How Lauren Betts became a championship-level player for UCLA

One hallmark of a national championship contender is having that one player who elevates the team and who draws so much defensive pressure that it opens the floor up for everyone else. With Betts in the midst of her second season with the Bruins, this is the year Close believes she solidified herself as that type of player.

“Watching her play all the different styles of play throughout the Big Ten, and finding a way to be dominant in so many different styles,” Close recalled. “She’s so smart. It didn’t take long to figure out what she could become … I think last year, she almost got too good too quick, and that’s sort of been … that was really hard.

“She’s now done all the work in this offseason to now be equipped to be that good,” Close continued. “And I knew last year she could become that, but now she’s equipped from the inside out to sustain that.”

During her postgame press conference, Close acknowledged that in the first half, Mississippi’s defense took away some of the usual sets they run to get the ball into Betts. The Bruins switched up their schemes in the second half to operate more in the middle of the court to get the ball to Betts.

But if you ask Mississippi head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, it didn’t matter what defensive schemes the Rebels tried. Betts was just too good.

“Well obviously whatever we tried didn’t work. And it didn’t work for 32 other teams either, it seems like,” McPhee-McCuin joked during her postgame press conference. “She is everything as advertised. Anytime they got in a bind, they just threw it to her.”

“That is a luxury,” McPhee-McCuin continued. “You don’t have to run a play, you can just throw it in to your dominant post player. And she is that.”

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In the first half, UCLA only led by one, 30-29, but Betts was already asserting her dominance on the game. She had 14 points and had only missed one shot (7-8 from the field). She would finish with 31 points and ten rebounds while shooting 15-of-16 from the field.

Betts became the first NCAA Division 1 player to put up at least 30 points and ten rebounds while shooting 80 percent from the field in back-to-back games in the last 20 seasons, per Alexa Philippou of ESPN.

During UCLA’s round of 32 win against Richmond last Sunday, Betts finished with a stat line of 30 points and 14 rebounds while shooting 14-of-17 from the field.

Following the win against Mississippi, Betts admitted that after the Bruins lost to crosstown rival USC in the final game of the regular season, a game in which she did not play, she kicked her focus into another gear.

“Honestly I feel like ever since our loss to SC, I’ve just completely changed my mindset going forward,” Betts said. “I think just being aggressive no matter what and doing whatever I need to do to help my team, and continuing to be positive regardless of what happens.”

Lauren Betts is one of the contenders for the Naismith College Player of the Year and the key reason why UCLA is a favorite to win the national championship.

In the 32 games she’s played this season, including throughout the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAA Tournament, she’s averaging 20.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.9 rebounds, as per Sports Reference. She’s shooting 65.4 percent from the field.

Betts had the option to declare for the 2025 WNBA Draft, but she’s already announced her intentions to return to UCLA for her senior season.

And as the Bruins continue to advance in the NCAA Tournament, she’s the key reason why they have a strong chance at winning the national title. Although McPhee-McCuin is proudly loyal to her fellow SEC teams, one of which UCLA faces next (LSU), she wouldn’t be surprised if Betts leads the Bruins to a championship.

“UCLA looks like a team that can win the national championship to me, because who is going to stop her?” McPhee-McCuin said. “I’m SEC all the way, so obviously I’m going to root for my people. But at the end of the day they are very, very tough as long as she’s playing the way she plays.”

And for Betts, as good as she’s been this season, she gives all the credit to the system she’s in that’s allowed her to thrive like this.

“I’m just obviously very grateful,” Betts said. “Honestly, the only reason any of this is happening is because of the program that I’m in and the people that I’m surrounded by. These coaches believe in me and that’s the reason why I play the way I play.”

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