UCLA's Lauren Betts Motivated by 2025 Final Four Loss

Betts watched the blowout defeat 10 times, now aims to lead Bruins to national title

Apr. 3, 2026 at 1:49am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a women's basketball game, with overlapping planes of UCLA blue and gold, and Texas orange, capturing the dynamic action and energy of the matchup.Lauren Betts and UCLA seek redemption against Texas in the Final Four, driven by the lessons learned from their painful 2025 tournament loss.Phoenix Today

UCLA senior Lauren Betts has used her team's 34-point loss to UConn in the 2025 Final Four as motivation heading into this year's national semifinal against Texas. Betts, a 6-foot-7 center, watched the blowout defeat at least 10 times, determined to learn from the experience and lead the Bruins back to the Final Four with a more aggressive mindset.

Why it matters

Betts' determination to improve after the 2025 loss reflects the Bruins' drive to take the next step and win a national championship. UCLA is making its second straight Final Four appearance, but fell short last year. Betts and her teammates are focused on finishing the job this time around.

The details

Betts said the biggest lesson she learned from the 2025 Final Four loss was the need to come out with more aggression. The Bruins trailed UConn by 20 points at halftime and never recovered. Betts has prioritized being more assertive in the paint, saying she wants to create easier scoring opportunities for herself. The Bruins have had some slow starts this season, including in the Elite 8 win over Duke, but Betts believes they will be ready to go from the opening tip against Texas.

  • UCLA lost to UConn by 34 points in the 2025 Final Four.
  • The Bruins are making their second straight Final Four appearance in 2026.
  • UCLA faced Texas earlier this season, suffering its only loss of the year.

The players

Lauren Betts

A 6-foot-7 senior center for UCLA who is determined to lead the Bruins to a national championship after their blowout loss in the 2025 Final Four.

Cori Close

The head coach of the UCLA women's basketball team, who has helped the Bruins sharpen their mental toughness throughout the season.

Texas

The No. 1 seed that handed UCLA its only loss of the season in November, with a stifling defense that limited Betts' production.

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What they’re saying

“I knew I just wanted to get back here again. This is not the end goal. We want to keep playing two more games.”

— Lauren Betts, UCLA Senior Center

“The amount of confidence that we have in each other to go out and compete from the very beginning, that's the biggest difference. We're going to be ready tomorrow. So I'm really excited for that.”

— Lauren Betts, UCLA Senior Center

What’s next

UCLA will face No. 1 seed Texas in the Final Four on Friday, with the winner advancing to the national championship game.

The takeaway

Lauren Betts' determination to learn from UCLA's painful 2025 Final Four loss has fueled the Bruins' return to the national semifinals. Betts and her teammates are focused on finishing the job this time around, driven by the confidence and aggression they've developed throughout the season.