Poor opener draws Cronin’s ire

DONOVAN DENT (2) was a bright spot for UCLA with 21 points and nine assists in his Bruins debut Monday.

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Eagles met so little resistance that they shot 53.7%.

(UCLA, from B10]

Eagles met so little resistance that they shot 53.7%.

“I mean, if you think you're going to give up 53.7% in your own gym in a buy game and have a good year,” Cronin said, “you have no chance.”

Eastern Washington's upset hopes lingered until point guard Donovan Dent, making his UCLA debut after transferring from New Mexico, pulled down a rebound and scored on a fast break to extend the lead back to double digits with 30 seconds left.

Cronin said he sensed this sort of showing coming given the way his team reacted to its exhibition victories. The Bruins scored the first 17 points while beating San Diego State on the road and held a 43-point lead on the way to a blowout of UC Irvine.

This was very different.

“When you have the wrong attitude in life, it shows up,” Cronin said. “But I blame myself because I knew this was coming tonight and I couldn't stop it, so I failed miserably.”

What did Cronin do to try to stop it?

“Film, speeches, went off in shootaround today about intensity and [how] pros show up every day,” Cronin said, “you know, Nick Saban 101 — the process is more important than the opponent —but Ilost them.”