Cronin's UCLA vs UCF Preview: Athleticism & Playmaking

0:00On March 19th, UCLA men's basketball coach Mick Cronin knows the UCF nights well, even though Friday marks the first-ever match-up between the two, programs. Cronin spent 13 seasons coaching Cincinnati, a former conference rival of UCF in the American Athletic Conference, before heading to Los Angeles. Ahead of the 2019-2020 season, this week in Philadelphia for the NCAA tournament, Cronin scoured a UCF closely and came away impressed by their athleticism and high-powered offense. The night's average 81 points per game, making them a tough scoring thread. Cronin singled out Point Guard, themus folks as a standout, praising his 214 assist this season over 7 per game, which should rank. Him among the nation's top playmakers, he said folks breaks down defenses and sets up teammates easily, much like UCLA's own guards. Cronin also credited UCF coach Johnny Dawkins for transforming the program, from mid-major status to a high-major contender during their shared, conference days.

1:03Their last meeting was a close 58-55 UCF win over number 19 Cincinnati on March 7th, 2019. The two teams tip off Friday at 7.25 pm, Eastern Time on TBS, promising an exciting first-round clash between two battle-tested squads.