UCLA's Close Breaks Down Major Position Matchup with LSU

The No. 1 seed UCLA Bruins (33-2) are one win away from their first ever Final Four appearance as members of the NCAA. They will have quite the challenge, facing the No. 3 seed LSU Tigers (31-5) on Sunday afternoon. There is one key position matchup that will decide the winner and loser.

Bruins head coach Cori Close spoke to the media on Saturday and was asked about the battle in the paint that will be had between UCLA junior center Lauren Betts and LSU senior forward Aneesah Morrow. Two of the best at their position will go at it in the Elite Eight.

Close broke down the game plan that the Bruins will follow against Morrow and praised her tenacious effort and offensive rebounding ability. Despite being just 6-1, Morrow is averaging a double-double, leading the Tigers in averages points (18.8) and rebounds (13.7).

"Both of them are dominant in their own way right? And it's not like [Aneesah] Morrow sneaks up on anybody that she's a good rebounder and still, in spite of that, she just finds a way," Close said.

"I'm not sure I've seen anybody with that kind of relentless offensive rebounding effort actually since Michaela Onyenwere, who played for us and who's now in the WNBA. It's just so impressive, but the way in which she exerts her her dominance is on the offensive glass and then really being crafty around the rim or attacking from the high post off the dribble.

"So, that's going to be our challenge, right? To try to mitigate that and to get them out of rhythm. They want to get her clean scoring catches or they want to take predictable shots that she can go rebound. I think we're going to try a lot of different schemes and different matchups to try to make her feel uncomfortable."

Close then went in depth on what has made Betts one of the top players in the country this season and how she has come in the last two games. Betts recently became the third player in the past 25 years to score multiple 30-point, 10-rebound games in the NCAA Tournament.

Betts had 31 points and 10 rebounds against the Ole Miss Rebels in the Sweet 16, a week after she poured in 30 points and 14 rebounds in UCLA's second round win over Richmond. She is at her best when she is fed the basketball in close to the basket, as Close mentions in her analysis.

"Lauren [Betts] is not going to be doing it by attacking off the bounce as much and some of those things, but it does inform us a lot by watching the film and one of the things that for informs us is that Lauren Betts is a lot better basketball player," Close said.

"She was good in that game [last year vs. LSU], but she's as you said, dominant now. We got to get her deeper scoring touches. They're going to try to push her out, so they're going to try to make her put the ball on the floor in order to get closer to the basket and that allows them to bring a double team.

"We call it no move needed, we need deeper seals so that when she gets her touch, there's no move that's needed. She can just turn and and go score. It's going to be important that your big dogs have to show up in big moments and that'll be important for both teams."

The Bruins and LSU tip-off at 3 pm ET, 12 pm PT on Sunday, March 30. Coverage of the contest will be presented by ABC on ESPN.

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