Crooks tallies 5th 40+ point game of career in 93-79 win

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Audi Crooks delivered a performance that bordered on automatic, pouring in 41 points on 16-of-19 shooting and a perfect 9-of-9 from the foul line to power Iowa State past Kansas State 93-79 Sunday afternoon at Bramlage Coliseum. The sophomore forward added 13 rebounds, registering the fifth 40-point outing of her career and her fourth this season alone.

“Audi was just incredible,” head coach Bill Fennelly said of the Algona native. “Might have been as good of an all-around game as she’s played.”

Crooks scored the game’s first basket nine seconds in, setting an early tone for the Cyclones (22-8, 10-8 Big 12). Kansas State’s Gina Garcia, the first player in program history to wear No. 6, briefly gave the Wildcats their only lead of the opening quarter with the first of the team’s dozen triples. A back-and-forth first frame ended with Iowa State up 26-22.

The Wildcats’ largest advantage came at 38-31 after Nastja Claessens’ free throw with 4:42 left in the half, but Iowa State answered with a 6-0 spurt split among Jada Williams, Crooks and Reese Beaty. Kansas State still carried a 43-37 edge into the locker room on the strength of late free throws from Garcia.

Addy Brown, a Derby, Kansas, native who finished with a game-high 14 rebounds, grabbed an offensive board on the first possession of the second half and found Crooks for an immediate layup. Brown then knocked down a jumper of her own, and Kenzie Hare’s three-pointer brought the Cyclones within one. Crooks’ next basket gave Iowa State the lead for good at 46-45 with 8:14 to go in the third quarter.

Neither side led by more than three the rest of the period, and Iowa State took a 65-62 edge into the fourth. After Tess Heal’s triple tied the contest early in the final frame, the Cyclones ripped off a decisive 9-0 run—six points from Crooks and three from Williams—to seize control. Iowa State’s last trey, with 3:51 remaining, stretched the margin to 85-74, and Crooks, Williams and Brown combined for the final eight points to seal the 14-point victory.

Iowa State dominated the glass 48-24 but committed 24 turnovers to Kansas State’s 12, allowing the Wildcats to pile up 15 steals. The Cyclones outscored their hosts 42-26 in the paint.

Jordan Speiser led Kansas State with 17 points, while Hess added 16, Garcia finished with 14 and Sides chipped in 11.

The Cyclones now turn their attention to the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Tournament, tipping off at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Kansas City against the winner of No. 15 Arizona versus No. 10 Arizona State.