Betts Leads No. 1 UCLA to Record-Breaking Win

The No. 1-ranked UCLA women’s basketball team continues to etch its name in history. On Wednesday night, the Bruins secured their 22nd consecutive victory of the season, taking down No. 8 Ohio State, 65-52, inside Pauley Pavilion.

At the heart of the victory was junior center Lauren Betts, who delivered another dominant performance. She recorded her 12th double-double of the season, finishing with 19 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks while shooting 8-of-13 from the field.

As the Bruins pulled away in the fourth quarter, Betts' presence in the paint helped solidify the win. Following the game, Betts credited UCLA’s preparation in practice for the team’s ability to withstand pressure and execute down the stretch.

“I think it starts with practice, and I think that these past few days, the coaches have done a really good job of just putting us in situations where we're gonna feel that pressure,” Betts said. “Going against the guys is really tough every day, so I think that once it happened in this game, we were kind of ready for it.”

Betts emphasized how crucial accountability and poise were to the Bruins’ success, particularly in the decisive fourth quarter when UCLA outscored Ohio State, 21-10.

“I think that we just kind of went off of what we do every day where we hold each other accountable, and sometimes it's hard, but we just take it and move on,” Betts said. “I think that poise is just what we work on every single day. I'm just really proud of everyone and how we handled it, and I thought our communication was really good through all of that.”

Ohio State’s offense found its rhythm in the third quarter, cutting UCLA’s lead to just 2 points heading into the final period. However, the Bruins made key defensive adjustments to slow down the Buckeyes. Betts pointed to the team’s execution of the scouting report as a critical factor in turning the game around.

“It's just following the scouting report,” Betts said. “The coaches did a really good job of putting a really good scout against them, and I think that once we locked in and we just did what the coaches told us to do a little bit more consistently, that worked for us.”

UCLA focused on forcing Ohio State’s players into difficult shots by taking away its dominant driving lanes. Betts also highlighted the importance of deflections and defensive intensity in the fourth quarter.

“We talked about the majority of them being right-hand drivers, taking that away and creating those hard shots,” she said. “In that fourth quarter, we had a lot of deflections, and I think we kind of took control of their offense. That mindset is what switched for us and created a win.”

Betts' efficiency and positioning in the paint were key to UCLA’s offensive success. The 6-foot-7 center has been a dominant force all season, and she stressed the importance of creating quality scoring opportunities for the team.

“When I know that for us to get really good shots, we have to try to get paint touches, I think that kind of keeps me going,” Betts said. “Obviously, I want to do what's best for the team, and I want to win at the end of the day, so I have to do my job consistently.”

Betts acknowledged some in-game adjustments, particularly with her positioning in the post.

“We kind of talked about just trying not to move from the side of the paint too much," she said. "I think that I was just following the ball a little bit too much and making it way harder for myself. So, I think just trying to stay on one side and trying to get the ball to swing a little bit more through the guards helped a lot.”

Betts also pointed out the effectiveness of UCLA’s high-post touches and inside-out movement to create scoring chances.

“We talked about getting high-post touches and going top and in, so just trying to make the game a little easier,” she said. “But I think my teammates did a really good job.”

With Betts anchoring the team’s inside presence and UCLA continuing to demonstrate resilience in high-pressure moments, the Bruins appear well-equipped for the challenges ahead in Big Ten play.

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