In Reply to: IMO, none of that is a Betts issue, it’s a how Close posted by TheHappyBurgermeister on November 27, 2025 at 23:50:29
When I saw that Lauren was out along with Sienna, I was worried but Duke had no personnel to exploit that.
Difference was they took to heart what Close was saying about not coming out and fighting in that first half against Texas and they came out really jacked up and locked in - totally focused. They players we had out there include three that ESPN projects as first round picks in the next WNBA draft - Kneepkens, Jaquez and Rice - plus Leger-Walker who is a terrific (and underrated because she played three years at Washington State and missed all of last year recovinging from her ACL injury) and Dugalic both of whom had terrific games.
That's a lot of talent right there against a team that couldn't attack or really defend the post.
ESPN projects Lauren Betts as the first or second overall pick in the next WNBA draft (there's a foreign player who is said to be amazing also). She's a 6'8" (based on her own statement last season) phenom who is the defending national Defensive Player of the Year.
I too love it when they are moving the ball around. But the challenges of feeding her in the post are a matter of her learning to pin her defender better and the passing. Target and feed.
She's the most deadly weapon in college basketball and she's an unselfish player on top of that. Having her out there is a huge plus. Hope her injury isn't serious and we get her back very soon. (And Sienna Betts and Timea Gardiner also.)