UCLA’s Mick Cronin drops NSFW take on Michigan State’s student section after loss

There are a number of college basketball coaches who lose their temper, both on the sidelines and during press conferences. Rick Pitino, Tom Izzo, John Calipari and Dan Hurley all have intense personalities. They also have all won at least one national championship. Mick Cronin is a terrific head coach with over 500 career wins to his name, but he has never reached the mountaintop, nor has he achieved much success in the last few years.

Ergo, people are less likely to tolerate his temper tantrums. He was unable to keep things cordial after his UCLA Bruins fell 82-59 versus Michigan State, which was their second 20-plus-point loss in the last four days. A reporter asked the two-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year about East Lansing’s warm reception to former Spartans player Xavier Booker, and he was startlingly greeted with rebuke and condescension.

“I could give a rat’s a** about the other team’s student section,” Cronin snapped back, per Owen Oszust of WILX News 10. He would not even allow the man to elaborate on his original question, choosing instead to twist the knife a couple more times.

“I would like to give you kudos for the worst question I’ve ever been asked… You really think I care about the other team’s student section?” The reporter understandably got a bit animated after Cronin continued to patronize him. That did not go over well.

“Are you raising your voice at me,” the 54-year-old asked. “Come on dude, Yes you were. Everybody’s standing here listening to you. This is on camera, they can hear you. I answered the question, I can give a rat’s a** about the other team’s student section. I coach UCLA, I don’t care about Michigan State’s student section. Who cares?”

UCLA coach Mick Cronin's thoughts on the Michigan State student section. @ThisistheIZZONE pic.twitter.com/7pJJHEs7sQ

— Owen Oszust (@Owen_Oszust) February 18, 2026

Mick Cronin loses his cool after UCLA gets decimated once again

There was an obvious follow-up question that was not asked during this media session: “Do you feel like a big man, Coach?” Mick Cronin could have simply expressed appreciation for the hospitality the home crowd showed one of his players — which does not often happen when a player transfers within the conference. Instead, he decided to flaunt his supposed superiority and use this poor guy as a punching bag. But everyone who watched the game knows who the real punching bag was on this night.

UCLA basketball (17-9), after getting torn to shreds by an elite Michigan team on Saturday, was once again completely outmatched. The Bruins found themselves down 20 at halftime and shot a dreadful 37 percent for the game. They had no answer on defense, as the usually streaky Spartans knocked down 14 of their 27 attempts from downtown.

There is no shame in losing to two Big Ten title contenders on the road, especially when one is the No. 1 team in the country and the other is coached by the legendary Tom Izzo. But UCLA should have at least looked respectable. The program was embarrassed in the Great Lake State, and then Mick Cronin tried to embarrass someone who was simply doing his job.

It is important to note that the longtime head coach did go out of his way to extend respect to his opponent late in the game, as he ejected Bruins center Steven Jamerson II for committing a flagrant foul on Michigan State’s Carson Cooper. Many UCLA fans disagree with the move, but Mick Cronin thought his player crossed the line.

And he did the same later that evening. Cronin has a long flight back to Los Angeles to cool off and write up an apology.

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