Jan 10, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts from the sideline during the first half against the Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
The UCLA Bruins (11-6) have been across the country and back again with almost no time to rest over the past two weeks. Two separate trips grueling trips has taxed this Bruins team to the point of losing five of their last six and four-straight Big Ten games.
The Big Ten schedule was crafted this past year to accommodate the West Coast schools as good as possible, but to Coach Mick Cronin, it has not been the best procurement of a schedule, taking three different trips to the central or eastern time zones with two in the past few weeks.
UCLA went on the road to start the new year and made two separate trips out of the Pacific Time Zone over the course of just 10 days, starting with a lone road game against Nebraska in which they lost.
Two days later, the Bruins were back in Westwood playing a high-powered Michigan team, losing by 19. They then turned around and went all the way east to play Maryland and Rutgers over a four-day span, losing both games. Cronin expressed his displeasure following the Maryland loss.
"We had to travel on a five-hour and 50-minute flight, they [Maryland] got home Sunday, they had two extra days," Cronin said. "Now Rutgers is sitting at home and they got an extra day. I haven't mapped all this out, but I sure hope it swings our way at some point. ... I know it's hard, whoever did it, I get it. I mean, it's probably virtually impossible to make the schedule, but I just know it hasn't been good for us. Michigan was in L.A. three days before [us]."
It certainly will swing the Bruins' way over the next three weeks as their next seven games will all be on the West Coast. The only game they will play outside of Los Angeles is a road battle with the Washington Huskies on Friday, Jan. 24th. They will also see USC on the road, a few days after that contest.
The fact that it's been an aerial marathon for these Bruins has only made it tougher in their new conference, still adjusting to the style of play and wicked travel miles. Struggles were expected, but UCLA will learn from the adversity and be ready for their third and final road series in February.
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