PHOENIX – In 2023, Lauren Betts and Raven Johnson were both battling demons. Some from outside sources, others coming internally.
Johnson was facing the aftermath of the 2023 Final Four, where her shooting was called into question by the most recognizable player in the country. Iowa’s Caitlin Clark waved Johnson off when she caught the ball on the three-point line, a moment that went mega-viral. Johnson admitted that she was embarrassed by what happened, and disheartened that her team lost.
Meanwhile, Betts had put her name in the transfer portal, something that enraged longtime Stanford supporters who couldn’t believe she would leave a storied program and Stanford education.
Online hate and hindered confidence whirled into a tornado of self-loathing. But Betts and Johnson persevered. They worked on their games and made mental health a priority. Betts became the most dominant center in UCLA women’s basketball history. Johnson led her team to a national title in 2024, improving her three-point shooting accuracy to 35 percent.
And now, here they are, meeting in the national title game as adversaries on the court, but allies in speaking out.
“Regardless of what other people make you out to be, how you feel about yourself at certain points in your life, you’re still special and you matter,” Betts said. “There’s so many people out there that love you. I think that was the biggest reminder I needed at that age. For anyone who battles mental health issues, your story matters. I feel like, especially with athletes, it’s not something we have to shy away from, it’s something you can be up front about.”
Their experiences have also made them better leaders, something that has been on full display throughout the tournament. Like when Johnson high-fived coach Dawn Staley last night in the aftermath of Geno Auriemma’s outburst, a subtle but powerful show of support. Or when Betts addressed the media about Madison Booker’s off-shooting night, asking for her to be given grace.
When they play on Sunday for the title, it will be a meeting of two college greats, fighting for one more win with their respective squads. For Johnson, a victory would mark South Carolina’s fourth title and her third, while continuing to cement the Gamecocks as one of the country’s best programs. Betts and the Bruins are on a quest for their first championship in the NCAA era. She’s one of six seniors who have played a part in building up their program, trying to reach the standard Staley and company have created.
“I think what impresses me most about what Dawn’s done is obviously her sustained level of excellence on the court is just undeniable,” UCLA coach Cori Close said. She’s been a standard bearer.”
UCLA has the talent to be a part of that standard. That starts with Betts, a 6-foot-7 center who has dominated every second of this NCAA tournament, averaging 22.4 points, 9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3 blocks and 1 steal per game while shooting 70 percent from the field.
She’s surrounded by some of the country’s best guards: Kiki Rice, who slices to the rim with authority; Charlisse Leger-Walker, a savvy fifth-year veteran and floor general; Gabriela Jaquez, who does it all; and the sharpshooting Gianna Kneepens, who boasts 50/40/90 splits. Off the bench comes Angela Dugalic, a versatile 6-foot-4 guard who plays inside and out, and Sienna Betts, the freshman sister of Lauren, who will carry the program forward.
“At the end of the day, like, our senior season is on the line,” Lauren Betts said. “We want this so bad.”
ROAD TO THE TITLE GAME
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South Carolina also has the personnel to stop UCLA short of its goal. Johnson starts everything, with her ability to guard every position – she matched up with Sarah Strong on Friday – and connection with Staley that bleeds into how she plays. There’s Ta’Niya Latson, a transfer with killer scoring skills; Madina Okot, a 6-foot-6 center that can dominate the glass and the paint; Joyce Edwards, a talented big with guard skills; Tessa Johnson, who comes alive in the tournament; and Agot Makeer, a freshman phenom who gives the Gamecocks a lift off the bench.
The hope for March Madness is that the country’s two best teams meet in the title game. After dominating all season and knocking off UConn and Texas in the Final Four, it’s clear that South Carolina and UCLA fit the bill.
But who is the best of the best, the one team that gets to end its season with a victory? That remains to be determined.
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