The only No. 2 seed left in the tournament is facing the overall No. 1 seed for a spot in the championship game. A towering 6-foot-7 center, a defensive titan who’s swatted away opponents all season, steps onto the grand stage of the Final Four—her team’s first-ever shot at immortality. The crowd roars, the stakes soar, and then… it all unravels. Lauren Betts’ UCLA takes on the final boss, Paige Bueckers’ UConn. Can the Bruins keep dancing toward their first-ever championship game? Three-quarters in, it’s not looking too promising!

The Huskies’ fast-paced basketball has been a nightmare for the Bruins. They’ve struggled to keep up and now find themselves down by 23 with just 10 minutes remaining. Lauren Betts, in particular, has had a tough time handling the speed. Can you blame her? A tall player like her against the lightning-fast Huskies? Not exactly the matchup any big woman would want. Geno Auriemma had a clear game plan–tire Betts out from the start!

That game plan worked to perfection. Geno Auriemma, UConn’s legendary coach, unleashed a masterclass in exploiting UCLA’s reliance on Betts. The Huskies’ 2-3 zone defense swarmed her in the post, forcing her to chase the ball outside her comfort zone. Meanwhile, their transition game—fueled by Paige Bueckers’ 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals—kept Betts sprinting back, sapping her energy.

Jana El Alfy, emerged as Betts’ kryptonite. With her parents watching courtside for the first time, El Alfy turned the matchup into a personal triumph, using her agility to snag 8 rebounds and 4 steals while limiting Betts to tough, contested shots early on.

UConn’s 18 points off UCLA’s 19 turnovers underscored how Auriemma’s plan disrupted the Bruins’ rhythm, leaving Betts isolated and overwhelmed.

It only added to the frustration for Bruins fans. After a dominant win over the LSU Tigers, they were hoping for more of the same tonight. Instead, most will be leaving Tampa with their heads hung in disappointment.

Fans weren’t happy with what they were watching and made their frustrations clear on social media. Many took to platforms to voice their displeasure. Let’s dive into some of those reactions as Lauren Betts faced heavy scrutiny.

Fans disappointed as Lauren Betts and co lose

Fans were largely frustrated with how Cori Close’s team performed throughout the game and they made their frustration known. “Lauren Betts needs to lock in and develop a mid range so so bad,” one fan commented. Another joined in retweeting a Jana El Alfy appreciation post by saying, “Lauren Betts u seeing her???”

UCLA’s collapse against UConn wasn’t just a loss. It was a evident unraveling of a team that had been a No. 2 seed for a reason. The Bruins entered the Final Four with the nation’s third-best field goal percentage defense (35.2%) and a top-10 offense, averaging 77.9 points per game. But UConn exposed their vulnerabilities: UCLA’s guards, typically reliable for 15.6 assists per game, managed only 8 against the Huskies’ relentless pressure, leaving Lauren Betts to fend for herself.

Betts scored 26 of UCLA’s 51 points in an 85-51 blowout, as UConn’s swarming defense and transition game dismantled the Bruins’ rhythm.

From the moment the game tipped off, it felt like UConn’s night. Azzi Fudd set the tone early—stealing the ball and knocking down the first bucket. And from there, it was all Huskies. Quarter after quarter, they dominated. In the end, it was a complete blowout. A 34-point win. A big reason? UConn center Jana El Alfy. She was simply unstoppable.

It was a special night for Jana El Alfy. Her parents were in the building for the first time, watching her courtside after flying in all the way from Egypt. And she made sure it was worth the trip. Going up against the best center in the country was no small task. But she embraced the challenge. With 8 rebounds and 4 steals, she shut things down and made sure Lauren Betts had difficulties finding her rhythm.

Cori Close knew she had to make adjustments–and she did. Throughout the game, you could see Lauren Betts moving into different spots, trying to find space and get going. The UCLA offense leaned on her, hoping she’d spark something. Fans noticed the shift too. One even called it out online, saying, “UCLA lazy as hell.. why yall switching everything?? Like bro Lauren Betts canning guard Paige and London Jones Can’t guard a big like omg”

A lot of blame has been thrown at Lauren Betts for UCLA’s tough loss tonight. But let’s be real—it wasn’t all on her. In fact, she was one of the few bright spots. One fan put it best: “My heart breaks for Lauren Betts. Her teammates failed her.” Another added, “Lauren Betts deserves a chance to slap everyone on her team for leaving her out to dry like tht no help tonight.”

It really was just one of those nights for the Bruins. Sure, Betts struggled early on against Jana El Alfy’s defense. But in the second half? She found her groove. She finished with 26 points, going 11-of-18 from the field. The problem? No one else stepped up. Not a single other Bruin scored in double figures.

This is the same team that torched LSU from deep, hitting 41% of their threes and raining down clutch shots when Betts was in foul trouble. But tonight? That magic was gone. UCLA shot just 25% from beyond the arc and 38% overall. And that, more than anything, is why their run ends here. Short of what would have been their first championship game.