Mick Cronin and the UCLA Bruins try to play a basketball season, however they have a lot extra on their thoughts as the realm round their faculty has been affected by wildfires.
The primary began on Jan. 7 within the Pacific Palisades and has been ongoing.
UCLA has performed two away video games for the reason that fires began, and its subsequent dwelling recreation is scheduled to be on Friday in opposition to the Iowa Hawkeyes again at Pauley Pavilion.
Whether or not or not that recreation could be performed as scheduled remains to be an open query, however after UCLA’s final recreation, a loss to Rutgers, Cronin revealed that he and the crew are having a tough time specializing in basketball with how issues are trying again West.
“No phrases. I simply need to get dwelling. I need to get dwelling to my household, be certain — it’s powerful when that is all occurring and also you’re not round your loved ones. Ensuring persons are secure in instances like this. So, it’s actually, actually exhausting,” Cronin mentioned within the postgame information convention (h/t On3).
Being on the street has been powerful for Cronin and his UCLA crew as a result of they have a lot to fret about again dwelling. Cronin‘s household needed to evacuate for a while, in response to On3.
“They did, however they’re again for now. We’re on the sting in Encino,” Cronin mentioned. “Look, there’s lots of people who’ve misplaced every little thing. It’s horrible. I used to be telling [Rutgers head] Coach [Steve] Pikiell, he was asking, it’s like one thing from a film. It’s exhausting to even describe. It’s exhausting for you and I as a result of we’re not there. It’s exhausting to course of.”
The Bruins are 11-6, however they’re at present using a four-game shedding streak.
