Is LSU, for all its glory, beginning to crumble? Kim Mulkey’s ship has been pulled apart completely after the loss to UCLA. The program is on the verge of losing two talented players, Sa’Myah Smith and Last-Tear Poa, to the transfer portal. However, what’s really telling is the amount of hatred that the Tigers community is directing towards Lauren Betts and her mother Michelle.
There are narratives going around that Lauren Betts is a dirty player, but her mother doesn’t stand for such nonsense, it seems. She went on a social media rant around the time LSU played UCLA. “Is this the Oscars or the NCAA Tournament?” The Betts matriarch asked, pointing out all of the flopping happening in the game. Needless to say, the feedback wasn’t great, but Michelle Betts got the last laugh! UCLA bested LSU in a close-knit matchup, but it didn’t last all that long.
In the Elite Eight, UConn gave the Bruins a solid thrashing, sending Lauren Betts and her team home in an Elite Eight embarrassment. However, it seemed like Tiger fans were a lot happier than the Huskies! The LSU community flooded the internet, getting their get-back against UCLA fans alike, and that included Michelle.
LSU fans being nasty in Lauren Betts Momma’s mentions? Typical.
They didn’t even make it to the Final Four so I’m genuinely confused on why they’re still yapping?
Got bigger fish to fry—players leaving, said player allegedly requesting 7 figures. Like lock in
— LoLivia Pope (@LoLoByke) April 5, 2025
Their hatred is not at all justified, especially considering that Michelle Betts wasn’t the one playing on the court. Not only that, the LSU community should be focusing on their own problems! A tweet by reporter Lauren ‘LoLo’ Sanders sums it up quite aptly. “LSU fans being nasty in Lauren Betts Momma’s mentions? Typical. They didn’t even make it to the Final Four so I’m genuinely confused on why they’re still yapping? Got bigger fish to fry—players leaving, said player allegedly requesting 7 figures. Like lock in.” She said on X, and she’s not wrong.
LSU’s fate for the coming year is hanging in the balance right now. It always hurts team morale when players or coaches decide to leave after a major loss, and it hurts even more when a team doesn’t live up to its expectations. They have plenty on their own plate, so it doesn’t make sense to go after the team that they lost to, or the mother of their star player. But what exactly does Michelle Bets think about her daughter’s style of play, and the criticism she gets? Let’s find out!
“She is beat up every game,”: Lauren Betts’ mother comes to the rescue, defends UCLA star’s physicality
Playing center is arguably the toughest role in basketball. It’s not just about the size and the skill required, which is a lot, but the amount of physicality that you have to put up with. Take Lauren Betts for example. The UCLA center is a lot taller than the average forward or center in the NCAA, which is a huge advantage. But every time she enters the paint, she gets beaten up.
It’s always hard to defend cries of excessive physicality as a center. A real damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t situation. But as a mother, Michelle Betts doesn’t think about any of this. She calls it like she sees it, regardless of what people think.
UCLA’s Lauren Betts (51) is tied up by Indiana’s Lillly Meister (52) and Henna Sandvik (21) during the Indiana versus UCLA women’s game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025.
Someone on X asked Michelle what she thought of her daughter injuring players, and Michelle didn’t hold back at all! “Stop right there. Lauren plays clean basketball and gets HAMMERED every single game without most of the fouls being called. I thought flops were supposed to be against the rules. People who never watched the post are now complaining about a successful post. Watch! It’s tough.” She said, pointing out the difficulties of playing the center position.
Obviously, Lauren and Michelle Betts have gotten adept at keeping the haters at bay. After a tough loss to UConn in the Final Four, UCLA will be looking to come back even stronger next year. It will be interesting to see Lauren’s development as a player, and whether she lets the criticism affect her.
The post LSU Community Revel in Lauren Betts’ Pain as Her Mother Suffers Brutal Wrath After UCLA’s Exit appeared first on EssentiallySports.
