LOS ANGELES — UCLA girls’s basketball trainer Cori Shut sought after to present Lauren Betts her second.
Sunday evening was once the ultimate time the Bruins would play at Pauley Pavilion this season, so with No. 1 UCLA up 17 issues on Richmond and its price tag to the Candy 16 punched after every other layup from Betts, Shut known as for one ultimate substitution.
Along with her ultimate box function, Betts reached 30 issues and — together with her 14 rebounds — changed into the primary UCLA participant to attain 30 issues and clutch no less than 10 forums in an NCAA event sport. It additionally marked her first 30-10 sport because the Bruins rolled to an 84-67 win.
As she exited with 26 seconds left, the group gave Betts a status ovation. She additionally added 4 assists, 1 scouse borrow and a pair of blocks, whilst capturing 14 of 17 from the sphere.
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“She’s an absolute generational participant … an elite participant,” Shut stated. “She’s extremely aggressive. She impacts the sport in such a lot of techniques on each offense and protection. I imply the listing is going on and on.”
On an evening the Spiders driven the Bruins — heading into halftime tied at 36 — Betts was once the difference-maker. When she gained the ball within the put up, she was once swarmed through Richmond defenders however nonetheless scored at will.
At 6-foot-8, she creates a mismatch that has been the fulcrum of the Bruins’ good fortune this season.
“The scouting file begins with Lauren each and every time. And so it is in point of fact nearly an unattainable job [to guard her],” Shut stated. “And our different avid gamers are the beneficiary of the eye that she attracts each and every unmarried evening.”
That was once glaring in opposition to Richmond, which stayed shut in spite of Betts’ robust get started, scoring 14 issues within the first part. Shut stated she known as on Betts at halftime to take over the sport together with her protection.
“I simply instructed her, ‘You might be no longer the nationwide defensive participant of the 12 months candidate for simply within the put up,'” Shut stated. “‘You might be in point of fact excellent at the perimeter.'”
The Spiders scored simplest seven issues within the 3rd quarter and not were given again into the sport. Betts added 16 issues in the second one part and completed with 9 offensive rebounds, but it surely was once the eye she drew that opened capturing lanes for her teammates. UCLA sank 8 3s in the second one part.
“Lauren simply makes the sport simple for everybody in this workforce,” level guard Kiki Rice stated. “And I believe her skill to shoulder such a lot weight and simply do this on a constant foundation and display up for us each and every unmarried day is one thing we in point of fact respect.”
As though the reward from the Pauley Pavilion crowd was once no longer sufficient, all over Betts’ efficiency Sunday evening, former Los Angeles Laker and present broadcaster Mychal Thompson posted on X: “UCLA Heart score…1)Kareem…2)Walton…3)Lauren Betts…”
UCLA Heart score…1)Kareem…2)Walton…3)Lauren Betts…
— Mychal Thompson (@champagnennuts) March 24, 2025
When knowledgeable of the tweet, a near-speechless Betts expressed gratitude.
“That is loopy,” she stated. “Thanks.”
The Bruins head to Spokane, Washington, looking for redemption after their go out from the NCAA event a 12 months in the past in opposition to LSU within the Candy 16.
ESPN Analysis contributed to this file.
