Lauren Betts breaks a school record in No. 3 UCLA’s win over No. 25 Illinois
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- UCLA’s women’s basketball team defeats Illinois, with Lauren Betts scoring a game-high 22 points and breaking the school’s season record for blocks.
- Despite the win, UCLA coach Cori Close is not particularly pleased with the team’s recent performance, citing a lack of “fervor, passion, focus, and aggression.”
Lauren Betts spent pregame warmups with a smile as the UCLA women’s basketball team welcomed its star center back after she missed a game because of a right foot injury.
Gone was the walking boot, and Betts wasted no time making an impact for No. 3 UCLA against No. 25 Illinois on Thursday night. She scored the game’s first basket on a turnaround layup and immediately made her presence felt on defense with a block at the other end.
Betts finished with game-high 22 points, seven rebounds and six blocks in UCLA’s 70-55 win at Pauley Pavilion.
It was a historic night for Betts, who pushed her blocks total to 67, breaking Monique Billings’ school record for a season. It took Billings 34 games to achieve 66 blocks; Betts accomplished it in just 23.
Janiah Barker finishes with 18 points as UCLA manages to fight its way back into the lead after giving up a 13-point lead to beat Michigan State 75-69.
Betts’ greatness continues to draw admiration from opposing coaches.
“I don’t ever want to see her again,” Illinois coach Shauna Green said. “She is a generational player ... so very impressed. The best post player in the country, and one of the best, maybe ever.”
Betts played 34 minutes, moving fluidly in the post as she showcased her turnaround moves and up-and-under scoring. She showed no lingering effects from her injury. The Bruins made her a focal point early, feeding her frequently to exploit Illinois’ undersized defenders.
The Bruins weren’t without their flaws. After narrowly avoiding an upset against Michigan State on Sunday, they struggled to pull away in the second half against Illinois.
UCLA coach Cori Close has not been happy with the team’s play since its loss to USC on Feb. 13, and she didn’t mince words about the effort against Illinois. For Close, it seems the Bruins still are feeling a hangover from the USC game — their only loss.
“The bottom line is, if we haven’t found discomfort after getting punched in the gut down across town, then we’ve got bigger problems, right?” Close said. “We got punched in the gut, and we didn’t respond or have the kind of toughness and next-play speed that I have seen from this team.”
Close said the Bruins are lacking essential components like “fervor, passion, focus [and] aggression” — qualities she has seen from them before but believes they’ve been lacking in recent games.
Initially it looked like the Bruins would run away against an Illinois team that dressed only eight players because of injuries. UCLA held a 14-point advantage at halftime — the largest lead of the game — before Illinois cut it to 43-39 by the end of the third quarter. Illinois outrebounded the Bruins on the offensive glass 16-13 as it tried to pull off the upset.
“Coach [John] Wooden used to say, ‘Nothing great is ever achieved without enthusiasm.’ And I think there’s more enthusiasm in us,” Close said. “I trust their hearts, I trust their work ethic, so we’ve got to figure out what’s getting in the way of that, and that will be imperative before we go to Iowa and play in front of a sold-out crowd.”
The Bruins, however, pulled away in the fourth quarter, outscoring Illinois 27-16 to earn their eighth victory over a ranked opponent.
Betts shot nine for 18 from the field as UCLA (25-1 overall, 13-1 Big Ten) dominated inside, scoring 46 points in the paint. Kiki Rice played a crucial role, contributing 16 points, five rebounds and four assists.
“I needed to look to score a little bit more to kind of extend our lead,” Rice said. “I did that. ... I’m not too pressed to score all the time, so it’s just about finding the best option for our team, and that’s my job.”
The Bruins had a physical defensive performance, preventing Illinois (21-6, 11-5) from scoring at the rim with 10 blocks and disrupting passing lanes with 10 steals. Their defensive pressure forced 16 turnovers and kept the Illini out of rhythm.
Gabriela Jaquez led the team with three steals. Her relentless defensive effort caused confusion for Illinois.
Although it didn’t impact the outcome, the Bruins lost forward Janiah Barker early in the second quarter after she sustained a leg injury following a collision with Betts. Barker tested her leg at halftime before the team decided to hold her out. Close didn’t have an update on Barker’s injury other than describing it as “a lower-leg situation.”
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