Italy wins the toss and elects to field against West Indies in its last T20 World Cup game

KOLKATA, India (AP) —Italywon the toss and elected to field against high-flying West Indies in its lastT20 World Cupgame on Thursday.

West Indies Italy T20 WCup Cricket

West Indies has already qualified for theSuper 8swith three consecutive wins in Group C and is in Group 1 with co-host India, Zimbabwe and South Africa. New Zealand, England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are in Group 2 of the second round.

Harry Manenti continues to lead Italy, playing its first-ever major ICC global event, after captain Wayne Madsen wasruled out of the tournamentwhen he dislocated his shoulder at the same venue while fielding in the opening group game against Scotland.

Manenti hoped his bowlers would get some swing in the day game and take some early wickets.

"Hope there's a bit in the wicket," Manenti said at the toss. "We take some confidence from the England game and West Indies is another powerful team."

Italy was beaten by Scotland and England in group games but shocked much-fancied Nepal with a resounding 10-wicket win in Mumbai.

West Indies top-order batters have scored aggressively with captain Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer and Sherfane Rutherford scoring half centuries across the three group games.

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Hope said he didn't mind losing the toss because "it's not in our hands" as West Indies went with an unchanged squad that beat Nepal by nine wickets in the last game.

Later Thursday

Zimbabwe, whichknocked out Australiafrom the tournament, concludes its group stage with a game against Sri Lanka in Colombo later Thursday.

Afghanistan, which made the semifinals in 2024 and lost a thrillingdouble tiebreakeragainst South Africa this past week, will meet Canada in its last Group D match.

West Indies: Brandon King, Shai Hope (captain), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Matthew Forde, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosain, Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie.

Italy: Justin Mosca, Anthony Mosca, Syed Naqvi, Harry Manenti (captain), J.J. Smuts, Ben Manenti, Grant Stewart, Gian-Piero Meade, Crishan Kalugamage, Thomas Draca, Ali Hasan.

AP cricket:https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

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February 18, 2026

Italy wins the toss and elects to field against West Indies in its last T20 World Cup game

KOLKATA, India (AP) —Italywon the toss and elected to field against high-flying West Indies in its lastT20 World Cupgame ...

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Seven Illini score at least 10 as No. 10 Illinois pummels USC

Andrej Stojakovic's 22 points led seven double-figure point scorers for No. 10 Illinois as the Illini pounded short-handed Southern California 101-65 on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

Doubt loomed over the availability of Stojakovic going into this week's California road trip for Illinois (22-5, 13-3 Big Ten). The wing, who sustained an ankle injury on Feb. 7 against Michigan State, answered all questions with a 6-of-7 shooting performance from the floor coming off the bench on Wednesday, and a perfect 9-of-9 at the free-throw line.

Stojakovic helped fuel an offensive onslaught that began early, with Illinois running out to a 15-3 lead 5:33 into the contest and never looking back.

The Illini shot 32-of-62 from the floor, including 13-of-29 on 3-point attempts, led by Jake Davis' perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc. Davis scored all 12 of his points from long distance.

Davis also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

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Six different Illinois shooters connected on at least one 3-pointer. Ben Humrichous knocked down 3-of-6 from deep on his way to 11 points off the bench, while David Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic each made a pair of triples en route to 14 and 10 points, respectively.

Keaton Wagler added 10 points and Kylan Boswell finished with 12 points, five rebounds and eight assists to round out Illinois' collection of double-figure scorers. The balanced attack powered Illinois to its highest scoring output in Big Ten play this season, and helped the Illini maintain sole possession of second place in a tight conference competition.

USC (18-8, 7-8), meanwhile, found itself in a tough spot before opening tip. Season-long leading scorer Chad Baker-Mazara was a late scratch from the lineup, and his backcourt mates -- Alijah Arenas and Kam Woods -- shot a combined 4-of-14 from the floor for eight and four points.

Arenas came into Wednesday's contest with three straight games posting at least 24 points.

Ezra Ausar recorded a double-double for the Trojans with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Jacob Cofie added 14 points, but the two combined for almost as many made field goals (11) as the rest of USC's roster combined (12).

--Field Level Media

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February 18, 2026

Seven Illini score at least 10 as No. 10 Illinois pummels USC

Andrej Stojakovic's 22 points led seven double-figure point scorers for No. 10 Illinois as the Illini pounded shor...

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Former MMA fighter Tiki Ghosn and Deen the Great get in altercation

Retired MMA fighter Tiki Ghosn was seen on video getting into an altercation with Nurideen Shabazz, an influencer-turned-boxer known as Deen the Great. The video has gone viral.

Ghosn was seen landing a strike to the face of Shabazz, punching him out at a party following a confrontation that appeared to be started by the influencer. Shabazz could be heard questioning why Ghosn would deny knowing who he was.

"You do know who I am," Shabazz was heard saying during the exchange.

"I don't know you," Ghosn told Shabazz. "Nice to meet you, though."

Things would escalate further after Shabazz continued his questioning of Ghosn. The men were quickly separated.

Shabazz was also seen being slapped by powerlifter Larry Wheels in a separate video from earlier in the week. That incident was referenced by Ghosn in the viral video during the exchange with Shabazz.

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Both incidents can be found onShabazz's KICK stream. Former MMA fighter Quinton "Rampage" Jackson was seen in both videos. Ghosn is Jackson's manager.

Who is Tiki Ghosn?

Ghosn produced a 10-7-0 record as a fighter, winning his last fight in March 2008 while snapping a streak of five consecutive losses.

The Southern California native was previouslymanaged by current UFC president Dana White. Ghosn has worked as a coach on the Ultimate Fighter and worked with several notable names in the MMA world, including Tito Ortiz, Ken Shamrock and Michael Bisping.

Who is Deen the Great?

Shabazz won his first seven boxing fights; his second win was the only non-exhibition fight he's competed in.

He suffered his first loss to Amado Vargas in an exhibition fight in December 2025.

Shabszz has also served as a YouTube streamer since 2013 and has more than 528K subscribers.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Tiki Ghosn, Deen the Great get in altercation in viral video

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February 18, 2026

Former MMA fighter Tiki Ghosn and Deen the Great get in altercation

Retired MMA fighter Tiki Ghosn was seen on video getting into an altercation with Nurideen Shabazz, an influencer-turned-...

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Napheesa Collier on WNBA CBA talks: ‘Someone’s gonna have to fold’

Asthe WNBA and its players' union continue to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement,the2026 WNBA seasonhangs in the balance.

WNBPA vice president Napheesa Collieris confident the season will happen, but it won't come without compromise.

"Well, someone's gonna have to fold, aren't they?" Collier told USA TODAY Sports regarding the ongoing CBA talks while promoting a partnership with Unrivaled and Icy Hot.

A five-time WNBA All-Star with the Minnesota Lynx, Collier says the union continues to meet with the hope of getting a deal done. But, she reiterated the players' plan to stand firm amidst the revenue sharing road block and housing concessions by the WNBA.

On Tuesday, the players' union submitted a counterproposal in response to the WNBA'sFeb. 7 submission. In the proposal, the WNBPA requested 25% of gross revenue in the first year, increasing over the life of the agreement to an average of roughly 27.5%. The union also proposed a salary cap of less than $9.5 million.

The latest requested revenue share percentage is less than theproposal in December, where players asked for 30% of gross revenue. The WNBA is currently offering more than 70% of league and team net revenue. The league is also proposing a salary cap of $5.65 million per year, rising with league revenues.

In Tuesday's counterproposal, the WNBPA advocated for housing to continue in the early years of a player's career. The union proposed housing could be shed in later years of a contract and would be adjusted and phased out for players who make a certain amount of money on a multi-year, fully guaranteed contract.

Game 1: Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12) celebrates with teammates after the Aces defeated the Phoenix Mercury, 89-86, at Michelob Ultra Arena.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Jackie Young #0 of the Las Vegas Aces battles for the ball with Alyssa Thomas #25 and Kahleah Copper #2 of the Phoenix Mercury.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Chelsea Gray (12) and A'ja Wilson (22) of the Las Vegas Aces grab a rebound past DeWanna Bonner (14) and Satou Sabally (0) of the Phoenix Mercury.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Alyssa Thomas (25) of the Phoenix Mercury shoots the ball against Jackie Young of the Las Vegas Aces.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) looks to tip a loose ball away from Phoenix Mercury guard Sami Whitcomb (33).

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Las Vegas Aces forward NaLyssa Smith (3) shoots against Phoenix Mercury forward Natasha Mack (4).

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: A'ja Wilson (22) of the Las Vegas Aces celebrates after making a basket against the Phoenix Mercury.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Satou Sabally (0) of the Phoenix Mercury shoots the ball against Megan Gustafson (17) of the Las Vegas Aces.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Satou Sabally (0) of the Phoenix Mercury looks to shoot the ball against NaLyssa Smith (3) of the Las Vegas Aces.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: NaLyssa Smith (3) of the Las Vegas Aces reacts during the third quarter.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Chelsea Gray (12) of the Las Vegas Aces reacts against the Phoenix Mercury during the fourth quarter.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Alyssa Thomas (25) of the Phoenix Mercury drives to the basket against Jackie Young (0) of the Las Vegas Aces.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Alyssa Thomas (25) of the Phoenix Mercury shoots the ball against Jackie Young (0) of the Las Vegas Aces.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) dribbles against Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (2).

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) drives against Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (2).

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Kahleah Copper (2) of the Phoenix Mercury celebrates after her 3-point basket.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Head coach Nate Tibbetts of the Phoenix Mercury looks on during the first quarter.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Maddy Westbeld of the Chicago Sky (left) and Rae Burrell of the Los Angeles Sparks look on.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Jackie Young (0) of the Las Vegas Aces reacts in front of Kahleah Copper of the Phoenix Mercury.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon looks on.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Dana Evans of the Las Vegas Aces, shoots the ball between Monique Akoa Makani and Natasha Mack of the Phoenix Mercury.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces drives to the basket against Alyssa Thomas of the Phoenix Mercury.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Kahleah Copper of the Phoenix Mercury grabs a rebound against the Las Vegas Aces.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: Chelsea Gray of the Las Vegas Aces shoots the ball against Monique Akoa Makani of the Phoenix Mercury.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Game 1: A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces grabs a rebound against Kahleah Copper of the Phoenix Mercury.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals

The WNBA issued a statement, saying: "The Players Association's latest proposal remains unrealistic and would cause hundreds of millions of dollars of losses for our teams. We still need to complete two Drafts and free agency before the start of training camp and are running out of time.  We believe the WNBA's proposal would result in a huge win for current players and generations to come."

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According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the players' union's proposal would allegedly result in projected losses of $460 million over the lifetime of the agreement for WNBA teams. The person went on to share that the deal has to benefit both the players and teams to ensure continued investment and growth in the league.

Collier shared with USA TODAY that she did not have a specific response to the WNBA's statement, but did reveal some thoughts.

"We don't think, obviously, what we're asking for is unfair, otherwise we wouldn't be asking for it," Collier said. "But we understand it's a negotiation, and I think we are trending in the right direction. But, we have to be able to stand strong in what we believe in and make sure that we are getting a fair cut in this pie that we are building together as a league and as players."

A person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports there is asense of urgency from the players' union. According to the person, as Collier mentioned, the desire to play in 2026 remains, along with securing a transformational deal where the WNBPA "doesn't negotiate against themselves."

The regular seasonis scheduled to start May 8. However, before that can happen, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire will have expansion drafts. Free agency and the2026 WNBA draftalso need to take place. Collier is aware that the closer the clock moves to May 8, the more anxious people may become. Still, she has hope things will work themselves out.

"I hope people just remember that we want to be out there, too. I think it gets [lost] with lots of different narratives out there that we're being unreasonable, whatever it is ― this is our livelihood. This is our job, our passions, what we love to do most in the world. We want to be out there. It's just such a pivotal time in women's sports, and we've been growing, growing, growing for so long," Collier said.

"Again, we just have to stand strong in what we believe in and what we think is fair. So I just hope they hold out and believe in us, continue to support us ― which they have been; they've been great ― and just know that we are gonna play again. It's gonna happen. This thing is gonna happen. Just be patient with us. Keep supporting us, and we're gonna get there."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Napheesa Collier on WNBA CBA talks: 'Someone's gonna have to fold'

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February 18, 2026

Napheesa Collier on WNBA CBA talks: ‘Someone’s gonna have to fold’

Asthe WNBA and its players' union continue to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement,the2026 WNBA seasonhang...

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NFL scouting combine: Here's what's overhyped and undervalued at event that's taken a hit on player participation

TheNFL scouting combineis back starting Monday as hundreds of draft hopefuls will make their way to Indianapolis to showcase their athletic talents and formally meet with teams as the slow roll to April's draft picks up.

In recent years, the combine's scope has drastically changed, altering the event's overall importance. The days of the combine being a true showcase for all the best players in each draft is long over, leaving a product that's been diluted by a lack of participants and a questionable need to be on prime-time television.

But there still are a few hidden elements that are important to the league's overall health. Sure, the list of what matters in Indianapolis dwindles by the year. The number of players who participate in drills and coaches who attend the event continues to shrink. Yet, there is one part of the process that is still incredibly important: the interview.

The combine is still a centralized hub for teams to get face-to-face time with prospects for the first time. Those interviews can heavily sway clubs to draft (or not draft!) them in April.

Being a leaguewide communication hub is also important for the combine. Beyond player interviews with prospective teams, it's one of the few times a large percentage of NFL teams' front-office personnel and agents will be in the same city over a prolonged period of days. The extended face-to-face time ignites preliminary discussions that allow free agents to agree to terms at the very second the "legal tampering" window opens — this year, it's March 9 at noon ET — followed by the official start of the new league year on March 11 at 4 p.m.

Those are conversations the public isn't privy to, but they become tangibly important shortly after the combine ends.

Perhaps the most critical part of the combine that still matters are the medicals. Again, that's information that is largely hidden behind the scenes, but it will matter throughout the draft process even if the information leaks out well after the combine is over. Sometimes these issues aren't heard about until early April when players head back to Indianapolis for medical re-checks. Yeah, real riveting information for viewers.

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The on-field workouts still matter for lower-level players and prospects who have a chance to put their name into the sphere of public opinion, but the amount of notable players who have been participating in the workouts has drastically reduced the overall importance of this event from a consumer perspective. Considering the NFL has flatly shown that players not participating in the event doesn't matter to its teams, there's no reason to think that the athletic showcase that used to be a hot topic will be coming back soon.

For the players who do participate in the on-field action, here are few drills to keep an eye on beyond the 40-yard dash.

Broad jump: This is great at measuring lower-body explosion in a way that projects how players can perform through contact. Some of the best tacklers, running backs and linemen have elite scores in this area.

3-cone drills: This one is crucial for wide receivers and defensive linemen. The ability to cut through tight spaces in short time is critical in getting open versus man coverage or beating offensive tackles around the edge.

Short shuttle: Some of the best offensive linemen and defensive backs in the league have high scores in this area because it shows the ability to immediately be explosive from a disadvantageous position. The Packers have historically valued offensive linemen who perform well in this drill.

Everything else,especiallythe throwing sessions, is going to be noise. It's nice to see how players move in some drills, but game tape is more useful.

The spectacle of some prospects standing out in the 40-yard dash is always going to be interesting, but the degrees have fallen as fewer players do workouts in Indianapolis. For hardcore observers of the draft, there are plenty of things to follow. For everyone else, the most relevant information derived from the combine will likely be hidden for a few weeks.

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February 18, 2026

NFL scouting combine: Here's what's overhyped and undervalued at event that's taken a hit on player participation

TheNFL scouting combineis back starting Monday as hundreds of draft hopefuls will make their way to Indianapolis to showc...

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Mick Cronin is a bully, can't help it. 'John Wooden would be beside himself'

UCLA basketballcoach Mick Cronindid it again Tuesday night— he keeps doing this — and someone needs to get him under control. I'd suggest Cronin needs to control himself, stop bullying his players and others, but these aren't isolated incidents. This keeps happening. It's who he is:

A bully. A vicious one.

Yeah, I hear some of you:Wah, wah, you're so soft…

Maybe so. But maybe being soft, being vulnerable, is more of what this world needs. Everywhere you look, on the streets and on social media and even in our seats of government, we're being hard, being invulnerable, being downrightmean. Look around. You like what you see? Not me.

College basketball hot seat:13 coaches who may be in trouble

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And what we're seeing from Bruins coach Mick Cronin is appalling. Here's what we saw Tuesday night, and please, see the whole picture. Don't focus on one thing — the foul by one of his players — and decide: Welp, that's what the kid deserved.

Nah. UCLA senior forward Steve Jamerson II didn't deserve this.

Neither did the reporter who asked Cronin, afterward, about the atmosphere in East Lansing, Michigan.

Here's how it started:

Michigan State's Carson Cooper is running down the court, ahead of the pack, going up for a dunk. The No. 15 Spartans lead UCLA by 27 with 4½ minutes left, well on their way to victory, when Cooper rises for a dunk. Behind him, Jamerson arrives a split-second late. He goes for the block, nothing dirty — watch the play yourself — but Cooper's momentum, combined with the contact Jamerson makes on his arm, sends Cooper to the floor.

Cooper rises, angry. Hey, that's his right. Jamerson stands his ground. His right, too.

And then Mick Cronin did one of the single cruelest things I've ever seen.

First, UCLA's Mike Cronin ejects his own player

You're picturing the scene, right? The Breslin Center is furious, turning all its rage on Jamerson. That was the crowd's right. So far, nobody has done anything wrong. Jamerson was hustling, competing. Didn't look frustrated, just a split-second late as he contested the shot. Cooper was angry. The crowd was furious.

It happens.

But then Cronin does something that can't happen. Cronin grabs Jamerson by the shirt, by the arm, and tells him to get out. Points angrily to a staffer, then to Jamerson, and gives the "get him out of here" signal.

Watchthe video. See that look on Jamerson's face? He's bewildered, dejected. The entire building has just turned on him, and now his coach is sending him off the court, into the locker room, to face all that fury by himself? The video shows students giving Jamerson the middle finger, and shouting at him. You can see the finger(s). Can't hear the shouting, thank goodness.

You hope Jamerson didn't hear it, either, but that's naïve.

This was the worst example, but just the latest example, of Cronin humiliating his players. His postgame news conferences tend to go viral after losses, because he questions his players' toughness or effort in the most straightforward terms, and has even suggested — rather blatantly — that his playersaren't smart enough.

"The most important thing for a teacher is for his students to have aptitude or they can't learn,"he said in 2024after a loss to Stanford. "If a team makes adjustments, we struggle to adjust to instruction on the fly."

"It's really hard to coach people that are delusional,"Cronin said in 2025after a loss to Michigan. "We got guys who think they're way better than they are. They're nice kids. They're completely delusional about who they are."

"You can't call your mommy; she can't help you,"he said in 2024. "You've got an opportunity of a lifetime and it may not last forever depending on your performance."

Cronin thinks he's old-school tough, and that players are soft. He's not the problem — they are.

"If you're hard on Little Johnny in this era," he said earlier this month, after a win at Rutgers, "you might get investigated."

At first, forgive me, I found it almost refreshing. Maybe that's because I was inclined to like Cronin — because I'd always liked Cronin — since meeting him 20 years ago when he was coaching Cincinnati and I was living there, covering college basketball for CBSSports.com.In 2011,when players from Xavier and Cincinnati brawled, Cronin's postgame disgust was so real, so deserved, I texted him that night to thank him for standing up for decency.

Now this is me, standing up for decency, and telling Mick — or telling UCLA — this has to stop. What happened to Steven Jamerson was the breaking point, for me.

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What happened afterward, to a reporter? Another brutal, bully move.

Then Mick Cronin bullies a reporter

This story hinges onXavier Booker,who spent the past two seasons at Michigan State before transferring to UCLA this season. The Breslin Center student section, the 5,000-strong Izzone, taunted Booker by chanting his name.

Afterward, a reporter asked Cronin what he thought about that.

"I could give a rat's ass about the other team's student section,"Cronin said. "I would like to give you kudos for the worst question I've ever been asked."

A second reporter starts to ask a question on another topic, but Cronin ignores him to turn on the first reporter. His team has just been embarrassed. Cronin's about to take it out on someone else.

"Youreallythink I care about the other team's student section?" he asks.

The second reporter tries to defend himself, and if his voice went up ever so slightly — and that's all it was — could you blame him? He was being humiliated by the coach of UCLA, with cameras running. He was standing up for himself, and you know bullies:

They don't like that.

"Are you raising your voice at me?" Cronin demanded.

The reporter, trying to calm the situation, backed down and said he wasn't.

"Yeah, you are, yeah, you are," Cronin said. "Come on, dude … everybody's standing here listening to you. Everybody. This is on camera. They can hear you. I answered the question. I could give a rat's ass about the other team's student section. I coach UCLA. I don't care about Michigan State students. Who cares?"

This was the biggest kid in the schoolyard, pushing down a smaller one and then mocking him. It's what Cronin had done to Jamerson, using the assembled crowd to reinforce his own cruelty.

This is who Cronin is with cameras rolling, and NBA scouts tell me he's even worse behind closed doors, at practice. A Western Conference scout, a longtime friend of mine, was discussing Cronin's recent odd behavior with me before tipoff at a recent Big Ten game. This was before the incident Tuesday night at Michigan State — that's how bizarre Cronin has been behaving — when the scout told me:

"He mother(bleeps) them in practice like you wouldn't believe," the scout said. "Oh, he (bleeps) them. Mick is the only coach I know who doesn't film his practice. You know why? He doesn't want evidence."

An Eastern Conference scout, another longtime friend who has attended UCLA practices, said he's heard the same — that Cronin doesn't film practice — and added: "John Wooden would be beside himself" at the way Cronin treats his players on a daily basis.

"Not sure why he's so combative," the scout continued. "He's an excellent coach, and actually a great guy off the court."

As I said, I've found Cronin to be charming away from the court as well, and was such a fan of his — past tense,was— thatI suggested the Indiana basketball program hire Cronin last seasonafter firing Mike Woodson. It's OK to admit when we're wrong.

What is Cronin waiting on? How about you, UCLA? Contrast UCLA's silence, its unspoken approval of Cronin, with what Kansas State did Sunday, firing basketball coach Jerome Tang for a postgame rant that included: "These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform, and there will be very few of them in it next year."

You ask me, Kansas State wasn't standing up for its players but being cheap and opportunistic, using Tang's rant to try to fire its losing coach for cause — and get out of his $18 million buyout. That might stick in court, but probably not.

Contrast Cronin's postgame behavior Tuesday with Purdue coach Matt Painter the same night, when Michigan trounced his team at Mackey Arenaand Painter stuck up for his players,said he "liked" them and even "loved" them, and then joked with reporters afterward.

"That was way too much talking," he said as he rose to head back to the locker room.

"That's on you," a reporter teased.

"You have to own your part," said Painter, teasing back, maybe the nicest great coach ever.

Mick Cronin? If he's not the meanest coach in the country, God help the players of any coach who deserves the title more.

Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel onThreads, or onBlueSkyand Twitter at@GreggDoyelStar, or atwww.facebook.com/greggdoyelstar. Subscribe to the free weeklyDoyel on Demandnewsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Mick Cronin ejects UCLA players, rips into reporter. Can't stop bullying

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February 18, 2026

Mick Cronin is a bully, can't help it. 'John Wooden would be beside himself'

UCLA basketballcoach Mick Cronindid it again Tuesday night— he keeps doing this — and someone needs to get him under cont...

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