Audi Crooks Stats Today: How did Iowa State star fare vs South Carolina? (Nov 28) 

Sophomore center Audi Crooks gave an impressive individual effort, but it wasn’t enough to lift the No. 15 Iowa State Cyclones past the No. 4 South Carolina Gamecocks in a 76-36 loss at Fort Myers Tip-Off on Thursday.

Crooks extended her streak of double-digit scoring games to 39, contributing 13 points, nine rebounds, two steals, one assist and one block in 32 minutes. She was just one rebound shy of her third double-double this season. The 6-foot-3 center led the Cyclones in both scoring and rebounding, shooting 5-of-11 from the field and 3-of-6 from the free throw line.

Although Iowa State managed only nine points before halftime, Crooks played a key role in those limited contributions. She assisted Kenzie Hare’s 3-pointer in the first quarter, then added one of the Cyclones’ six second-quarter points by hitting 1-of-4 free throws.

In a notable moment, Emily Ryan set up Crooks for a basket with 6:29 left in the game, marking Ryan’s only assist and extending her streak of at least one assist in all 126 of her games for Iowa State.

The Cyclones faced a dominant South Carolina squad that scored 19 unanswered points after Iowa State opened the game with a Mackenzie Hare 3-pointer. During this stretch, South Carolina forced eight turnovers and limited Iowa State to just 1-of-11 shooting.

Iowa State’s 36-point performance marked its lowest scoring output since a 59-33 loss to Texas A&M on Jan. 14, 2012. It also set a milestone for South Carolina, as it was the fewest points allowed to a ranked opponent since holding No. 22 Georgia to 35 on Feb. 5, 2015. The last time an AP Top 15 team scored so few points was on Jan. 24, 2016, when No. 12 Stanford lost 56-36 to UCLA.

Audi Crooks’ strong sophomore campaign

Crooks is building on her standout freshman season, leading Iowa State through six games with averages of 21.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists while shooting 56.4% from the field. Though her 13 points against South Carolina represent a season-low, she has scored in double figures in every game so far.

Her best performance this season came against Drake, where she poured in 33 points, grabbed four rebounds and recorded a steal while hitting 15-of-25 field goal attempts in an 80-78 victory.

Last season, Crooks made a name for herself during Iowa State’s 21-12 campaign, which included a 12-6 Big 12 record and a second-round NCAA Tournament appearance. She led the Cyclones in scoring with 635 points, adding 259 rebounds and 34 assists. Crooks turned heads in the first round of the NCAA Tournament with a 40-point outburst in a thrilling 93-86 win over Maryland.

Now in her sophomore season, Crooks has adopted a more balanced approach, aiming to refine her skills while avoiding excessive pressure. Among her focuses is improving her defensive range, complementing her already dominant presence in the paint.

The Fort Myers Tip-Off continues Saturday, with Iowa State facing Middle Tennessee State while South Carolina takes on Purdue.