Facing LSU, Lauren Betts hopes to send UCLA to first-ever Final Four
Lauren Betts leads Spokane Region 1 top seed UCLA into Sunday's Elite Eight showdown with No. 3 LSU, looking to send the Bruins to their first-ever Final Four.
Betts guided UCLA (33-2) to the brink of unprecedented postseason success with consecutive games of unrivaled excellence in recent NCAA history.
With 31 points on 15-of-16 shooting from the floor and 10 rebounds in the Bruins' 76-62 Sweet 16 win over Ole Miss on Friday, Betts became the first Division I player with 30 or more points on at least 80 percent field-goal shooting and 10-plus rebounds in back-to-back games in 20 years, per ESPN.
LSU (31-5) will defend Betts with a combination of its talented frontcourt, most notably Sa'Myah Smith, who played all 40 minutes of the Tigers 80-73 win over NC State on Friday.
However, LSU will try to find a balance guarding the dominant Betts without freeing up other Bruins.
"If you focus too much on Betts, she will pick you apart and find her open teammates," said LSU coach Kim Mulkey.
Indeed, UCLA's critical 12-2 run coming out of halftime on Friday jump-started when Kiki Rice and Londynn Jones hit 3-pointers.
Likewise, LSU's multidimensional offense presents challenges for UCLA. Aneesah Morrow and Flau'jae Johnson average 18.8 and 18.3 points per game, respectively, with Mikaylah Williams adding another 17.5.
Morrow also leads the nation in rebounding at 13.7 per game.
"Morrow, she's just a beast on the boards," Betts said. "We're just going to have to come out with a really physical mentality and just (make) sure that we don't rely on our height, that we actually find a body and box somebody out."
LSU bounced UCLA from the NCAA Tournament in last year's Sweet 16, 78-69. Johnson led the Tigers with a 24-point, 12-rebound double-double.
Betts went for 14 points and 17 rebounds but was held to 4-of-9 shooting from the floor and went only 6-for-11 at the free-throw line.
--Field Level Media
Field Level Media 2023 - All Rights Reserved
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College World Series 2025: How to watch the tournament this week
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Men's College World Series preview: Storylines and players to watch as games begin Friday in Omaha
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The road ahead after the NCAA settlement comes with risk, reward and warnings
FILE - The NCAA logo is seen on a baseball during an NCAA college baseball tournament regional game between Louisiana-Lafayette and Mississippi State in Lafayette, La., Monday, June 2, 2014. (AP Photo/Jonathan Bachman, file) ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Two days after the approval of a groundbreaking $2.8 billion antitrust settlement, thousands of athletic directors and department personnel traveled to Orlando, Florida, for the annual National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics convention. The hot topic, of course, was the influx of changes both threatening and beneficial for schools across the country. According to NCAA President Charlie Baker, approval of the settlement may be the biggest change in college sports history. On July 1, schools that opt in to the settlement will embark on a new era of revenue sharing, changing the game both on and off the field. Advertisement Rewards A handful of convention attendees breathed a sigh of relief on Friday night when U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken announced her decision. It's a quick turnaround and a period of trial and error is anticipated, but Division I athletic directors welcomed the news. 'The best thing is clarity,' UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said. 'The best thing about July 1 is we now have clarity on the rules of engagement, what we're allowed to do, how we can move forward. Does it solve everything? No, it doesn't. But when you have clarity, you can operate more efficiently and effectively.' Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart was relieved to get the agreement in hand. Advertisement 'We've been trying for so long to be part of this,' Barnhart said. 'Maybe, just maybe, on July 1, we'll sort of all know where we are on this one.' Barnhart added that the College Sports Commission, an entity that will enforce compliance and set market value for NIL deals, will be a major positive. 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