University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Postgame Quotes - Ohio State 86, UCLA 74
POSTGAMEย QUOTES
Ohio State 86, UCLA 74
Columbus, Ohio (at Schottenstein Center)
January 17, 2026
ย
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Menโs Head Basketball Coachย
on the teamโs struggles in regard to defense and rebounding
โGave up 54 percent almost โ 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. Theyโre live ball shots. Of their 25 misses, they got 12, we got 13. You got no chance.
ย
โHighly disappointed. Our inability to play defense. I offer no excuses. Blame me. I recruited them. I signed them as free agents. Weโre not going to win meaningful games if we canโt stop the other team. You canโt give up plus 80 [points] and win on the road. You canโt 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 couldnโt guard them. We had plenty of time to get ready and talk about it. The problem is that we didnโt have anybody who could guard [Bruce] Thornton and [John] Mobley. In my opinion, we didnโt have anybody interested in rising to that challenge. We didnโt have anybody interested in rising to the challenge, defensively. Everybody wants somebody else to get the dirty work. Weโre a team that struggles to have dirty work guys.โ
ย
on what changes could be made going forward
โNothing. I canโt trade guys. You donโt defend in the Big Ten, youโre going to lose.โ
ย
on UCLAโs shots that were close, but did not fall through
โI donโt care about that. You think youโre 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.โ
ย
on Xavier Bookerโs limited action
โTrying to play the guys that give us the best chance to win.โ
ย
on if this was one of Tyler Bilodeauโs best performances
โNo. He can score. We wasted a great shot-making day by him with awful defense.โ
UCLA senior forward Tyler Bilodeau
on the teamโs struggles with defense and rebounding
โThey 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 donโt think we were ready to fight on the glass either.โ
ย
on if the team has the ability to make changes to improve defense and rebounding
โOf course.โ
ย
on his offensive success
โTeammates were able to find me and I was able to knock some down.โ
ย
on frustrations with the teamโs rebounding struggles
โItโs definitely frustrating, but weโve got to figure it out.โ
ย
on the next game against Purdue
โTheyโre a great team. Everyone knows that โ a lot of really great players on that team. Definitely going be a tough matchup. But I think weโre gonnaโ be ready to play.โ
ย
UCLA sophomore guard Trent Perry
on the teamโs defensive strugglesย
โWe were minus 10 [rebounds] on the glass. Cronin said they got 50 percent of their misses and they shot 56 percent. Itโs hard to win that way, especially on the road.โย
ย
on the adjustments needed to improve defensivelyย
โEverything. We got to just buy in. We just gotta play like we really want to play. Even if the ball doesnโt go in on offense, on defense, we have to grind.โ
ย
on the emotions of a tough loss
โItโs 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.โ
ย
on Ohio Stateโs defense
โI had a couple good looks, but I went 2-for-9. I didnโt really, offensively, show up for my team. I feel like I couldโve done a lot better in different areas. Of course, on my behalf, itโs for sure on me.โ
ย
on if Coach Cronin had a message to the team after the game
โNot really, to be honest. Thereโs nothing else really to say. We have to come together as a group. We keep losing because weโre not rebounding. We keep getting out-rebounded. Weโre 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. Weโve got to pick it up. We have a lot of games left, and we just got to be prepared for the next one.โ
Ohio State 86, UCLA 74
Columbus, Ohio (at Schottenstein Center)
January 17, 2026
ย
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Menโs Head Basketball Coachย
on the teamโs struggles in regard to defense and rebounding
โGave up 54 percent almost โ 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. Theyโre live ball shots. Of their 25 misses, they got 12, we got 13. You got no chance.
ย
โHighly disappointed. Our inability to play defense. I offer no excuses. Blame me. I recruited them. I signed them as free agents. Weโre not going to win meaningful games if we canโt stop the other team. You canโt give up plus 80 [points] and win on the road. You canโt 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 couldnโt guard them. We had plenty of time to get ready and talk about it. The problem is that we didnโt have anybody who could guard [Bruce] Thornton and [John] Mobley. In my opinion, we didnโt have anybody interested in rising to that challenge. We didnโt have anybody interested in rising to the challenge, defensively. Everybody wants somebody else to get the dirty work. Weโre a team that struggles to have dirty work guys.โ
ย
on what changes could be made going forward
โNothing. I canโt trade guys. You donโt defend in the Big Ten, youโre going to lose.โ
ย
on UCLAโs shots that were close, but did not fall through
โI donโt care about that. You think youโre 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.โ
ย
on Xavier Bookerโs limited action
โTrying to play the guys that give us the best chance to win.โ
ย
on if this was one of Tyler Bilodeauโs best performances
โNo. He can score. We wasted a great shot-making day by him with awful defense.โ
UCLA senior forward Tyler Bilodeau
on the teamโs struggles with defense and rebounding
โThey 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 donโt think we were ready to fight on the glass either.โ
ย
on if the team has the ability to make changes to improve defense and rebounding
โOf course.โ
ย
on his offensive success
โTeammates were able to find me and I was able to knock some down.โ
ย
on frustrations with the teamโs rebounding struggles
โItโs definitely frustrating, but weโve got to figure it out.โ
ย
on the next game against Purdue
โTheyโre a great team. Everyone knows that โ a lot of really great players on that team. Definitely going be a tough matchup. But I think weโre gonnaโ be ready to play.โ
ย
UCLA sophomore guard Trent Perry
on the teamโs defensive strugglesย
โWe were minus 10 [rebounds] on the glass. Cronin said they got 50 percent of their misses and they shot 56 percent. Itโs hard to win that way, especially on the road.โย
ย
on the adjustments needed to improve defensivelyย
โEverything. We got to just buy in. We just gotta play like we really want to play. Even if the ball doesnโt go in on offense, on defense, we have to grind.โ
ย
on the emotions of a tough loss
โItโs 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.โ
ย
on Ohio Stateโs defense
โI had a couple good looks, but I went 2-for-9. I didnโt really, offensively, show up for my team. I feel like I couldโve done a lot better in different areas. Of course, on my behalf, itโs for sure on me.โ
ย
on if Coach Cronin had a message to the team after the game
โNot really, to be honest. Thereโs nothing else really to say. We have to come together as a group. We keep losing because weโre not rebounding. We keep getting out-rebounded. Weโre 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. Weโve got to pick it up. We have a lot of games left, and we just got to be prepared for the next one.โ