Lauren Betts watched UCLA's 2025 Final Four loss 10 times. Here’s what she learned

PHOENIX —Lauren BettshasUCLA women's basketball's2025 Final Four loss to UConn seared into her brain.

The 6-foot-7 center watched the Bruins' 34-point blowout loss to the eventual national champion Huskies at least 10 times, revealing her anger and confusion was the motivating factor behind her continually pressing rewind. Betts has since retired the footage and doesn't remember the last time she's watched it, but the loss has served as extra motivation as the Bruins returns to the Final Four in Phoenix in Friday.

"I knew I just wanted to get back here again. This is not the end goal. We want to keep playing two more games," Betts said on Thursday. "At the end of the day, our senior season is on the line. We want this so bad."

Betts said the biggest lesson she learned from the 2025 Final Four is "coming out with a certain level of aggression." The Bruins trailed UConn 20 points by halftime in the program's first Final Four appearance last year and the lead only swelled. It's a troubling trend that's followed UCLA into the 2026 NCAA Tournament. UCLA has had several shaky starts, including theBruins' Elite 8 win over No. 3 Duke,where they trailed 10 points before completing a second-half comeback.

"The amount of confidence that we have in each other to go out and compete from the very beginning, that's the biggest difference," Betts said. "We're going to be ready tomorrow. So I'm really excited for that."

No. 1 Texas handed UCLA its one and only loss of the season in November. The Longhorns' stifling defense held Betts to eight points and she only put up eight shot attempts in the loss, but Betts said she's going to prioritize "creating opportunities to get the ball as much as I can" in UCLA's rematch against Texas on Friday. That starts with Betts being more aggressive in the paint, she said.

"I think just creating easier catches. (Texas) is really an amazing defensive team. I think as the guards are getting pressured on the perimeter, just trying to become so open that they just can't like not give me the ball," Betts said. "It's not one person versus Texas, it's a full team. We as a team are trying to beat them."

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UCLA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL:Veterans led halftime talk before comeback in women's Elite Eight

MORE:UCLA women enjoy 'home-court advantage' during Final Four run

Betts credited UCLA head coach Cori Close and the teams' staff with helping them sharpen their mentality with "a lot of mental toughness work" throughout the season.

"You have to have the mental reps almost. It's just like getting yourself to a level where you're feeling at your best and you want to feel confident," Betts added. "We actually did one before practice today, and I'm sure we'll do one tomorrow before the game. We talk about keeping your circle small, having a will that whatever happens during the game you're going to get the job done, regardless of how you feel. There's going to be state change. You have to remember what we're trying to do at the end of the day."

Reach USA TODAY National Women's Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at@CydHenderson.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Lauren Betts watched UCLA's 2025 Final Four loss 10 times. Here's what she learned

byAlex Forten

in

April 02, 2026

Lauren Betts watched UCLA's 2025 Final Four loss 10 times. Here’s what she learned

PHOENIX —Lauren BettshasUCLA women's basketball's2025 Final Four loss to UConn seared into her brain. T...

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Duren leads Pistons past Timberwolves 113-108 in game without superstars

DETROIT (AP) — Jalen Duren had 22 points and 14 rebounds, Daniss Jenkins scored 26 points and theDetroit Pistonsbeat theMinnesota Timberwolves113-108 on Thursday night as both teams were without a superstar.

Timberwolves Pistons Basketball

Minnesota ruled out All-Star guardAnthony Edwards, listing his right knee injury and an illness, about 90 minutes before tipoff. The Pistons announced earlier in the day thatCade Cunninghamwould be out at least another week to recover from a collapsed left lung.

Edwards and Cunningham will be ineligible for NBApostseason awardsbecause they can't reach the65-game minimum.

The Pistons went on an 11-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to take control and improved to 7-2 without Cunningham since March 17.

Minnesota's Julius Randle finished with 27 points, Ayo Dosunmu and Naz Reid scored 19 points each and Mike Conley scored all 14 of his points in the first half.

Detroit's Ausar Thompson, the Eastern Conference defensive player of the month, had a career-high nine assists to go along with nine rebounds and seven points.

Duncan Robinson scored 15 points andKevin Huerter, acquired two months ago from Chicago in a trade forJaden Ivey, added 12 points for the Pistons.

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The Central Division-champion Pistons are trying to stay ahead of Boston to earn top seeding in the Eastern Conference playoffs later this month when they will shoot to advance for the first time since 2008.

Detroit has also missing Isaiah Stewart with a calf injury and has to hope Tobias Harris' bruised left knee that limited him to six minutes against Minnesota isn't a long-term injury.

Late in the third quarter with Detroit ahead by two points, tempers flared. Minnesota's Bones Hyland was assessed a technical for elbowing Detroit's Marcus Sasser, who drew a technical for responding with a shove.

Up next

Timberwolves: Visit Philadelphia on Friday.

Pistons: Visit Philadelphia on Saturday.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

byAlex Forten

in

April 02, 2026

Duren leads Pistons past Timberwolves 113-108 in game without superstars

DETROIT (AP) — Jalen Duren had 22 points and 14 rebounds, Daniss Jenkins scored 26 points and theDetroit Pistonsbeat theM...

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Mickelson pulls out of the Masters, which will be without Lefty and Woods for first time since 1994

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Three-time champion Phil Mickelson withdrew from the Masters on Thursday, citing a personal health matter with his family that kept him out of all but one of the five LIV Golf events this year.

"Unfortunately I will not play in the Masters Tournament next week and will be out for an extended period of time as my family continues to navigate a personal health matter," Mickelsonpostedon social media.

Tiger Woods said Tuesday he was taking an indefinite leaveto seek treatment after his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence in a Feb. 27 crash in Florida.

It will be the first time neither Woods nor Mickelson will be at the Masters since 1994, when Woods was a senior in high school and Mickelson had broken his leg while skiing earlier that year.

Mickelson called the Masters "definitely the most special week of the year," and his record reflects that. He won his first major at Augusta National in 2004, the last player to win the Masters by one shot with a birdie putt on the 72nd hole.

He also won in 2006 and in 2010, one of only eight players to win the Masters at least three times.

Mickelson has not shared details of the personal family matter. He sat out LIV's four events to start the year and returned in South Africa two weeks ago, tying for 48th in the 57-man field.

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"It's just fun to be back playing," he said in South Africa.

The only other time Mickelson missed the Masters was in 2022, when he tooka leave of absence after inflammatory remarks as the Saudi-funded LIV Golf was preparing to launch.

Mickelson accused the PGA Tour of "obnoxious greed" in a Golf Digest interview. In an interview with author Alan Shipnuck for his book on Mickelson, he dismissed Saudi Arabia's human rights record and the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi as a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reshape the PGA Tour.

The remarks cost him corporate sponsorships. Mickelson joined LIV later that year.

The Masters starts April 9 with a 91-man field, with one spot still available if the winner of this week's Texas Open is not already eligible.

AP golf:https://apnews.com/hub/golf

byAlex Forten

in

April 02, 2026

Mickelson pulls out of the Masters, which will be without Lefty and Woods for first time since 1994

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Three-time champion Phil Mickelson withdrew from the Masters on Thursday, citing a personal health ma...

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Iranian president in letter says Iran doesn't pose a threat to US

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denied that his nation is posing a threat to the U.S. in an open letter, and defended Iran's actions in the ongoing war, citing it as "legitimate self-defense."

In the translatedfour-page letter posted on Xaddressed to the "people of the United States" on April 1, Pezeshkian wrote that the Iranian people "harbor no enmity toward other nations, including the people of America, Europe, or neighboring countries."

"This is a deeply rooted principle in Iranian culture and collective consciousness – not a temporary political stance," Pezeshkian said. "For this reason, portraying Iran as a threat is neither consistent with historical reality nor with present-day observable facts."

Pezeshkian's letter came hours beforePresident Donald Trumpthreatened that the U.S. would bring Iran "back to the Stone Ages where they belong" while making another case publicly for thewar on Iranduring aprimetime address. While his speech did not reveal any major updates regarding the war, Trump reiterated his stance that the administration's goal is to ensure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. The president also did not give a timeframe for when the war would end, after saying on March 31 that it could conclude in "two weeks, maybe three."

President Trump speaks to the nation on Iran from the White House

In his letter, Pezeshkian also accused the U.S. of being a "proxy for Israel," and said the U.S. launched "two acts of aggression" during negotiations to end the war. He encouraged Americans to question the Trump administration's claims about Iran.

Additionally, Pezeshkian said the war is further damaging the "global standing" of the United States.

Trump's war:A head for the exits in Iran leaves complications behind

The notion of Iran as a threat is 'invented'

Pezeshkian noted that the perception of Iran as a danger was invented. The Iranian president said that notion is "the product of political and economic whims of the powerful — the need to manufacture an enemy in order to justify pressure, maintain military dominance, sustain the arms industry, and control strategic markets.

"In such an environment, if a threat does not exist, it is invented," Pezeshkian added.

The Iranian president also urged Americans to "look beyond the machinery of misinformation," and speak with visitors to Iran or observe the contributions of Iranian immigrants in Western academia and technology as a counter-narrative to official rhetoric.

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Pezeshkianwrote that the world "stands at a crossroads."

"Continuing along the path of confrontation is more costly and futile than ever before," Pezeshkian said. "The choice between confrontation and engagement is both real and consequential; its outcome will shape the future for generations to come."

What did Trump say in his speech?:Key takeaways from Iran address

Do Pezeshkian's words carry any weight?

Despite a well-constructed letter, foreign policy experts believe Pezeshkian's words could fall short as the war continues.

While Pezeshkian is speaking symbolically as president, the remaining leadership of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is now in command of all things Iran, especially the war, saidAlp Sevimlisoy, a geopolitical strategist and 2021 Millennium Fellow at the Atlantic Council.

"The power (Pezeshkian) holds is very minimal now because IRGC is running the show," Sevimlisoy told USA TODAY from Istanbul, Turkey. "A lot of their generals are acting independently of the central command of the Iranian state in the absence of a credible supreme leader.

"(Pezeshkian) is posturing as this is narrative building to reposition the Iranian people for the next stage of this conflict, which is likely the deployment of U.S. ground forces," Sevimlisoy added.

While Pezeshkian's letter mentioned negotiations and a desire to end the war, the Iranian president's comments could also be seen by some as propaganda, saidMark Cancian, a retired U.S. Marine colonel and a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic International Studies.

"In terms of getting traction with a majority of Americans, his words are only as important if they are reflected in the actual negotiations taking place," said Cancian, who spent more than 30 years in the Marine Corps and served on multiple tours in Iraq. "Time will tell."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Iranian president denies Iran is a threat to US in letter to America

byAlex Forten

in

April 02, 2026

Iranian president in letter says Iran doesn't pose a threat to US

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denied that his nation is posing a threat to the U.S. in an open letter, and defended...

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Gucci Mane was the target of a kidnapping plot by a fellow rapper, DOJ says

Rapper Gucci Mane was the victim of a kidnapping and robbery plot by a rapper signed to Mane's label earlier this year, the Department of Justice alleged in a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday.

Lontrell Williams Jr., known by the stage name Pooh Shiesty, allegedly asked to meet with Mane, whose legal name is Radric Davis, in Dallas on Jan. 10 to discuss his contract with Mane's label 1017, according to the criminal complaint filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

Williams was "upset with the terms of his contract" and wanted to be released, the complaint said. They met that afternoon at a music studio inside an office building.

Williams was wearing an ankle monitor because he was on home confinement for a prior firearms conspiracy conviction out of Florida, the complaint said. While inside the studio, Williams allegedly learned on a phone call that his case manager had not given him permission to be out and had to return home immediately.

Mane offered to reschedule, but Williams allegedly asked to speak to him in an attached recording room. According to the complaint, Mane agreed and was inside the room with Williams, Williams' father and another artist.

An argument occurred inside the studio, and Williams told the other artist to bring him his bag, the complaint said.

He "pulled what appeared to be a black AK-style pistol from the bag" and pointed it at Mane, demanding that Mane sign the papers to release him from his contract, officials alleged. Mane signed the paperwork while Williams' father and the other artist stood by, according to the complaint.

Prosecutors allege that after they left, six others from their group armed themselves and demanded "property" from other individuals in the room, who were referred to by initials.

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One individual, identified as "M.M.," had a Rolex watch, wallet, Apple Airpods and a Louis Vuitton bag with other watches stolen, the complaint said. He was "choked from behind to the point of nearly losing consciousness," according to the complaint.

The victims were barred from leaving as one of the men involved allegedly barricaded them, according to the DOJ. The victims believed "they were going to be executed," the complaint said.

Williams, his father and seven others left in vehicles that were later identified in surveillance videos from a neighboring building, according to the complaint. One of the vehicles was a 2020 Dodge Charger Hellcat registered to his father and two rental cars that were rented to Williams' father at the time.

Williams, his father and six others were arrested Wednesday in Dallas and Memphis, Tennessee, according to the U.S. Attorney's office for the Northern District of Texas. They are facing federal charges in relation to kidnapping and robbery at gunpoint.

They each face a potential sentence of life in prison if convicted.

Ryan Raybould, the U.S. Attorney for the district, described them as having "resorted to violence and intimidation to achieve their purported business objectives."

Neither representatives for Mane nor Williams immediately responded to a request for comment from NBC News on Thursday.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said that the electronic monitoring device worn by Williams at the time of the alleged kidnapping and robbery placed him at the incident's location at the time as well as surveillance footage. Social media posts from the suspects also showed the allegedly stolen items after the incident occurred, the prosecutor's office said.

byAlex Forten

in

April 02, 2026

Gucci Mane was the target of a kidnapping plot by a fellow rapper, DOJ says

Rapper Gucci Mane was the victim of a kidnapping and robbery plot by a rapper signed to Mane's label earlier this ...

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Caltrain could close one-third of stations if it can't find funding

Caltraincould be the next transit system in theSan Francisco Bay Area to experience significant service cutsif it cannot secure additional funding through a potential taxpayer referendum.

The Peninsula Corridor Joint PowersBoard of Directors released a plan on April 2 outlining what service could potentially be cut ifBay Area voters do not approve a 2026 ballot measure,which would create a 14-year regional transportation sales tax that is expected to generate millions annually to support and improvetheBay Area Rapid Transitagency and other local transit systems.

The measure will go before votersin Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara countieson November's ballot.

Like BART, Caltrain is facing an operating cost shortfall. This has left Caltrain with what the company says is a projected "average annual deficit of approximately $75 million" from fiscal years 2027 to 2041 after the transit system experienced a sharp drop in ridership due to the pandemic.

Although Caltrain says it saw an increase in ridership by "47% in 2025," it is struggling to meet its operational costs to maintain its new electric infrastructure and "state-of-the-art fleet."

"Caltrain is delivering more frequent, faster, and more reliable service for riders up and down the Peninsula," said Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard in a press release.

"But, as discussed in today's meeting, we are facing a structural funding challenge that cannot be solved through cuts or efficiencies alone. Without a stable, long-term funding solution, we will be forced to make difficult decisions that would significantly reduce service and impact the communities that rely on Caltrain every day."

Among the potential service cuts, the Caltrain board was presented with the option of closing more than one-third of stations; eliminating all weekend service; reducing train frequency to once an hour; ending service by 9 p.m.; and cutting segments of service.

The potential cuts would not take effect until 2027, initially beginning with the elimination of weekend services and a reduction in train frequency. If Caltrain continues to face funding shortages, it will then evaluate the need for cutting long-term services by closing stations.

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Currently, Caltrain has 31 stations that serve areas between the San Francisco Peninsula and the Santa Clara Valley. The train can reliably take travelers on a 79-mile trip from Oracle Park in San Francisco to Gilroy, California.

Earlier this year,California Gov. Gavin Newsom authorized a $590 million loanto help address a budgetary shortfall that BART would be responsible for repaying over 12 years. However, this funding was strictly for the BART system and did not provide any assistance to Caltrain and other regional transit services.

Caltrain has attempted to implement cost-cutting measures to reduce its overhead costs by pausing new hires, improving crew efficiency, and reducing professional services and other non-labor expenses.

The agency is also attempting to raise funds through other sources that aren't operating costs, such as advertising and naming rights, and by monetizing its real estate.

"The public has made it clear that frequent, reliable service was exactly what they needed to get back on board," said Caltrain Board Chair Rico E. Medina in a press release.

"We are gaining riders and getting people where they need to go, every day. But the reality is that the service that has been such a success will be in jeopardy if our funding picture does not improve this year."

More:BART commuters see fare increases in 2026 as budgetary shortfall looms

Noe Padilla is a Northern California Reporter for USA Today. Contact him atnpadilla@usatodayco.com, follow him on X @1NoePadilla or on Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Caltrain could close one-third of stations if it can't find funding

byAlex Forten

in

April 02, 2026

Caltrain could close one-third of stations if it can't find funding

Caltraincould be the next transit system in theSan Francisco Bay Area to experience significant service cutsif it cannot ...

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Bigger and better: Women's Final Four teams filled with multi-talented frontcourt players

PHOENIX (AP) — Madison Booker has a midrange jumper that's almost unblockable, beats defenders off the dribble, plays in the post when she wants, shoots the 3 if she needs to.

NCAA Texas Basketball

The Texas junior has great court vision, is an adept passer and is a menace defensively, bullying smaller guards on the ball, jumping into passing lanes off it.

Had it been an earlier era in women's college basketball, Booker would have been a back-to-the-basket player.

But this is a new age, one where 6-footers are everywhere atthis year's Final Fourand Booker is a guard — at 6-foot-1.

"You look at Madison Booker and, I mean, she's like a mini-KD (Kevin Durant)," Kentucky coach Kenny Brooks said after Booker had 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists against his team in the Sweet 16.

The average height for an American woman is 5-3, according to the CDC.

Women's college basketball has become the oversized outlier above the median, towering players spread across the Division I landscape, many of whom do more than just park under the basket.

This year's repeat Final Four has a large collection of large players, UConn, South Carolina, UCLA and Texas arriving with a combined 36 players 6-0 or taller — 55.6% of all the players in Phoenix.

UCLA's Lauren Betts is the tallest among the regular contributors at 6-7, anchoring a team with eight players at least 6-0.

The two-time AP All-American is a matchup nightmare, using her height and skill to score in a variety of ways — mainly shooting over smaller defenders. Betts is just as dominant on the defensive end, swatting shots, altering many more, deterring opponents from even thinking about going into the lane.

Betts averaged 18.5 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting 60.1% from the field and leading the Bruins (35-1) with 71 blocked shots.

"It's just really hard to defend her an entire game," Duke coach Kara Lawson said after Betts scored 15 of her 23 points inUCLA's 70-58 comeback winover the Blue Devils in the Elite Eight.

Betts and the Bruins will face pair of Texas bigs in Friday's second Final Four game.

Kyla Oldacre is 6-6, Breya Cunningham 6-4 and the pair helped shut down Betts when the teams met in November in Las Vegas.

They've been doing it all season on a team that features nine players 6-0 or taller.

Behind the towering presence of Oldacre and Cunningham, Texas (35-3) was one of the nation's best defensive teams, holding teams to 55.9 points per game and 38% shooting from the field.

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The two biggest Longhorns are a handful on offense as well, both shooting at least 59% from the floor while combining to score 18.3 points and grab 11.8 rebounds per game.

"You can win a lot of games with just good guard play, no question, but you've got to have size to go with it," Texas coach Vic Schaefer said.

The first Final Four game doesn't get any smaller.

Reigning national champion UConn (38-0) has two All-Americans in Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong — alsoThe Associated Press player of the year— as they've gone nearly untested through an undefeated season.

Fudd is 5-11, but Strong is a 6-2 forward who fits the mold of today's bigs on a team with 10 players 6-0 or taller.

Strong is a superb post player, yet can also beat defenders off the dribble and shoots 41% from 3. Like Booker, she also has great court vision and is a great passer.

Strong averaged 18.8 points on 60% shooting, 7.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists on a front line that includes 6-4 Serah Williams with 6-5 Jana El-Alfy coming off the bench.

"She is such a hard guard," North Carolina coach Courtney Banghart said after Strong had 21 points and 10 rebounds and five steals against her team in the Sweet 16. "She's so unselfish. If she wants to score 40 the next game, she can."

South Carolina (35-3) got manhandled by UConn in last year's title game, but coach Dawn Staley retooled her roster to add versatility.

Second-team All-American Joyce Edwards played for Staley last season, but took a big jump this season, boosting her scoring average seven points to 19.7 per game. The 6-3 sophomore can play inside or out, has a strong midrange game and can guard multiple positions.

Madina Okot is 6-6, but is far more than a back-to-the-basket big.

The Kenyan center is an elite finisher at the rim, was the SEC's leading rebounder at 10.8 per game and shot 48% from 3 (58% overall). Her size and timing combined to make her a super interior defender, leading the team with 55 blocks while altering many more.

The pair anchor a team that has nine players 6-0 or taller and held its first four NCAA Tournament opponents to 32% shooting.

"They're a much better team than they were last year, really hard to prepare for," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "They've shot the ball exceptionally well this year. They've added the size that is hard to match up with."

Size can be found all across women's basketball these days, particularly at this year's Final Four.

AP March Madness bracket:https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracketand coverage:https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

byAlex Forten

in

April 02, 2026

Bigger and better: Women's Final Four teams filled with multi-talented frontcourt players

PHOENIX (AP) — Madison Booker has a midrange jumper that's almost unblockable, beats defenders off the dribble, plays...

Read More