"Tyler could have played [against Purdue.] You know, Donny could have played. They would have been playing hurt. I wouldn't have played them in a regular season game. I just try to take care of guys."
"Cronin said the universal UCLA program focus on NCAA tournament success drove his decision to hold forward Tyler Bilodeau and guard Donovan Dent out of a 73-66 Big Ten semifinal loss to Purdue on Saturday night at the United Center."
UCLA basketball, carrying the weight of 11 NCAA national titles and 19 Final Four appearances, begins its tournament journey as a 7-seed against 10-seed Central Florida on Friday in Philadelphia. Coach Mick Cronin strategically rested injured players Tyler Bilodeau and Donovan Dent during Saturday's Big Ten semifinal loss to Purdue, prioritizing their health for the NCAA tournament. Both players suffered minor injuries but are expected to be available Friday. Cronin emphasized that the universal program focus on tournament success justified holding out the players rather than risking further injury in a regular season game. The extra minutes given to reserve players during the Purdue game will benefit the team when the full lineup returns for tournament play.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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