Up to date Dec. 10, 2025, 3:52 p.m. ET
Ladies’s school basketball has a bevy of prolific scorers together with Vanderbilt Commodores guard Mikayla Blakes (25.7 factors a recreation), Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo (25.9 factors a recreation) and Florida Gators guard Liv McGill (27.3 factors a recreation).
However who’s the main the nation? That will be Iowa State heart Audi Crooks, who at 6-foot-3, averages 27.6 factors a contest. She is proving laborious to cease in her junior season for the No. 10 Cyclones (10-0), who face No. 12 Iowa (9-0) Wednesday evening (7 p.m. ET, ESPN).
The Algona, Iowa, native is not new to being a scoring risk. It is how she launched herself to the nation. In the course of the 2024 NCAA match, Iowa State gained nationwide consideration when the then-freshman posted 40 factors towards No. 10 Maryland within the first spherical.
Crooks, who ranks second within the nation discipline aim share (73.2), has already eclipsed the 40-point mark twice this season, has eight video games of 20 or extra factors and just lately scored 30 factors in 19 minutes towards the Northern Illinois Huskies.
“It’s not one thing I’ve seen, actually, possibly ever,” Iowa State coach Invoice Fennelly stated of Crooks.
Being in uncommon firm is one thing Crooks has made a behavior of. She at present holds the longest Division I lively streak (77 consecutive video games) for scoring at the least 10 factors or extra and is on tempo to hitch Philadelphia 76ers heart Joel Embiid (2023-2024) as simply the second participant in Division I males’s or ladies’s school basketball, the NBA or WNBA to common at the least one level or extra per minute in a single season.
With manufacturing like that, the query turns into the right way to sluggish Crooks down. She’s environment friendly in her minutes and assured together with her shot choice, hardly ever losing motion. Crooks additionally has impeccable footwork that has improved every season she’s been with Iowa State, serving to her to develop persistence within the paint, whereas attending to her spots. Moreover, her launch, particularly on her mid-range leap shot, is among the smoothest in school basketball.
“They’re attempting to do something they will,” Fennelly stated about Crooks. “And I informed her, that’s what’s coming. You’re going to get triple-teamed. Persons are going to fall down and act such as you fouled them. You’re going to should play via contact since you’re not going to get a name.”
When Crooks takes the ground towards Iowa on Wednesday, she’ll face her hardest take a look at but. The Hawkeyes have a number of gamers who can rating and defend, together with standout sophomore guard Ava Heiden, who at present leads the group in factors (16.1) and rebounds (9.2). Including gasoline to the fireplace, Iowa State hasn’t overwhelmed Iowa since December 2021. Nonetheless, Crooks’ teammates have faith that they’re going to get a long-awaited win towards the Hawkeyes and their star heart will do what she does finest ― simply hoop.”You throw the ball to her, and it is stepping into,” Iowa State guard Reagan Wilson stated.
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