UCLA basketball coach Mick Cronin didn't meet with the news media following the Bruins' loss to California on Saturday. The assistant coach Rod Palmer did the job because Cronin was addressing the team for an extended period of time, per the Los Angeles Times.

“He’s still talking to the team and we didn’t want to keep you guys waiting too long. I don’t know how long he’s going to be, so I’m here in his stead,” Palmer said to reporters after the game, per the L.A. Times.

UCLA basketball lost to California 66-57, in another disappointing defeat for the Bruins. UCLA is now 6-9 on the season following the loss. The Bruins are undergoing struggles they haven't seen in recent years. The team has made the NCAA tournament the prior three years with Cronin at the helm, including a trip to the Final Four in 2020-2021. UCLA lost in the Sweet 16 the last two years.

The Bruins are in severe danger of missing the tournament altogether this season, and that's unacceptable in Westwood. The team struggled in non-conference games and is now 1-3 in the Pac-12 conference, losing three games in a row. The team has now lost 7 of their last 8 games. The Bruins need to put wins together to turn the ship around.

UCLA basketball's next opportunity for a victory is on Thursday. The team travels to play Utah on the road. Utah basketball is 11-4 on the season.

It will be interesting to see if Cronin misses any more media sessions in the future. Missing a session might be the jolt that his team needs.