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<\/p>\nLOS ANGELES – Lauren Betts has stepped her game up to an entirely new level for No. 2 UCLA. The Naismith Women’s Defensive Player of the Year had a massive junior season, thought the price of that success meant that Betts\u2019 has been made a target even more than she was before.<\/p>\n
She\u2019s faced relentless double and triple teams in every game as she fights for her life under the rim while teams try desperately to contain her. But through that adversity, Betts has found a new way to weaponize herself on the court, a midrange shot. Betts developed the skill over the offseason, but the confidence to actually use it during games came from some advice she received from a childhood idol while Betts was at USA Basketball training camp.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI actually had the chance to talk to Aliyah Boston\u2026 Which is crazy to me because she’s like my idol,\u201d Betts said. \u201cSo she was telling me, \u2018Lauren, I don’t care what happens in the game. If you miss 10 layups, if you’re open to run that midrange shoot the ball. Trust yourself.”<\/p>\n
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UCLA Center, Lauren Betts (51) defends an attempt at the basket during a NCAA Womens’ Basketball game against the Ohio State, February 5, 2025 in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
Jessica Cryderman – The Sporting Tribune<\/p>\n
UCLA Center, Lauren Betts (51) defends an attempt at the basket during a NCAA Womens’ Basketball game against the Ohio State, February 5, 2025 in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
Boston’s Admiration for Betts and Vice Versa<\/p>\n
Boston reflected on that moment with Betts on an episode of her\u00a0Post Moves<\/a> podcast with Candace Parker, where she sung the UCLA center’s praises and explained just exactly why defending her has to be an all hands on deck effort from opposing teams.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cI love Lauren [Betts]. Just watching her play and just knowing how great she can be, I was excited that she was at USA,” Boston said. “She\u2019s dominating. You look at her\u2026 the rim-runs, the deep seals, she makes it hard. You have to double. You have to double and if you don\u2019t she\u2019s going to have a field day.\u201d<\/p>\n Boston is, of course, a good player to emulate. The 2023 WNBA Rookie of the year and two-time All-Star plays a similar role on the court as Betts and her dominance and versatility in the paint provides a preview for the kind of success that Betts can have in the WNBA.<\/p>\n UCLA C Lauren Betts (51) scores over two defenders during an NCAA basketball game against the Michigan Wolverans, Wednesday January 1st, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.<\/p>\n Robert Talamantes- The Sporting Tribune<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n UCLA C Lauren Betts (51) scores over two defenders during an NCAA basketball game against the Michigan Wolverans, Wednesday January 1st, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.<\/p>\n Betts was the lone college player invited to USA Basketball’s training camp and she made the most of that experience by soaking up all of the wisdom she could from her childhood idol.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I asked Lauren when she came back, tell me the highlight of your experience. I thought she was going to say \u2018They told me that I did okay and I did well and I was the only college player that was invited,” UCLA head coach Cori Close said (via Grant Young of SI<\/a>). “But, she didn\u2019t say that. She said it was a lunch conversation with Aliyah Boston and she talked about how impactful she had been for her and how much she looked up to her growing up.”<\/p>\n How Betts Has Leveled Up<\/p>\n In addition to her midrange shot, Betts has emerged as much more of a playmaker than she’s been in past seasons. While her scoring and rebounding numbers are down, a natural consequence of the defensive pressure she faces, she’s averaging a career-high three assists per game.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n The talent that Betts is surrounded with helps with that playmaking. While UCLA’s admittedly effective strategy last season was to feed Betts the ball under the hoop at any cost, this season she has an abundance of weapons around the perimeter to work with.<\/p>\n Lauren Betts #51 of the UCLA Bruins celebrates a made three point shot during an NCAA basketball game against the Maryland Terrapins, Sunday January 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.<\/p>\n Jordan Teller – The Sporting Tribune<\/p>\n Lauren Betts #51 of the UCLA Bruins celebrates a made three point shot during an NCAA basketball game against the Maryland Terrapins, Sunday January 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.<\/p>\n![\"UCLA](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/3226fb979369921f80b65bc489e7c15f.jpeg\"\/)
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