Mick Cronin tinkers with lineup during UCLAs rout

Facing an overmatched opponent that allowed him to freely tinker with his lineups, UCLA coach Mick Cronin tried a lot of mixing and matching Tuesday afternoon.

Perhaps the most important takeaway was that a three-guard lineup could be the best way to go after the continued struggles of facilities Xavier Booker and Steven Jamerson II.

“We’ve got to find a way to play our best players and win, whoever they are, because it’s not Little League,” Cronin said after his staff’s 97-65 victory over UC Riverside at Pauley Pavilion. “You’ve either got to give us some rebounding and defense or somebody else has got to play.”

The main candidates for a bigger position based on what occurred against the Highlanders seem to be reserves Trent Perry, Jamar Brown and Brandon Williams.

Perry was a playmaking drive with his scoring and sensible passes. Brown did a little bit of all the things in an energetic fashion. Williams confirmed a lot of toughness as the second big man in small lineups also that includes Tyler Bilodeau, who was an offensive juggernaut against a staff that supplied little defensive resistance.

“The biggest thing I care about is winning,” said Bilodeau, who completed with a career-high 34 factors while making 12 of 19 pictures to go with six rebounds. “So whatever we need to do to get that done.”

Cronin joked afterward that Bilodeau shouldn’t have missed any pictures because he needlessly took fadeaway jumpers.

“They don’t double [team],” Cronin said of the Highlanders, “so I said, ‘Buddy, you’ve got one night here where they’re just going to let you keep dribbling until you shoot, so go have fun. Keep going at the rim until you score.’ ”

Guard Skyy Clark added 14 factors to help UCLA (10-3) post its third consecutive victory going into an prolonged winter break. Forward Osiris Grady completed with 20 factors for the Highlanders (6-8), who shot 42.6% to the Bruins’ 50%.

The sport’s largest revelations got here off the UCLA bench. Perry might need been the most important, operating the offense at a high degree while ending with 14 factors, seven assists and zero turnovers in 24 minutes. Cronin went with some lineups in the second half that includes Perry alongside start line guard Donovan Dent (seven factors and three assists in 19 minutes).

“Three-guard lineup, we’ve been pushing in transition a lot more,” Perry said. “I mean, we’re just finding the groove before Big Ten” play.

Brown contributed across the board, tallying 4 factors, seven rebounds and 4 steals in 24 minutes.

“A tremendous portal find,” Cronin said of the switch from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. “Great toughness. He’s a winning player.”

Williams’ largest issue was his protection during a efficiency in which he had three factors, one rebound and one steal in 18 minutes. The big query was whether or not he was offering more than the participant whose spot he took.

Booker completed with six factors and one rebound in 13 minutes, unfurling a second consecutive subpar displaying after being restricted to three minutes against Cal Poly because of matchups. Jamerson performed only seven uneven minutes, once being yanked after an 11-second stint because of an incapability to keep the Highlanders from reaching the rim with ease.

“Got to get better,” Cronin said of his facilities. “I just talked to them about that.”

UC Riverside repeatedly made the error of leaving Bilodeau open in the first half and the ahead made the Highlanders remorse their determination by making 5 of 9 pictures on the best way to 13 factors. After having been UCLA’s major middle last yr, Bilodeau said he was comfortable to go back to that position if that’s what his coach needed.

“Tyler would probably tell you he gets more open shots when he’s playing the five,” Cronin said, “because the other team’s five man is guarding him.”

Cronin said the issue that arises when going small is the need to be an elite offensive staff — territory the Bruins could be approaching. Their offensive effectivity is ranked No. 27 nationally by the metrics of basketball analyst Ken Pomeroy, their best since they had been No. 21 during the 2022-23 season that ended in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA match after season-ending accidents to Jaylen Clark and Adem Bona.

If this is the best model of the Bruins, Cronin appeared prepared to roll with it.

“All that matters is who you become, not in the last game or the game previous to that, so we’re on a search,” Cronin said. “Just like every team, it’s not who you are now, it’s who you are at the end and can you get enough wins along the way?”