Lauren Betts almost perfect, Ucla rolls in the elite eight

Spokane, Washington – NOW it’s a Soft 16

With her 76-62 victory against Ole Miss Friday evening in Spokane Arena, the UCLA basketball women’s basketball team rinsed the sour taste to lose in the regional semi-final of the NCAA tournament each of the two previous seasons-two times in the defense of national champions.

After hitting, hitting, these Bruins crossed the elite eight with one of their blitzs patented in the third quarter.

In addition, UCLA A Lauren Betts. And no one else does it.

The rebels (22-11) said this week that they were thinking of finding a way to manage the UCLA star center. But the animated distribution of the Yolett McPhee -Mccuin coach – generally in a single coverage – could not even hope to contain it.

“Obviously, what we tried did not work,” said coach Yo. “And it didn’t work for 32 other teams either.”

The Guardian of Bruins Kiki Rice could have said to them: “I am so grateful to play with her and not against her.” Thus could have Richmond, which Ucla (33-2) and Betts rejected in the second round.

According to ESPN, Betts production on Friday made her first division I player to have 30 points, 10 rebounds and shoot 80% on the field in consecutive matches – all matches – in the last 20 seasons.

Even Betts had to admit: “It’s crazy.”

Betts is 6 feet, 7 inches of power and grace, and kilometers of heart and agitation, and Friday, she made 31 points out of 15 shots on 16. She missed only once, just before the buzzer at halftime. Finalist of the Naismith Prize, Betts has also reduced 10 rebounds and, for good measure, sprinkled in three blocked shots and two assists. The players she defended drew 2 for 13.

“The UCLA looks like a team that can win the national championship for me because I am not doing – who will stop it?” McPhee-Mccuin said.

The victory – a seeded n ° 1 exceeding a seed n ° 5 – was predictable. It was also something of relief. The next natural step required and a giant jump for a team in charge of juniors who cannot bring home the 125th national championship of the Tampa UCLA sports department – and the first women’s basketball program – without first exceeding the Sweet 16.

Then, on Sunday, second place Elite Eight in the mandate of the UCLA of the Cori Close coach and the first since 2018. It will be a revenge match with LSU, the seeded n ° 3 which has Ko the Bruins in the Sweet 16 a year ago and did the same Friday in North Carolina State, 80-73.

Also, the following Next step.

“I am really grateful, really proud of our team, proud of the way we continue to learn what the game teaches us and how to react – especially in the second period,” said Close, who noted that she wrote in her prayer journal on Friday morning: “How lucky I am? To train the young incredible women and be on the biggest stages – I am just a grateful excited person.”

Let’s move on “gives us a lot of confidence”, Rice said: “We all expected to be here, however.”

The UCLA did not have to face another Sweet 16 match against another defending champion because of its elite game all season; The Bruins were 30-2 before the tournament, losing only against Crosstown Rival USC, which is also a seeded from the NCAA tournament.

The Bruins went at halftime before 30-29, despite Ole Miss, pulling only 2 for 17 of the doors.

Then, the Bruins of the third quarter registered themselves, opened the match by winning the period 25-15 and performing their third quarter at 115-47 in their last five games.

Rice credited Close and his coaches for identifying the right adjustments, even if close jokes saying that she had to spoil in the first half.

“The most important thing we talked about at halftime is the rebound,” said Rice, adding that really, the “adjustments we made at half-time were that we felt better than better than Ole Miss”.

They also knew that they were better than the Sweet 16.

Originally published: March 28, 2025 at 10:31 pm Pdt