Eric Dailey Jr. and Trent Perry power UCLA to win

When he met with reporters this week, Mick Cronin threatened to have his gamers follow only protection given their sustained struggles on that aspect of the ball.

It gave the impression of the kind of factor a coach would say to put his group on discover before really following through.

Except Cronin immediately adopted through.

“I don’t even think we ran our offense,” UCLA ahead Eric Dailey Jr. said. “We just played straight defense for two hours.”

The follow concerned a lot of speaking and pointing, gamers directing one another to get in the precise place or rotate over to help, always doing their best to keep in entrance of the ball.

The outcomes of the new strategy have been on show Saturday night, offering a needed reprieve during a 67-55 victory over Maryland. The Bruins contested most pictures and would have gained in blowout fashion had they not allowed the Terrapins to grab one offensive rebound after another.

Maryland completed with an absurd 20 offensive rebounds, main to 24 second-chance factors, and it still wasn’t enough to make the ultimate minutes a fear for UCLA (11-5 total, 3-2 Big Ten) after Trent Perry sparked a 6-0 push with a nook three-pointer to put the sport away.

“If we could rebound,” Cronin said, “we’d win by 30.”

Cronin acknowledged making some defensive changes that helped his group maintain the Terrapins (7-9, 0-5) to 30.3% capturing, including 18.2% from long vary. Just don’t anticipate him to reveal any specifics.

“Basketball coaches got diarrhea of the mouth — ‘yeah, here’s what I did, here’s what we do,’ ” Cronin said, alluding to what coaches sometimes inform the media. “Why the hell would I tell you? I mean, you really think that like [Nick] Saban or [Bill] Belichick or ‘Google me’ [Curt Cignetti] would tell you? I mean, ‘Google me’ ain’t telling you nothing.”

UCLA guard Trent Perry (0) celebrates after the Bruins’ protection compelled Maryland to make a shot clock violation at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

UCLA’s new method also featured heightened hustle, significantly from Steven Jamerson II. The backup middle had his best across-the-board exhibiting as a Bruin, ending with eight factors, 5 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal in 23 minutes.

“Steve’s best game by far as a Bruin,” Cronin said of a participant who beforehand had bother staying on the court because of a penchant for shortly piling up fouls.

Jamerson’s spotlight got here on an offensive rebound that he snagged as he was falling out of bounds but saved by flinging a cross to Perry for a three-pointer.

“Trying to do my best,” Jamerson said, “to mimic Dennis Rodman.”

A lineup that includes Jamerson and Dailey (15 factors, 9 rebounds) alongside Perry (16 factors, eight deflections, six rebounds) and Donovan Dent (eight factors, seven assists, zero turnovers) helped the Bruins construct a big lead in the first half, a welcome change from current large early deficits.

With UCLA in control and Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts tossing T-shirts to courtside followers, it was enjoyable to be a Bruin again.

Some of the loudest cheers serenaded Roberts, the previous Bruins outfielder who triumphantly hoisted the World Series championship trophy over his head during a timeout as followers roared.

There have been moments it was simple to overlook the Bruins have been taking part in without guard Skyy Clark (hamstring) and ahead Brandon Williams (lower-leg injury). Both gamers have been thought of day to day, which means they might return soon.

But they have been actually missed, Cronin saying their absence prevented the Bruins from doing the box-out drills they needed in follow.

Maryland may relate to being short-handed. The Terrapins have been lacking star middle Pharrel Payne, who remained sidelined with a knee injury. They relied closely on ahead Elijah Sanders, who led his group with 17 factors and 12 rebounds.

It wasn’t almost enough given the Bruins regarded a bit more just like the group they need to be, significantly on the defensive end.

Credit a follow in which they centered on contesting pictures, not making them. Maybe it’s one thing they gained’t do just once.

“If the rest of the year gotta be no offense, straight defense,” Dailey said, “so be it, that’s fine.”