The arena was alive for a Big Ten showdown between No. 4 UCLA and Ohio State, with almost every seat filled. But when the 82-75 thriller ended, the press room told a different story, nearly empty, with just one reporter calling in. Coach Cori Close voiced her frustration, and now, projected No. 1 WNBA pick Lauren Betts is amplifying a concern that threatens women’s basketball’s momentum.

“You have two really amazing teams, and I don’t think that’s something that should hopefully ever happen again [lack of coverage],” Betts said. “So, just continuing to grow the game in any way that we can, and to make sure that we speak out on situations like that. But, obviously, I have a lot of respect for Coach Cori and what she had to say about it.”

The feeling is important because UCLA has worked hard to get where it is. Last season’s Final Four team brought in more than 88,000 fans to Pauley Pavilion and was ranked No. 1 in the country for most of the year. This season’s roster has a lot of players who are expected to be picked in the first round of the WNBA draft. However, a conference game between two ranked teams didn’t get much media attention, except for one remote reporter from the Orange County Register.

But coach Close wasn’t here to complain, but to suggest fixing the problem. “I always want to be solution-minded. I don’t want to be just a complainer,” Close said.

“I really want us to be a team that makes ourselves available, that gives good stories to tell… I think there needs to be access for non-traditional media outlets, as long as you’re going for the right reasons, and you’re really a part of wanting to tell the stories of these women.”

The coach’s suggestion to go beyond traditional media shows that women’s basketball has outgrown the way it used to be covered. Stars like Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers have made the sport more popular, but the infrastructure hasn’t kept up with the growth. Close’s willingness to use digital platforms and non-traditional outlets shows that they understand that growth requires meeting audiences where they are now, not waiting for old media to catch up.

Lauren Betts backs up her words with a historic performance

Betts didn’t waste any time making her point on the court. She scored 25 points against Penn State on Wednesday, bringing her career total to 1,500 points, a milestone that very few players ever reach. The predicted No. 1 pick showed exactly why she and her coach deserve the spotlight, leading UCLA to a crushing 97-61 win.

The whole game was a statement performance. Betts made an early layup, and then her teammates took over. Gianna Kneepkens made three three-pointers in the first quarter and scored 17 points. Kiki Rice scored 16 points, and Sienna Betts scored 10. In the first quarter, UCLA made 58 percent of its shots and took a 13-2 lead in less than three minutes.

Penn State never figured it out. The offense kept going while the defense shut down, giving UCLA a 46-23 lead at the half. The gap grew to 37 points by the fourth quarter. Gracie Merkle scored 15 points for Penn State, and Kiyomi McMiller scored 13, but that wasn’t enough to beat the Bruins’ firepower.

The win brought UCLA’s record to 13-1 and 3-0 in Big Ten play, their seventh straight win. Penn State is now 7-7 and 0-3 in the conference, and they have only won 1 of their last 15 games against ranked teams. Betts gave the perfect answer to the debate about media coverage: it was a historic night that needed to be seen.

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