UCLA keeps holding closeout specials to open new year

UCLA guard Johnny Juzang drives between Arizona’s Terrell Brown Jr. (31) and Azuolas Tubelis during the second half on Saturday in Tucson, Ariz. UCLA won 81-76.Close calls under Mick Cronin usually end in a smile, not a wince.

Consider all the happy faces at the end of UCLA’s last four games. All four were tightly contested. All four came down to the last minute of regulation. All four resulted in Bruins victories.

It’s become a trend for Cronin’s teams. UCLA is 12-3 in games decided by five points or fewer under Cronin (including overtime games in which the final margin might have been larger), including 5-0 this season.

If a handful of plays had gone differently, the Bruins’ four-game…