"I came to UCLA to get a 12th title, and I'm not going to leave until I do" - 4th-seeded UCLA coach Mick Cronin after getting eliminated by 8th-seeded North Carolina in March Madness

Losing a game in March Madness is always challenging, but Mick Cronin's UCLA Bruins are taking their loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels especially difficult.

After losing Friday's Sweet 16 showdown between the two college basketball blue bloods 73-66, UCLA coach Mick Cronin addressed his team's performance.

Mick Cronin still believes in his UCLA Bruins despite a tough loss to UNC.

March Madness is the time of year with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, and the 11th-ranked Bruins (27-8) are experiencing those lows. Despite leading at halftime, the No. 4 seed in the East fell to unranked UNC (27-9), the No. 8 seed.

Still, Cronin wasn't discouraged and was as stubborn as ever in his commitment to his team. Cronin believes in the season his team had and is ready to continue his mission.

Mick Cronin on his Bruins.

"They've restored UCLA to the national scene. You can't let people say, '... you didn't win it all this year, your season is not a success'. That's ludicrous. Although, I came to UCLA to get a 12th title and I'm not going to leave until I do."

Historically, UCLA has been one of the best programs in college basketball. Legendary coach John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 Final Four appearances. Jim Harrick won the Bruins' 11th championship, and Cronin intends to be the coach that delivers the 12th.

The road to No. 12 will not be easy, but making back-to-back Sweet 16s in his first two NCAA Tournaments is a strong start. UCLA made it to the Final Four last season.

Mick Cronin's UCLA Bruins fight hard

The UCLA Bruins took the loss to UNC hard.

On the second night of the Sweet 16, the Bruins and the Tar Heels played a game worthy of two titans.

UCLA led with under two minutes remaining. But UNC's Caleb Love swung the game with a pair of 3-pointers. He tied the game at 64-64 with his 3-pointer with 1:40 to play and put the Tar Heels in front for good, at 67-64, with 1:06 left.

North Carolina scored 12 points in the final two minutes, although UCLA aided that total by resorting to fouling to get more chances. Plus, UNC made a pair of meaningless free throws in the final second after the Tar Heels had already celebrated, thinking the game was over when the buzzer sounded. The teams were called back to the court after a monitor review.

The Bruins' difficult finish led to the dour vibe of their postgame news conference.

“It’s not like we didn’t play well tonight. These guys are heartbroken.”
@UCLAMBB Coach Mick Cronin
#abc7eyewitness https://t.co/rKcEMy9wGq

The players were not the only ones who were tired and upset, as their coach was also not happy during the interview session.

Tense atmosphere in the postgame press conference. Mick Cronin immediately corrects a reporter for mispronouncing Jaime’s name.

While no one is happy after a loss, the Bruins are taking it harder and are feeling the exhaustion and emotion of losing in the Sweet 16. This moment could be critical in the future of the program, one way or another.