Paige Bueckers makes her feelings clear on Lauren Betts as UConn superstar praises teammates for defense on UCLA's best player
UConn star Paige Bueckers had high praise for her teammates after the Huskies blew past UCLA, 85–51, in the Final Four on Friday to earn a spot in Sunday’s national championship game against South Carolina.
The Huskies didn’t just beat the top-seeded Bruins - they dismantled them. And much of that, according to Bueckers, came down to defense, particularly against Lauren Betts.
ESPN's Holly Rowe caught up with Bueckers after UConn’s dominant win over UCLA:
“They got the best post player in the country,” Bueckers said, referring to UCLA center Lauren Betts. “She draws so much attention. She’s physical and gets to her spot.”
According to the UConn star, teammates Jana El Alfy, Sarah Strong, and Aubrey Griffin did a tremendous job on Betts, who still finished with a game-high 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting.
Bueckers also credited the team’s preparation, giving a shoutout to UConn’s practice squad for helping simulate Betts’ game.
“They did a tremendous job on her. They worked extremely hard in practice. Our practice players been doing a great job of being Lauren Betts,” she added. “She can't be her, but you can do your best to try to be like her. But they just did a wonderful job in the paint.”
She also shed light on how the defense didn’t stop in the paint. UConn’s guards brought constant ball pressure, making it tough for UCLA to find passing lanes or settle into their offense.
“It was a full team effort,” Bueckers said.
Star guard Paige Bueckers struggled with her shot against UCLA
UConn is headed back to the national championship game for the first time since 2022, crushing top-seeded UCLA 85-51 in the Final Four. It marks the Huskies’ 13th appearance in the title game - and a chance to add to their 11-1 record in that stage.
After three straight 30-point games, including a 40-point performance against Oklahoma, star guard Paige Bueckers struggled with her shot. The star guard finished with 16 points on 7-of-17 shooting.
However, her teammates rose to the moment. Sarah Strong led the way with 22 points, and Azzi Fudd added 19.
UCLA’s Lauren Betts poured in 26 points but got no help. No other Bruin scored in double figures.
UConn now turns to a familiar foe: defending champion South Carolina. The two last met in the 2022 title game, where the Huskies suffered their only championship loss.
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