Toughness is synonymous with success.

Just look at “Bad Boy” Pistons and the “Ewing Era” Knicks, who prided themselves on their mental and physical resilience.

And UCLA men’s basketball (5-2) had its toughness challenged during its loss to California Nov. 25, but coach Mick Cronin’s squad has a chance to strengthen its fortitude against Washington (5-2) Wednesday night at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle, Washington, which will mark the start of conference play for both squads.

The Bruins wilted down the stretch against the Golden Bears – with their in-state rival outscoring them 44-31 in the second half despite boasting a five-point advantage heading into halftime – leading Cronin to question his group’s ability to persevere.

“When things don’t go well, we get soft and panic real quick,” Cronin said. “Although we’re an older team, we lack toughness right now.”

This was not the first time the Bruins’ grit was tested and doubted, either.

UCLA’s defeat in San Francisco mirrored its loss to then-No. 6 Arizona Nov. 14, when the team’s defense struggled to contain the Wildcats at the end of the affair, allowing its former Pac-12 adversary to record a 60% shooting clip from the field in the second frame.

And the Bruins’ perimeter defense contributed to their defeat at the Chase Center, as well.

Cal shot 54.5% from beyond-the-arc in the second half alone and finished the contest with a 50% clip.

But UCLA’s free-throw line performance against Cal may have exposed the group’s lack of mental toughness.

“I take it to heart every time I lose. I’m a winner, so when I lose it’s not taken lightly,” said junior guard/forward Eric Dailey Jr. “Obviously, what I did wasn’t enough tonight, so I got to do better.”

The Bruins converted just 40% of their attempts from the charity stripe in the second half, nailing just four free throw shots, marking a near 30% dip compared to their first half percentage.

Cronin believes his team’s free-throw struggles demonstrated a mentality ailment rather than a skill issue.

“They were pressured free throws, and it’s a big difference,” Cronin said. “I don’t think it’s skill at all, not from the guys that were missing them.”

Free-throw stability can also maintain advantages and quell comeback attempts.

UCLA held a lead against Cal until the 15:19 mark in the second half when the squad forfeited a lead it never regained.

The Golden Bear advantage swelled to 12 points less than six minutes later.

“They (The Bruins) played incredibly hard, and there were times when they just imposed their will physically,” said Cal coach Mark Madsen. “Give our guys credit. Our guys didn’t back down from the physicality, and we were able to make some plays late.”

Washington recorded a 13-point loss to Colorado Friday, but the team faced a predicament that contrasted UCLA’s recent struggles – it fell into a 17-point first-half deficit and also shot 93.3% from the foul line.

Although their first-half struggles prevented the Huskies from orchestrating a comeback against Colorado, they recorded a 99-93 double-overtime triumph against Southern Nov. 18, demonstrating their ability to prevail in tightly-contested affairs, a feat the Bruins have yet to achieve this season.

The contest against Washington is UCLA’s first road game of the 2025-26 season, which may give Cronin’s crew a chance to refine its ability to handle adversity.

Toughness has defined Cronin-led teams in past campaigns such as the 2020-21 squad that persevered from the First Four round of the NCAA tournament to the Final Four.

And grit may dictate how well the Bruins perform in the program’s seventh season with Cronin at the helm – especially with the conference slate starting Wednesday.

UCLA could use matchups against Big Ten foes to develop collective toughness.

Yet, Cronin said the team still has a lot to prove regarding its foundation.

“I think our team struggles to take a punch,” Cronin said. “I would say we got a glass jaw if you were to describe us as a fighter.”