Postgame Quotes – UCLA 69, Oregon State 62
POSTGAME QUOTES
UCLA 69, Oregon State 62
Corvallis, Ore. (Gill Coliseum)
Dec. 28, 2023
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men’s Head Basketball Coach
on tonight’s all-around performance
“We got some guys who produced. They’re tough to play. A much-improved team. Watching them on film, defensively, they’re 8-0 at home – very improved basketball team this year. Five of their first eight guys are back. I was concerned about would we be able to score with only two days from Christmas to get ready for the matchups? We made adjustments on our attack as the game went on. The kids did a good job of that. We finally got some assists. But look, some guys performed. I’ll tell you three things that we focused on and identified. We got to guard the ball better. We did that. We got to stop fouling. We did that until late into the game. They didn’t shoot a free throw in the first half. Maryland shot 30. We got to guard the ball better. We got to stop fouling. When we help, we’ve got to get something done. Steal the ball, block a shot. We can’t just help and leave people open.
“So, our defense was improved in a lot of ways. We forced 14 turnovers. When you can make the home team turn it over 14 times, you’re doing something [right]. They had guys who made shots and shoot the ball well from three who haven’t all year. It’s just been happening against us. But we weathered it and had some guys step up. It was good to see. Obviously, Brandon Williams continues to get better. He woke up with a stomach bug – our luck just keeps on turning. Our training staff did a great job to get him ready for the game or he would have started. Will [McClendon] was great – six rebounds, 10 points, three assists. Adem [Bona] is just working. I think we just got to keep getting him the ball. I know he had some turnovers tonight, but he’s our most experienced guy with playing time. We got to keep getting him the ball because it puts pressure on your defense. We keep making him a better passer, keep working with him on his offense and just continue to grow.”
on the offensive rebounding
“Huge. I just told the guys. It was 25 to 11 second chance points. I just told the guys, 37 or 38 percent of our points were second chance points. You can talk all you want about talent, Oregon State is a better team this year. Last year, we came in here and scored 62. Today, we have 69 and make nine threes. Last year we were a superior defensive team. Superior. We got to continue to play smarter, which I thought we had a lot of growth in that. … Obviously, this was good for their confidence to get this win, but it’s onward and upward. Guys got to continue to grow and as a coaching staff I identify areas where we can improve. But the kids did a good job against that – that matchup zone is hard to play against. I played it at Cincinnati. In two days prep, it’s really hard, especially when you’re a young group of guys still. They did a good job with some of the adjustments. But to your point, Brandon Williams, the fact that he could hardly go through shootaround and he has the game he had, he continued to get better. He’s a huge bright spot for us.”
on what he did to build the team’s confidence
“I told them, and it’s easier said than done, they’ve got to worry about what I say and not what everybody else says. You got to put in the work. It ain’t always about the result. Alabama football is getting ready to play in the final four, and they lost early and almost lost to South Florida. Everybody had written them off. They have one of the best coaches of all-time, and he keeps his players focused on what he wants, and not what everybody else thinks. So that’s you job as a coach to keep them focused on what I want, OK? And I worry about defense, rebounding. On offense, share the ball and play with confidence. I don’t care if you miss, just go rebound. Young kids tend to care too much when they miss. We’re still getting over that. We still have guys that look like somebody stole their blankie when they were four years old when they miss a shot. Where Jaime [Jaquez Jr.], Jaylen Clark, those guys just keep playing. But it takes time to train guys.”
UCLA freshman guard/forward Brandon Williams
on feeling a bit sick on Thursday morning
“My stomach was bothering me a little bit. … Just rested after our shootaround, got some food, and I was good.”
on his five straight points to end the first half
“It was a great confidence boost. My teammates got me involved. It just felt good to be involved with my teammates in a game, actually getting to play. Felt great.”
on his increasing contributions and development
“Just keep listening to Coach. He tells me to play hard, and that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to keep playing hard every time I get a chance and make the most of what I can do.”
on how big of a confidence boost this win was
“Great team win. I think everybody’s confidence is up. I think we’re coming together. Like I said, my teammates are a big part of everything we’ve got going on. Even the older guys coming back. [I’ve been] just learning from them all summer, taking everything in.”
on he’s done to put himself in the position he is in
“Just listening to my coaches, playing hard, making the right plays, crashing. Just doing everything they ask me to do.”
on how important the offensive rebounding was
“Really important. We came out in the second half and we were down, so the offensive rebounds got us more second chance points. We finished with 25 points off second chances, so that was big for us.”
UCLA sophomore forward/center Adem Bona
on the team celebrating in the locker room
“Yeah, we had to after the tough run we had. We tried to get our team to get our confidence up again and bring the energy. So that was a little relief.”
on getting UCLA’s first win in weeks
“Yeah, it felt great. I set a goal for the team today. We talked about it in the huddle. We felt really good today. After accomplishing some of our goals – reducing the fouls – felt really, really good. I know the team is excited with the step we made today.”
on what the goals he set for the team were
“There’s multiple individual goals. Fouls, rebounding, keeping our man in front. We had multiple individual goals we all set for each other and set for ourselves. It was really great seeing guys hold themselves accountable and reaching their goals.”
on how second chance points won them the game
“It’s big. Like I said, that was one of our goals: going after rebounds. Not just one guy, two guys, [but] the team attacking the rebounds. That’s one of our goals, so I’m glad it was showing out in the game.”
on if he felt like he got back to similar form as last year
“It felt really good … to see the Adem we had last year. It’s really amazing. I’m also excited that the team had the belief in me to be able to help. I’m also glad that the team pulled it out. It wasn’t just me playing out there. [Brandon Williams] stepped up today big time. That was exciting. [Dylan Andrews, Will McClendon] hitting threes. We were playing defense too. We had a lot of deflections. That’s also one of our goals.”
UCLA 69, Oregon State 62
Corvallis, Ore. (Gill Coliseum)
Dec. 28, 2023
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men’s Head Basketball Coach
on tonight’s all-around performance
“We got some guys who produced. They’re tough to play. A much-improved team. Watching them on film, defensively, they’re 8-0 at home – very improved basketball team this year. Five of their first eight guys are back. I was concerned about would we be able to score with only two days from Christmas to get ready for the matchups? We made adjustments on our attack as the game went on. The kids did a good job of that. We finally got some assists. But look, some guys performed. I’ll tell you three things that we focused on and identified. We got to guard the ball better. We did that. We got to stop fouling. We did that until late into the game. They didn’t shoot a free throw in the first half. Maryland shot 30. We got to guard the ball better. We got to stop fouling. When we help, we’ve got to get something done. Steal the ball, block a shot. We can’t just help and leave people open.
“So, our defense was improved in a lot of ways. We forced 14 turnovers. When you can make the home team turn it over 14 times, you’re doing something [right]. They had guys who made shots and shoot the ball well from three who haven’t all year. It’s just been happening against us. But we weathered it and had some guys step up. It was good to see. Obviously, Brandon Williams continues to get better. He woke up with a stomach bug – our luck just keeps on turning. Our training staff did a great job to get him ready for the game or he would have started. Will [McClendon] was great – six rebounds, 10 points, three assists. Adem [Bona] is just working. I think we just got to keep getting him the ball. I know he had some turnovers tonight, but he’s our most experienced guy with playing time. We got to keep getting him the ball because it puts pressure on your defense. We keep making him a better passer, keep working with him on his offense and just continue to grow.”
on the offensive rebounding
“Huge. I just told the guys. It was 25 to 11 second chance points. I just told the guys, 37 or 38 percent of our points were second chance points. You can talk all you want about talent, Oregon State is a better team this year. Last year, we came in here and scored 62. Today, we have 69 and make nine threes. Last year we were a superior defensive team. Superior. We got to continue to play smarter, which I thought we had a lot of growth in that. … Obviously, this was good for their confidence to get this win, but it’s onward and upward. Guys got to continue to grow and as a coaching staff I identify areas where we can improve. But the kids did a good job against that – that matchup zone is hard to play against. I played it at Cincinnati. In two days prep, it’s really hard, especially when you’re a young group of guys still. They did a good job with some of the adjustments. But to your point, Brandon Williams, the fact that he could hardly go through shootaround and he has the game he had, he continued to get better. He’s a huge bright spot for us.”
on what he did to build the team’s confidence
“I told them, and it’s easier said than done, they’ve got to worry about what I say and not what everybody else says. You got to put in the work. It ain’t always about the result. Alabama football is getting ready to play in the final four, and they lost early and almost lost to South Florida. Everybody had written them off. They have one of the best coaches of all-time, and he keeps his players focused on what he wants, and not what everybody else thinks. So that’s you job as a coach to keep them focused on what I want, OK? And I worry about defense, rebounding. On offense, share the ball and play with confidence. I don’t care if you miss, just go rebound. Young kids tend to care too much when they miss. We’re still getting over that. We still have guys that look like somebody stole their blankie when they were four years old when they miss a shot. Where Jaime [Jaquez Jr.], Jaylen Clark, those guys just keep playing. But it takes time to train guys.”
UCLA freshman guard/forward Brandon Williams
on feeling a bit sick on Thursday morning
“My stomach was bothering me a little bit. … Just rested after our shootaround, got some food, and I was good.”
on his five straight points to end the first half
“It was a great confidence boost. My teammates got me involved. It just felt good to be involved with my teammates in a game, actually getting to play. Felt great.”
on his increasing contributions and development
“Just keep listening to Coach. He tells me to play hard, and that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to keep playing hard every time I get a chance and make the most of what I can do.”
on how big of a confidence boost this win was
“Great team win. I think everybody’s confidence is up. I think we’re coming together. Like I said, my teammates are a big part of everything we’ve got going on. Even the older guys coming back. [I’ve been] just learning from them all summer, taking everything in.”
on he’s done to put himself in the position he is in
“Just listening to my coaches, playing hard, making the right plays, crashing. Just doing everything they ask me to do.”
on how important the offensive rebounding was
“Really important. We came out in the second half and we were down, so the offensive rebounds got us more second chance points. We finished with 25 points off second chances, so that was big for us.”
UCLA sophomore forward/center Adem Bona
on the team celebrating in the locker room
“Yeah, we had to after the tough run we had. We tried to get our team to get our confidence up again and bring the energy. So that was a little relief.”
on getting UCLA’s first win in weeks
“Yeah, it felt great. I set a goal for the team today. We talked about it in the huddle. We felt really good today. After accomplishing some of our goals – reducing the fouls – felt really, really good. I know the team is excited with the step we made today.”
on what the goals he set for the team were
“There’s multiple individual goals. Fouls, rebounding, keeping our man in front. We had multiple individual goals we all set for each other and set for ourselves. It was really great seeing guys hold themselves accountable and reaching their goals.”
on how second chance points won them the game
“It’s big. Like I said, that was one of our goals: going after rebounds. Not just one guy, two guys, [but] the team attacking the rebounds. That’s one of our goals, so I’m glad it was showing out in the game.”
on if he felt like he got back to similar form as last year
“It felt really good … to see the Adem we had last year. It’s really amazing. I’m also excited that the team had the belief in me to be able to help. I’m also glad that the team pulled it out. It wasn’t just me playing out there. [Brandon Williams] stepped up today big time. That was exciting. [Dylan Andrews, Will McClendon] hitting threes. We were playing defense too. We had a lot of deflections. That’s also one of our goals.”