Iowa State Cyclones’ center Audi Crooks (55) shoots the ball over Texas Tech Lady Raiders center Maya Peat (54) during the third quarter in the Big-12 women’s basketball showdown at Hilton Coliseum on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. © Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
AMES — Audi Crooks sized up the shot, hesitated, then thought, ‘Why not?’
Iowa State’s star center hasn’t hit a 3-pointer this season, but squared over and launched from the top of the key, only to see the basketball carom off the rim a couple of times before bouncing out.
It proved to be a momentous miss — as the Cyclones’ stunning 29-year streak of 954 straight games with a 3-pointer ended — but the team considers that a footnote in a hard-fought 71-58 win Tuesday over Texas Tech at Hilton Coliseum.
“I did not realize,” said Crooks, who heard fans bellowing ‘three’ as she considered putting up the long-range shot with 92 seconds remaining. “I thought they were just wanting me to shoot the 3-ball because I never do it.”
ISU (13-6, 4-2 Big 12) took full advantage of the Red Raiders’ (12-7, 1-5) persistent efforts to defend the 3-point line, racking up 50 points in the paint while leading by nine or more points for the final 13 minutes of the game.
Crooks finished with 28 points — six above her season average — and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. Forward Addy Brown scored a season-high-tying 21 points — seven above her average — and added seven boards and five assists while attacking the basket relentlessly.
“They did a good job but we also did a good job,” said Brown, who scored 10 points in a key 14-0 run in the second quarter that helped the Cyclones regain control after a sluggish start. “We watched film and we saw that they close out high and fast, and we knew they weren’t gonna be able to catch up if we ripped it and took it to the rim, and we did exactly that.”
ISU played its fourth game in the past 10 days and notched its third straight win. Crooks added two blocked shots and Brown — who went 8-for-11 from the field — had one.
“Addy and Audi showed why they’re two of the best players in the country,” Cyclones head coach Bill Fennelly said. “They literally and physically put this team on their back and (I’m) just really proud of how we handled a lot of situations tonight.”
As for the streak?
Fennelly’s fine with it ending. He said he won’t draw up plays just to extend team or personal records and ISU’s paucity of clean looks from beyond the arc clearly fueled its dominant performance in the paint.
“We only shot seven (3-pointers) so we really don’t care,” Fennelly said. “I think if we were really worried about it, we probably would have run about 15 more plays to get one.”
Instead, the Cyclones’ ran just two plays expressly designed to produce clean 3-point looks — and both came in the first half.
“I get that it’s a big deal to some people, and it’s a big deal to us, too,” Fennelly said. “I’m proud that the streak was there. But it’s just like a kid getting a triple-double. I’m not leaving them in the game to get stats. I don’t believe in that.”
That’s not what Fennelly’s long called “the Iowa State way.” It’s about effort and accountability, not the nation’s longest streak in any area, nor scintillating stat lines. But here’s one of the stats that mattered most to Fennelly: Texas Tech shot just 32.2 percent from the field and their leading scorer, Bailey Maupin, totaled just five points before fouling out.
“Everyone looks at us and goes, ‘Well, all they do is shoot the 3 and they don’t guard anyone,’” he said. “Well, you didn’t watch the game tonight then, because we guarded our (tails) off.”
