UCLA's Mick Cronin Rips Refs After Maryland Loss, Ejection: 'I'm Tired of It'

Having lost three straight and four of their last five games, UCLA head coach Mick Cronin's frustration boiled over when he was ejected late in the second half of Friday's 79-61 loss to Maryland.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Cronin explained "I'm tired of it" in reference to feeling like his team was being put in unfair situations by the officials.

"I don't remember the last time I had a technical," he said. "I had enough. I'm sending a message. I'm tired of it. I know we're the outsider and all that—us, SC and Oregon—but that was ridiculous. And take nothing away from Maryland, a really good team at home, but you got to defend my players. If you can just mug guys and chop their arms off, throw them out of the way, it's hard to run any offense.

Cronin's patience is starting to wear thin with everyone right now. He called his team "soft" after a 94-75 home loss to Michigan on Tuesday.

"Obviously, they shot the ball well," he said. "But we're soft. We're too soft to play hard enough. Even in the [crucial moments], you can't get a rebound. ... So don't tell me you want to win. Just don't tell you want to win. I mean, we're soft. To be fair, they have a unique skill set. But we're soft."

The comments amid the most difficult stretch of the season so far for the Bruins. Their last two losses have come by a combined 37 points. They reached a high mark of 15th in the AP Top 25 poll for the week of Dec. 30, but dropped to No. 22 this week and will likely fall out of the rankings that come out next week.

UCLA started the season 10-1, highlighted by a road victory over then-undefeated Oregon on Dec. 8.

The biggest issue for the Bruins is offense. Two of their three lowest scoring games of the season have come in the past six days, against Maryland on Friday and Nebraska on Jan. 4.

UCLA ranks 147th in the nation in offensive rating and 194th in points per game. This puts more pressure on a really good defense that ranks 13th rating, but has allowed its two highest point totals of the season in these past two games.

The schedule does ease up a little bit for the Bruins in the next few games with matchups against Rutgers and Washington sandwiched between a showdown with Iowa.