Audi Crooks has been leading the way and snatching headlines for Iowa State so far this season, and that hasn't changed after the Cyclones' latest major win. The nation's 10th-ranked team took down its cross-state rival and formerly undefeated No. 11 Iowa on Wednesday, 74-69, and Crooks thinks it's what the team needed to look like a legitimate contender.
“I feel like now we're officially battle-tested. You know, people were commenting on our schedule, and now there's not much else to say,” Crooks said. “When you have three players with double-doubles, you can't say we're a one-trick pony. You can't say our schedule is soft.”
Crooks, who currently sits at number one in scoring in Division I women's basketball, led the way with her 30-point, 10-rebound double-double. The teammates she was referring to with their own double-doubles were Addy Brown, who had 20 points and 12 boards, and Jada Williams, who notched 11 points and 12 assists.
But despite being the standout, Crooks made it clear that her focus remains on her teammates and what this statement win means for the Cyclones.
“Honestly, we're not concerned with the noise and what everybody has to say online. We're worried about the mentality in our locker room [and] that we have in practice,” the center added. “I feel that comes with maturity. It's really easy to get sucked into social media and public opinion … this team, we're all a little bit older and a little bit wiser.”
This Iowa State team is starting to rewrite the narrative surrounding their public perception after facing critiques for their performance against a stronger schedule a year ago. The Cyclones lost non-conference matchups versus UConn, South Carolina, Northern Iowa, and Iowa in 2024-25.
The Cyclones had also lost eight out of the last 10 showdowns with the Hawkeyes, including a 67-58 loss in December 2023 to a then-Caitlin Clark-led Iowa squad when Crooks was a freshman. Iowa State has been growing ever since and shows no sign of slowing down, and head coach Bill Fennelly walked away from the contest feeling even more optimistic about his team's future.
“It was a great showcase for two great programs in our state. I'm really proud of our team,” Fennelly said. “It's a win that hopefully we can build on.”
