SPOKANE, Wash. — Despite missing the entire second quarter on the bench, Lauren Betts led UCLA with a remarkable performance, scoring 17 points and securing seven rebounds, as the Bruins secured their first-ever berth in the Final Four of the women’s NCAA Tournament with a 72-65 win over LSU on Sunday.
Standing tall at 6-foot-7, Betts was also a defensive powerhouse with six blocks for the Bruins, who hold an impressive 34-2 record this season. They now set their sights on the upcoming Final Four clash scheduled for Friday night in Tampa, Florida, where they will face the winner of the showdown between Southern California and UConn.
Supporting the Bruins’ frontline was Gabriela Jaquez, who contributed 18 points and eight rebounds, while Timea Gardiner added 15 points to fill in during Betts’ absence from the game due to early foul trouble. “Credit to my teammates for holding it down while I was out,” said an appreciative Betts during the trophy ceremony.
UCLA last tasted national glory in 1978 in the pre-NCAA era of women’s basketball, but this latest victory marks their first taste of success in an NCAA regional final after two previous unsuccessful attempts.
Despite suffering a blow to the face during a collision with teammate Sa’Myah Smith, LSU’s senior forward Aneesah Morrow, who checked back into the game without any protective gear, managed to finish with 15 points. Flau’Jae Johnson was the standout for third-seeded LSU, adding 28 points to the scoreline. LSU, which captured the national title just two years ago under coach Kim Mulkey, has found itself halted at the Elite Eight for the second consecutive year.
The game was tightly contested, with LSU narrowing the deficit to 46-41 as the fourth quarter began. However, Betts’ dominant layup extended UCLA’s lead to 56-45 with under seven minutes left on the clock. Despite Johnson’s layup bringing LSU within four points at 56-52 with just over three minutes remaining, the Bruins pulled away. Jaquez’s pivotal 3-pointer with 90 seconds left all but guaranteed UCLA’s victory, avenging their elimination by LSU in last year’s Sweet 16.
“We talk about if Lauren kicks it out, you’ve got to be a ready shooter,” remarked Jaquez, whose brother Jaime Jaquez Jr., a former UCLA basketball star, now plays for the Miami Heat. “I’ve just got to stay ready at all times. And I knew that was the right shot I needed to take and I have confidence in myself when shooting. I put in the work.”
Betts, whose stature and skill in the post create significant mismatches for opponents, had been a standout performer throughout the tournament with multiple games posting at least 30 points and 10 rebounds.
LSU coach Kim Mulkey acknowledged the challenge Betts’ presence posed, saying, “Betts did not beat us. We guarded her as tough as we could,” but lamented missed opportunities while Betts was benched.
Initially, UCLA took charge, although LSU held a narrow 13-9 lead after the first quarter. The Bruins launched a 6-0 run to claim a 23-17 lead, spearheaded by Gardiner’s 3-pointer. UCLA sustained this momentum leading 31-25 at halftime, with Gardiner contributing nine first-half points.
“I have full confidence in them,” Betts said, speaking of her teammates’ resilience. “Obviously I’m more mad at myself that I had two fouls. But this is what we’re talking about when we say we have a deep team. I don’t have to be in the game at all times. I have a team full of players that are just amazing and talented in their own right, and put in the work.”
Betts initiated the second half with a layup, increasing the Bruins’ advantage, while Londynn Jones’ 3-pointer pushed UCLA’s lead even further. Despite an LSU 8-1 run tightening the score to 44-37, the Bruins held firm under coach Cori Close’s direction, who urged her team to “Execute!”
Morrow’s injury late in the third quarter saw her escorted off with a towel to her face but bravely returned to start the fourth. Though ESPN initially reported that Morrow had suffered a broken nose, she later clarified it was not the case.
Even as Mulkey noted LSU’s 43-38 rebounding edge and the discrepancy in free throw opportunities favoring UCLA, she conceded that missed open shots ultimately hampered their efforts.
Close proudly noted UCLA’s previous national semifinal appearances in 1978 and ’79, prior to NCAA oversight, with alumni from the title-winning team, like Denise Curry and Debbie Haliday, joining in celebration. “We had some of the alumni here from that team,” Close expressed. “We had so many other alums, so I just wanted to give them their flowers.”