeter. Iโm just trying to play with confidence and help my team win. Thatโs it.โ
ย
on how locked in the defense is at the moment
โWeโre getting there. There are still some adjustments we need to make. Sometimes we go through certain lapses or plays where we fall asleep, but for the most part, I feel like we are definitely improving through these last few games on our defensive energy, getting deflections, and playing aggressively on defense.โ
UCLA 75, Washington State 65
T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas, Nev.)
March 10, 2022
ย
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Menโs Head Basketball Coach
opening remarks
โI thought Washington State gave everything they had โ made us play. [Tyrell] Roberts had a pretty good game. So did [Andrej] Jakimovski. Kyle [Smith]โs done a great job rebuilding their program so, hopefully, they make the NIT. Obviously, these two guys [Jaime Jaquez Jr., Jules Bernard] both got it going. We were stuck in the mud a little bit and Jules made some big shots, got us going. He got our energy level up, we got out in transition. I thought that changed the game.โ
ย
on holding Washington State to 27.6 percent from long range and if that was an emphasis
โYeah. Always is when you play Washington State. I think they made three late. I wasnโt happy with some of our guys that we put in at the end โ [they] didnโt finish the game right. But, in the meat of the game, I think we held them to five made threes.โ
ย
on what itโs like to have a player like Jaime Jaquez Jr.
โItโs why you develop players. I know that, in Westwood, weโre used to guys coming in ready-made, at times. Whether itโs Lonzo [Ball] or Kevin [Love] or Baron Davis โ all the greats. Even Peyton [Watson] needs development. When he doesnโt play well, I blame myself, not him. Itโs my job to develop him. Thatโs what Jaimeโs trying to help him with โ because Jaime didnโt finish. He was Peyton as a freshman. Jaime played a lot more because he wasnโt on a great team, but heโs developed. Coaching matters and attitude matters. Thatโs why we do things the way we do things. We have a formula. Mental state โ you need to be coachable. You canโt get better if youโre not coachable โฆ Jaimeโs come a long way, but thatโs hard work. His toughness, his talent, his great attitude. Just unbelievable attitudeโฆโ
ย
on winning battles on the glass and with second-chance points
โEarly on, they were beating us on the glass. [Efe] Abogidi โ I think his three offensive rebounds were all in the first four minutes. So, it wasnโt looking good, but we always talk about, โYou need to play harder than them. You need to run harder than them. You need to be more physical than them.โ. As the game went on, we were. We started doing that. Even if you look down โ second chance points, as you mentioned, but points in the paint we were +18. Itโs hard to lose when you get 40 points in the paint and you make 11 free throws. If you can get to 50 on layups and free throws, itโs hard to lose. Youโre going to make enough shots. Youโre going to get 70 [points]. As you know, our chances when we get 70, pretty good.
ย
junior guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr.
on adapting his game
โI would say just taking my time down there, playing at my speed, not trying to go get sped up or anything like that, just really slow down, and being able to find my teammates as well when the double team comes, and just take my time and be able to rise up and finish.โย
ย
on encouraging and mentoring Peyton Watson
โI just went back to Chris Smith. He was my guy. He mentored me when I came in, he was older, he tried to give me all the tips he knew, and that's what I am trying to do for Peyton as well. I just told him, โGet off two feet, rise up and score. Donโt worry about the foul, donโt try to draw a foul, just try to score. And they are going to foul you, and you get to shoot two free throws.โ I am just really telling him to be under control, take his time, and play at his speed.โ
ย
senior guard Jules Bernard
on if it felt like the energy shifted when Bernard hit a triple at the end of the shot clock in the first half
โI think the energy shifted when Peyton Watson came in. He gave us a lot of great energy. Just on the defensive end and then playing confidently on the offensive end. We started to get deflections and get out in transition. I feel like once we get easy buckets in transition, thatโs what gets our juices flowing. So, I think those two things really helped us pick back up our energy in the first half.โ
ย
on breaking out of a bit of an individual slump during conference play
โSlumps happen, but Iโve been working diligently and trying to get my rhythm back. Coming in later in the night and shooting and stuff like that. Iโm getting open looks. My teammates are drawing double teams and finding me on the perimeter. Iโm just trying to play with confidence and help my team win. Thatโs it.โ
ย
on how locked in the defense is at the moment
โWeโre getting there. There are still some adjustments we need to make. Sometimes we go through certain lapses or plays where we fall asleep, but for the most part, I feel like we are definitely improving through these last few games on our defensive energy, getting deflections, and playing aggressively on defense.โ