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UCLA Coach Ejects Player in Blowout Loss to Michigan State
Bruins suffer second straight 20-point defeat, raising questions about team's effort and physicality
Feb. 20, 2026 at 11:07pm
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The UCLA Bruins suffered an 82-59 blowout loss to the No. 15 Michigan State Spartans on Tuesday, marked by a troubling incident where UCLA head coach Mick Cronin ejected one of his own players, redshirt senior forward Steven Jamerson II, for committing a hard foul late in the game. The Bruins' lack of scoring and effort has become an increasingly pressing issue, with the team failing to score more than 60 points in their last two games.
Why it matters
This loss highlights UCLA's struggles this season, as they have now suffered two straight 20-point defeats. Coach Cronin's decision to eject one of his own players raises questions about the team's discipline and chemistry, while their continued offensive woes suggest deeper issues with effort and execution that need to be addressed.
The details
The incident occurred with just over 4 minutes left in the game, when Jamerson II fouled Michigan State's Carson Cooper hard on a fast break dunk attempt. The two players got into a confrontation, and Cronin quickly pulled Jamerson II aside and sent him to the locker room for the remainder of the game. Cronin said Jamerson made a "bad decision" and that "if you want to be a tough guy, you need to do it during the game for a blockout, for a rebound." The Bruins' offensive struggles continued, as they failed to score for an 8-minute stretch in the first half during an 18-0 Michigan State run that put the game out of reach.
- The incident with Jamerson II occurred with 4:30 remaining in the second half.
- UCLA has scored less than 60 points in each of their last two games.
The players
Mick Cronin
The head coach of the UCLA Bruins men's basketball team.
Steven Jamerson II
A redshirt senior forward for the UCLA Bruins who was ejected from the game by Coach Cronin.
Carson Cooper
A senior center for the Michigan State Spartans who was on the receiving end of Jamerson's hard foul.
Tyler Bilodeau
A senior forward for the UCLA Bruins who Cronin said was the only player not "playing below their abilities."
What they’re saying
“Steve's a good kid, he made a bad decision. If you want to be a tough guy, you need to do it during the game for a blockout, for a rebound.”
— Mick Cronin, UCLA Head Coach
“We've just got to play smarter. Execute better, and we've just got to have guys making plays.”
— Tyler Bilodeau, UCLA Senior Forward
The takeaway
This blowout loss and the incident with the ejected player raise serious concerns about the UCLA Bruins' discipline, effort, and ability to compete at the highest levels of college basketball. Coach Cronin will need to address these issues quickly if the team hopes to turn their season around and make a push for the NCAA Tournament.
