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UCLA’s head coach Mick Cronin reacts during the first half against Michigan State on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.
UCLA got blown out by Michigan State 82-59 in men’s basketball Tuesday night, but that might not have been the worst part for head coach Mick Cronin.
Cronin ejected one of his own players for a hard foul when the Bruins were already down 27 points, and when answering the media’s questions after the game, he sparred with a reporter.
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Cronin Ejected His Own Player?
Cronin ejected center Steven Jamerson II for a hard foul from behind on a Spartan dunk attempt.
The play was called a flagrant foul, but not a flagrant 2, which would’ve resulted in Jamerson’s ejection.
UCLA’s Steven Jamerson leaves the arena after a flagrant foul on Michigan State’s Carson Cooper during the second half on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.
Cronin handled that part himself, sending Jamerson to the locker room instead of simply sitting him on the bench.
“We just got thoroughly outplayed. Michigan State [was] coming off a loss on the road. They got guys who have been in their program. They got a lot of pride in their program.”
Coach Cronin, speaking on Tuesday night after UCLA’s loss pic.twitter.com/sQ3oX09BQl
— UCLA Men’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) February 18, 2026
“Steve’s a good kid. He made a bad decision,” Cronin said postgame, as reported by ESPN. “But if you want to be a tough guy, you need to do it during the game, for a blockout, for a rebound. So, I was thoroughly disappointed; the guy was defenseless in the air. I know Steve was trying to block the shot, but the game’s a 25-point game. You don’t do that.”
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Michigan State coach Tom Izzo joked about Cronin’s decision after the game.
“I guess he upgraded that to a flagrant 2, huh?” Izzo said, as reported by ESPN. “That’s the first time I saw a coach do it, but that sounds like Mick. So, he’ll get that straightened…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/mick-cronin-antics-raise-eyebrows-233901461.html
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Publish date : 2026-02-18 23:39:00
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