An invigorating overtime win over Michigan State was special enough for UCLA coach Mick Cronin in Thursday night’s NCAA tournament First Four. An interaction Cronin had after the game served as a cherry on top that all Americans can relate to.
Cronin, a Cincinnati native, had not seen his father, Harold “Hep” Cronin, since the start of the pandemic. During Thursday’s game, the TBS broadcast team featured Hep often in the stands at Mackey Arena, sporting his UCLA shirt and sweating out every possession of a tight game like one would expect from a longtime high school basketball coach.