The UCLA Bruins fell to LSU in the Sweet 16 last season, but they weren’t going to let it happen again. Their 72-65 victory in the Elite 8 avenges the prior loss and sends them to the program’s first-ever Final Four. After decades in the Pac-10 and then the Pac-12, UCLA tipped off its Big Ten era with a bang.
A big reason for the Bruins’ success is the dominance of center Lauren Betts. The 6’7 junior leads the team in points (20.0), rebounds (9.6), blocks (3.0) and FG% (64.9), earning her a spot on the All-America first team. In the biggest game of her career thus far, however, she was forced to watch the second quarter from the bench due to foul trouble. Coach Cori Close was impressed by Betts’ composure despite the distressing circumstances.
UCLA Bruins Compensate for Lauren Betts Bench-Time with Torrid Run
Limited to 25 minutes on the court, Betts nonetheless remained a force, going for 17 points, 7 rebounds and 6 blocks. Although LSU defended her well, they had no counter for her size and strength inside.
But Betts also put her team in a bit of a bind by picking up two fouls in nine minutes to start the game–a career first. Down 13-9 after the first quarter, UCLA could have crumbled in her absence. Instead, they rose to the occasion, winning the second period 22 to 12.
Reserve forward Timea Gardner provided a huge 15 points (5-8 from three), and in the starting lineup, Gabriela Jacquez led the Bruins with 18 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals, making 4 of 5 three-pointers. LSU coach Kim Mulkey said her team lost the game in the second quarter by failing to capitalize on Betts’ absence.
Bruins coach Close applauded her star’s emotional maturity despite being kept off the floor and failing to produce according to her usual standards: “A year ago that would have, like, sent her over the edge in terms of that she would have been so mad at herself and beat herself up.”
Not only did Betts pick up quick fouls, but her performance, though adequate, was a far cry from her 30-point double doubles on a combined 87.9 FG% in her last two games.
Betts, Bruins Demonstrate Calm Amidst Adversity: “Really Cool To See”
All season, Close has emphasized playing in unpredictable scenarios with poise. She loved the way Betts and her teammates responded on Sunday. “I think every game is going to create sort of chaos, going to create adversity, and which team can respond and have awareness of what that’s like and find other ways to make, to affect winning, that’s just really cool to see Lauren do that.”
Now 34-2, UCLA doesn’t have much experience losing this season. Their only two losses came to USC, whose Final Four chances took a devastating hit with Juju Watkins’ season-ending injury. Unless the Trojans upset UConn as double-digit underdogs in the Elite 8, the Bruins will battle the Huskies for the right to play in the national championship.
Despite the lack of obvious “wake up calls” for UCLA this year, muscling through mayhem against LSU supplied an excellent test. “There were lots of things that we could have gotten down about this game,” Betts said. “I think we were just all mentally prepared, and we’ve toughened up since midseason … as teammates.”
To take down the big bad wolves of the tournament, the Bruins will have to bring that same toughness-and avoid playing whole quarters without Betts–to Friday’s Final Four stage in Tampa.
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