LEXINGTON, Ky. — Mick Cronin wasn’t going to go there, at least not at first. A reporter who inquired about the UCLA coach’s plans for next season was headed off like one of his guards trying to get the ball past Tennessee’s press. “Right now, guys, it’s 12:40 a.m. and our season just ended,” Cronin said early
LEXINGTON, Ky. — UCLA was trying to maintain a double-digit lead early in the second half when it suffered what looked like a devastating loss. Sophomore center Aday Mara, who had been dominating Utah State on both ends of the court, rolled his left ankle and limped off the court, sitting on the end of the bench
Given one statistic about Aday Mara’s value, UCLA coach Mick Cronin matched it with one of his own. When a reporter mentioned that the Bruins are 8-0 this season when the sophomore center logs at least 15 minutes, Cronin added that the team has won all six games in which Mara plays at least 20
If you have a player blessed with rare traits who can take over a game on both ends of the court, you use him as much as possible, right? Right? Maybe not. Two days after UCLA’s Aday Mara put every inch of his 7-foot-3 frame to excellent use against Wisconsin — making all seven shots
Having been just a bit player in his 1½ college seasons, Aday Mara moved to the forefront Tuesday night. In a massive way. The 7-foot-3 center left a giant imprint all over what might have been UCLA’s most significant victory of the season. Grabbing rebounds flatfooted, blocking shots and making every shot he took, Mara
Aday Mara had completed a series of pull-ups and curls, not to mention a few delicate minutes walking backward on a high-performance treadmill, when the strain of his post-practice training started to show. Laboring to finish a set of shoulder pull-downs, he succeeded only after his workout whisperer weighed in. “Rip it and squeeze!” demanded
UCLA had just given up back-to-back offensive rebounds midway through the second half when a roar emerged from the small crowd inside Pauley Pavilion. The few fans who showed up were cheering the massive young man lumbering toward the scorer’s table to check into the game against Cal State Fullerton for the first time. The