Upcoming Wisconsin opponent UCLA is finding Big Ten basketball too difficult

The Wisconsin Badgers are headed to Los Angeles to take on two of the new additions to the Big Ten at UCLA and USC. They will be starting in the Galen Center, taking on the Trojans before heading across town to take on the Bruins on Tuesday. As UCLA is considered one of the blue bloods of basketball, it'll be fun to preview the team even if they are struggling this season under coach Mick Cronin. The Bruins have lost four straight Big Ten games and have the Iowa Hawkeyes before they see Wisconsin. Cronin has his reasonings for why they are not playing well and getting wins:

Mick Cronin said UCLA is struggling in Big Ten play because it's more physical.

Cronin has been making headlines for the last few weeks for various things. Calling out his players for not trying hard enough, getting kicked out of a game, and now complaining that Big Ten basketball is too hard for his team. It's a wild ride for UCLA fans, and there's no doubt they are frustrated by his antics. However, as Wisconsin fans look on, there is awareness that what Cronin says is true. Big Ten basketball is more challenging and it is more physical.

In fact, Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard mentioned that earlier this week when he was talking about one of his new transfers, Xavier Amos. He said, "By and large, freshmen or transfers come in and think it's going to be easier than it is. It looks easier on tape than what it really is on the court. There was a little bit of a sticker shock to Xavier of how hard it was going to be and how you have to do it every day...it's every day, and every day you empty your tank."

Gard has also mentioned at other times getting his bigs to play physical in preparation for Big Ten play. Therefore, it's not just freshmen or transfers coming in; according to Cronin, it's entire programs like UCLA that are struggling with the sticker shock and the toughness of the Big Ten.