UCLA Missteps in East Lansing as mick cronin Ejects Own Player Late in Blowout
UCLA’s rout at Michigan State on Tuesday night (ET) ended with an awkward and telling moment: head coach mick cronin sent forward Steven Jamerson II to the locker room with just over four minutes remaining in an 82–59 loss. The incident capped a night in which the Bruins were overmatched and highlighted mounting problems on the road.
What happened late in East Lansing
With 4: 26 left on the clock and the Spartans leading 77–50, Jamerson committed a foul on a Michigan State fast break and quickly became entangled with the ballhandler, drawing a technical foul. Cronin clearly took exception to how the sequence unfolded and, in view of the bench and the crowd, directed Jamerson to head for the locker room rather than remain on the bench for the final minutes.
The decision was abrupt and, for Jamerson, embarrassing. It also provided a lasting visual from a game that was one-sided long before the late altercation. For a program that prides itself on discipline and structure, the ejection of one of its own players by the head coach raised questions about composure and internal dynamics amid a difficult stretch.
Road woes deepen for the Bruins
Tuesday’s loss dropped UCLA to 17–9 overall and 9–6 in conference play. Home court has remained a strength this season — the Bruins are 6–1 in league games played at their arena — but trips across the country have been a persistent problem. UCLA is 1–5 on recent trips to the Midwest and East Coast, with a point differential of minus-75 across those six games.
That negative swing includes back-to-back lopsided defeats: a 30-point loss at Michigan followed by the 23-point setback at Michigan State. The only win on those extended road stretches was a narrow victory at a struggling Penn State squad. The contrast between dominant home form and fragile results away from Los Angeles has become a defining storyline for this season.
Those outcomes have practical implications as the Bruins chase seeding and resume conference play. Road performance factors heavily into postseason projections, and sustained inefficiency away from home could undermine an otherwise solid résumé.
Cronin’s frustration and the scheduling debate
Cronin has not shied away from criticizing the conference’s scheduling previously, and the recent run of demanding travel has only intensified his remarks. After an upset of a top opponent in January, he spoke bluntly about the strain of cross-country trips, saying he believes the league’s setup does not prioritize basketball in the fairest way. That sentiment resonates now with the Bruins reeling from successive tough road nights.
Beyond scheduling, Tuesday night underscores immediate tactical and disciplinary questions. How Cronin handles roster rotation, emotional control and on-court accountability in the coming weeks will be closely watched. The Jamerson ejection may be interpreted as a clear message to the roster about standards, but it also highlighted the thin margin for composure during blowout situations.
UCLA’s next stretch of games will be critical for defining whether this sequence is a temporary slump or a more systemic issue. The Bruins still boast wins over quality opponents and have shown they can compete in the conference. But unless road results improve, the team risks seeing early-season promise undercut by late-season consequences.
For now, the image of a coach escorting one of his own off the bench — and a team exiting East Lansing with a sizeable defeat — will be remembered as an unwelcome emblem of a difficult road trip.
