Despite having one of the strongest teams in the league, Cori Close isn’t focused on winning a national championship right now. With stars like Lauren Betts going to the WNBA Draft soon, Close is now onto bigger things than that.

“My largest commitment is not to win a national championship,” she said during the post-game press conference. “My largest commitment is to help and teach, mentor, and equip these young women for life beyond UCLA. And my true mission is to help them be the best versions of themselves.”

Close’s point of view shows that she has carefully changed her priorities. Lauren Betts, who is the current Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, is likely to be picked in the WNBA lottery. Kiki Rice has gotten better at making three-pointers, going from 21.7% as a freshman to 40% as a senior. Her free-throw shooting has also gotten better, going from 79.1% to 89.5%. After this season, the UCLA Bruins will have to start from scratch. Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice, two stars, won’t be back in the NCAAW because they are getting ready for the WNBA.

Eight seniors on the team won’t be able to play in college for another year, which puts a lot of pressure on them before the season ends. Other seniors, like Gianna Kneepkens and Gabriela Jaquez, are also expected to be picked in the first round. Charlisse Leger-Walker and Angela Dugalic are expected to be picked in the second round.

Close’s belief that championship potential is still there, even though the philosophy has changed. “I do agree that this is the most talented team I’ve ever coached in my 33 years. There’s incredible potential. I believe that we’re not even close to playing our best basketball yet. We’re just trying to fight for a little bit more growth every day, but it’s obvious that we have an incredible amount of potential to hopefully have the opportunity to compete for a national title,” Close said.

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Close’s method is working. Lauren Betts is only playing 26.8 minutes per game this season, down from over 30 minutes last season. In that time, she’s scoring 16.2 points and grabbing 8.2 rebounds. That’s top-level production in fewer minutes, which shows that players get better faster when they aren’t worn out from chasing championships. Betts isn’t tired. She is smart and ready for the WNBA. Kiki Rice went from making 21.7 percent of her three-point shots as a freshman to 40 percent as a senior. She also went from making 79.1 percent of her free throws to 89.5 percent. This is how player development works.

Cori Close’s philosophy shines as UCLA stars dominate Michigan

Cori Close’s way of thinking works in real life. UCLA just beat No. 13 Michigan State 86-63, their second straight win over a top-15 team. The whole game was a masterclass. The No. 2 Bruins made 56 percent of their shots, but Michigan State only made 23 percent. UCLA’s dominance wasn’t a fluke; it was because two players did exactly what Close wanted them to do.

Lauren Betts couldn’t be stopped. She scored 22 points, got seven rebounds, made five assists, and blocked two shots. Rice scored 18 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and gave five assists in return. Betts scored in 12 seconds to start a 23-9 first-quarter explosion. These weren’t one-dimensional performances; both players did everything on the court, which is exactly what Close has been working on.

At halftime, the game was over. UCLA was ahead 44–20 and made 54.5 percent of its shots. Rice hit three-pointers, Betts went inside, and four UCLA starters scored more than ten points. It was basketball poetry that was selfless, worked well, and was hard to stop on defense. Michigan State couldn’t keep up with how fast and accurate they were.

The second half? More of the same. Rice and Betts scored eight points in a row to start the third quarter, which completely broke the Spartans’ spirits. UCLA was in charge the whole time, with 48 rebounds, 56 points in the paint, and full control. When players are trained the right way, they don’t just win games; they look like they can’t be stopped.