The Tenth-ranked Iowa State girls held off a rally from No. 11 Iowa in a 74-69 win within the newest installment of the in-state rivalry on Wednesday night time.
The Cyclones, who led by as many as 17, shot 53% from the ground and scored 40 of their 74 factors within the paint, most of which was because of the environment friendly and historic play from middle Audi Crooks.
Crooks had 30 factors (13-of-20 FG) and 10 rebounds, recording her fiftieth 20-point efficiency in simply 79 video games and her fifth profession 30-point, 10-rebound recreation, which solely trails former Virginia Tech middle Elizabeth Kitley (six) and USC‘s JuJu Watkins (seven) for the most in Division-I because the begin of the 2023-24 season.
Audi Crooks dominates once more in Iowa State’s rivalry win
Crooks had 14 factors in a 15-minute span of recreation motion and has now scored 10 or extra factors in 78 straight video games, which is the longest energetic streak in D-I.
This feed from ahead Addy Brown to Crooks resulted in two simple factors for Iowa State and put the Cyclones up 5 with beneath 4 minutes to play.
Whereas Brown (20 factors, 12 rebounds) had a double-double herself, Crooks stole the present as soon as once more. She has scored at the very least 30 factors in every of her final three video games and 40 or extra twice, together with a season-high and program-record 47 factors in a win over Indiana on Nov. 30. Her different 40-point efficiency — a 43-point outing in opposition to Valparaiso on Nov. 12 — got here in simply 20 minutes.
She is the nation’s main scorer (27.6 PPG) and has the perfect field-goal proportion within the nation (73.2%). Since her freshman season in 2023-24, Crooks has improved in factors per recreation, assists and field-goal proportion and confirmed to be a matchup nightmare for any workforce she faces.
Crooks has merely been unstoppable in Iowa State’s 11 video games this season, averaging greater than a degree per minute within the course of. Wednesday’s win additionally occurred to be the primary time since 2021 that Iowa State defeated its in-state rival, in order that solely made the newest spectacular efficiency from Crooks that a lot sweeter.
To be honest, the win over Iowa is Iowa State’s first over a ranked opponent this season. Whereas there haven’t been many challenges in entrance of the Cyclones but, Crooks’ effectivity has been key to the 11-0 begin and has confirmed to be troublesome to comprise, whatever the opponent.
She had three fouls within the recreation on Wednesday night time, so maybe getting her into foul bother may go a protracted method to slowing her down. Sadly for opposing groups, she has not fouled out all season and has solely gathered 4 fouls as soon as. In her three seasons at Iowa State, Crooks has solely fouled out of a recreation thrice.
That isn’t a superb signal for whoever has the tall process of defending her. If Crooks stays on this unprecedented tempo all through the season, will probably be troublesome to sluggish the Cyclones down and discover a solution for the junior who retains having her method within the paint.
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