Overview
- Close doubled down after No. 4 UCLA’s 97-61 win at Penn State, where Lauren Betts scored 25 points for a seventh straight victory.
- The push followed a double-ranked matchup at Ohio State that ended with no in-person reporters for UCLA, which the team called a season first.
- Close proposed postgame Zooms and broader access for nontraditional outlets, emphasizing she is seeking proportional growth rather than curbing men’s coverage.
- She underscored the stakes of storytelling by recounting a fan who told Betts that coverage of her mental-health journey helped save the fan’s life.
- Outlets cited Cotton Bowl travel and NFL assignments for the Ohio State gap, media turnout was stronger at Penn State, and Betts publicly backed Close’s call.