Why the Betts Sisters Will Lead UCLA to a Championship

After an impressive outing for both of the Betts sisters against Long Beach State, championship aspirations are not far-fetched at all.

While Long Beach State is not the best test to see how dynamic these two can be, it still gives us a taste of what could be later in the season. Both sisters are over 6-foot-4, with Lauren being 6-foot-7 and Sienna being 6-foot-4. This height advantage gives UCLA a unique edge down the stretch.

Offensive Domination Incoming

UCLA already has some of the league's premier shooters in Gabriela Jaquez and Gianna Kneepkens, with Kiki Rice not too far behind. While this shooting is nice, the addition of Sienna Betts to the lineup means the Bruins can be one of the most dangerous teams in the paint in addition to their range shooting.

We already know how dominant Lauren Betts is as a paint scorer; she alone commands constant defensive attention. With the addition of Sienna Betts, another legitimate interior threat, defenses will be stretched dangerously thin trying to contain both at once.

This was highlighted against Long Beach, where Sienna would score 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting, with five rebounds, while only playing 15 minutes. On the other hand, Lauren would record 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting, while grabbing just two rebounds herself.

The sisters complement each other very well. Both are capable of grabbing each other's misses deep in the paint, something that will effectively increase UCLA's second-chance points. Their chemistry, while already great, will just get better as the season progresses. This alone makes them unstoppable.

Teams will be forced to sell out on either of them down low when they are both on the court; this will open up shots for any of the three other elite scorers on the roster. There is simply no answer that teams have for the dynamics UCLA can create with Sienna.

Defensive Presence

Defense wins championships, this is proven as four of the last five national champions have been ranked No. 1 in defense. UCLA is far from being No. 1, as it currently ranks No. 48 in the nation.

While the duo has faced below–league-average competition, the impact is still clear: when Lauren Betts and Sienna Betts have shared the floor, the UCLA Bruins have allowed just 36 points per game on average.

Their first real defensive test this season will come in their next game against No. 21 Ohio State. If the Bruins can hold them under 55 points, there is a real chance UCLA will be ranked in the top 10 by the end of the season, in addition to their 14th-ranked offense that should also see improvements.

Both sisters have shown real strides on defense together. Mentioning their height previously gives them a very unique defensive advantage. With both of them on the court, it will force teams to rely more on shooting outside, where they will have to deal with Gianna Kneepkens, who is averaging four steals in the last two.

There’s no doubt that Sienna Betts makes UCLA a better team. Her skill set closely mirrors that of Lauren Betts, though Sienna arguably possesses the higher long-term ceiling. With that level of talent now in place, anything short of a championship this season would have to be viewed as a disappointment.

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