In Ames, Iowa, Iowa State made a strong statement in their regular season finale against No. 14 Kansas State, defeating the Wildcats 85-63 on Sunday. Sophomore center Audi Crooks was instrumental in the victory, scoring a career-high 36 points and leading a decisive third-quarter run. Starting the second half with a narrow one-point lead, the Cyclones capitalized on Crooks’ dominance as she went 6-for-6 from the field and added two free throws, contributing significantly to Iowa State’s 27-15 advantage in the third quarter.
The game’s outcome had significant implications for the Big 12 Conference standings. The defeat for Kansas State knocked them out of a tie with No. 21 Oklahoma State for the No. 3 seed in the upcoming tournament. The Wildcats are now in a three-way tie for fourth place with No. 18 West Virginia and Utah. Oklahoma State secured the third seed by defeating Kansas, while West Virginia, having beaten Kansas State in head-to-head competition, earned the No. 4 seed and a bye into the quarterfinals. Consequently, Kansas State will be the No. 5 seed, Utah the No. 6 seed, each receiving a first-round bye, and Iowa State (21-10, 12-6) taking the No. 7 seed, also with a bye.
Audi Crooks reached an impressive milestone, becoming the fastest Cyclone in program history to reach 1,000 career points. She has now scored in double figures for 63 consecutive games, just one game shy of matching the program record held by Angie Welle. In the game, Crooks was highly efficient, shooting 14 of 18 from the field, making 8 of 11 free throws, and grabbing 10 rebounds. Senior Emily Ryan contributed 17 points and 10 assists in her last regular-season appearance. Kelsey Joens added 10 points, and Addy Brown collected 10 rebounds along with her nine points.
For Kansas State (25-6, 13-5), Temira Poindexter led with 17 points, while Serena Sundell added 10 points, six rebounds, and six assists, concluding the Wildcats’ regular season with a tough loss.
