Meet Lauren Betts: 5 Things To Know About the UCLA Center

Meet the most intimidating force in women’s hoops: Lauren Betts.

The women’s college basketball season is ramping up with high-stakes games every night and the NCAA tournament just around the corner. In those key regular-season games, March Madness stars introduce themselves to the nation with magical moments and Cinderella runs. We’re teaching you about them before they become national heroes.

Ahead of No. 2 UCLA at No. 8 Michigan on Sunday (noon ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app), let us help you get to know Lauren Betts.

1. Player Build

Betts, a 6-foot-7 senior center, is a dominant force in the paint and creates matchup nightmares for defenses because of her dual-threat ability to score against one-on-one coverage and pass around double-teams. 

2. Family Ties

Betts’ younger sister, Sienna, is a freshman forward at UCLA who’s averaging 7.6 points and 4.2 rebounds in 16.5 minutes. The sisters share the court in a double-big lineup that maximizes Sienna’s ability as a perimeter passer. 

3. National Praise

Betts won the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award in 2024-25 and was named to the Associated Press All-American First Team as a junior. 

4. Paint Dominance

Betts led all women’s college basketball players in made 2-point shots (294) during the 2024-25 season. Not only does she have nifty footwork and elite touch around the rim, but she has added a mid-range jump shot to her arsenal. Along with her offensive prowess, Betts is an elite rim-protector, averaging two blocks per game this season. She led the Big Ten with 2.9 blocks in 2024-25, and had an impressive five-block game against LSU in the Elite Eight.

5. Social Media Personality

Betts has more than 21,600 followers on TikTok and often posts dance compilations with her teammates or players on the UCLA men’s basketball team. Betts and the Bruins are a tight-knit group, often doing post-game interviews as a team.