Plaschke: March Madness is nearly here, and UCLA is ready to go dancing

For a UCLA workforce that has waited a 12 months for the return of the magic, the acquainted indicators have been in all places.

On a scorching Saturday night time at a rollicking Pauley Pavilion, the calendar roared and the warmth rose and the message was clear.

March is again. The dance is coming. The Bruins are prepared.

You would hear it from the ground, above the din, the hardwood pounding with our bodies and bluster in a 75-68 victory over USC.

“I believe we’re prepared,” Jules Bernard stated.

You would really feel it within the physique language of a workforce that has been in these conditions time and again, Jaime Jaquez Jr. firing, Tyger Campbell diving, the Bruins racing to a 13-point lead after which holding on for a panoramic end.

“I’m excited,” Jaquez stated. “It’s time to show it up into one other gear.”

And you could possibly see it in Mick Cronin, in his grimace, in his shrug, the UCLA coach carrying his recreation face lengthy after the Bruins broke a five-game shedding streak to the Trojans.

“I’m drained, it’s late, I’m hungry … we didn’t end the sport, I needed us to complete the sport,” stated Cronin, who beat USC for the primary time as UCLA’s coach. “We should always have received by double digits.”

The splendidly grumpy Cronin was proper. A Bruins workforce that was blowing out USC with 5:49 remaining virtually blew the sport with late missed free throws and defensive errors. The resilient Trojans pulled to inside a basket with 1:22 left, at which level Cronin admitted he practically misplaced his thoughts.

“It was at that second after I hear my mom — she handed away in ’05 — telling me, ‘You’re losing your expertise,’” he stated. “Why am I teaching? I might have been a lawyer. I might have been something. At that second, I questioned all my life choices.”

Then Cody Riley hit a brief turnaround jumper, and USC’s Max Agbonkpolo stepped out of bounds, and Cronin remembered he’s a reasonably good basketball coach.

“You’ve acquired to play to win, you possibly can’t play to let the clock run out,” he muttered, nonetheless. “You bought to play to win.”

However win, they did, and Jaquez glowingly pointed on the stuffed and bouncing pupil part, and Clark outdid him by operating into the center of all these children and, yeah, the Bruins’ victory was much more conclusive than its end.

Backside line, UCLA actually did look able to resume a March journey that final 12 months led them to the precipice of a nationwide title.

Regardless of a dizzying array of passes in an unselfish scheme that featured 15 assists, the Bruins offense dedicated only one turnover, the fewest in this system’s recorded historical past.

Regardless of dealing with a sound USC assault that represents one of the best teaching of Andy Enfield’s 9 years as Trojan boss, the Bruins protection pressured 15 turnovers whereas pocketing seven steals.

Regardless of taking part in with main scorer Johnny Juzang nonetheless hobbled by an ankle harm, they compensated with 27 factors from Jaquez, 19 factors from Bernard, and a affected person inside push that allowed them to win regardless of hitting simply three treys.

Regardless of shedding three of 4 video games in early February, the Bruins have began a trademark Cronin late-season run, having received six of seven whereas rating among the many nation’s prime 15 in each offensive and defensive effectivity. They thus enter this week’s Pac-12 event with a No. 2 seed and a mandate to easily get wholesome and keep wholesome.

Satisfied but, Mick? Smile, perhaps?

“If we get everyone wholesome … we’re shut,” he admitted. “We’re shut, and if we received this recreation by double digits, I’d suppose we have been there.”

Juzang is the one whose harm is essentially the most worrisome — he made simply 4 of 13 makes an attempt and appeared completely out of rhythm Saturday — however Cronin sounded rigorously optimistic.

“He’s removed from prepared … however he shall be, hopefully,” Cronin stated.

One factor Cronin did admit ought to strike concern into any future dancing companions. That nice protection from final March? It’s higher than ever.

Clark has change into a relentless power. Switch Myles Johnson has change into a sturdy rim protector. The remaining nonetheless defend laborious on each possession.

“We’re a greater defensive workforce …we’re significantly better defensively,” stated Cronin, who added a phrase of warning, noting, “I’ll say this, as Coach [John] Wood says, the previous doesn’t predict the longer term … the work we put in will decide what we do sooner or later … what occurred final 12 months in March has nothing to do with it.”

UCLA coach Mick Cronin gestures through the second half of the Bruins’ win over USC on Saturday.

(Mark J. Terrill / Related Press)

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Ah, however in spite of everything that grumbling, he lastly gave in.

“If we will execute at a excessive stage, I like our probabilities,” he stated.

One can’t blame him for being cautious.

This season was presupposed to be a joyous dash.

As a substitute, it has been a solemn trudge.

The Bruins confirmed up final autumn amid the very best hopes in current program historical past. The thrill was deafening. The historic Bruins greatness was again. They have been returning everybody from a workforce that danced via a miracle run final March, shedding solely within the nationwide semifinals to Gonzaga in extra time on one of many biggest photographs in NCAA tourney historical past, a 40-foot financial institution by Jalen Suggs.

They have been presupposed to enter this March as probably the greatest groups within the nation. As a substitute, they aren’t even one of the best workforce of their convention.

They have been presupposed to be ok to avenge their heartbreaking loss to Gonzaga. As a substitute, again in November, they misplaced to the Bulldogs by 20.

Juzang was supposed to strengthen his resolution to remain in class by taking part in like an NBA first-round draft choose. As a substitute, he struggled with accidents, a optimistic coronavirus take a look at, and an lack of ability to make marked enchancment on protection.

Peyton Watson, their gifted five-star recruit from Lengthy Seaside Poly, was presupposed to make the Bruins extra versatile and athletic. As a substitute, he’s solely been ok for restricted minutes, and he didn’t even play towards USC on Saturday.

All these are issues, however now it’s March, and nothing else issues however March, and the Bruins are prepared for the insanity.

“We all know it’s a troublesome street; we’ve been there earlier than,” Bernard stated. “We all know how laborious it’s to win in these environments. We’re positively targeted and locked in.”

Juzang sounded anticipating the craziness to start.

“After we get into March, that’s the actual deal, that’s do or die,” he stated, virtually gleefully. “We’re not there but however … we’re getting there.”

Watching them bruise and baffle USC on Saturday night time … oh, they’re there.