Iowa State Cyclones’ center Audi Crooks (55) looks for a shot around Baylor Bears forward Kiersten Johnson (2) during the fourth quarter in the Big-12 women’s basketball on Jan. 4, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. (Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Sunday’s loss was a tough one to swallow for Iowa State women’s basketball, losing 72-70 to No. 22 Baylor in a game that came down to the final seconds. Junior Audi Crooks entered the halftime break with 22 points, but the Bears keyed in on her and forced the rest of the Cyclones to make plays.
For the most part they did, with junior Jada Williams scoring 28 points on 11-of-28 shooting, but Baylor made just one more play than the Cyclones did. Crooks finished with 26 points on 11-of-20 shooting.
The loss was a tough one considering how close it was; however, that’s not what we are here to talk about. Iowa State is still 14-1 on the year with some nice wins to the name. No harm, no foul.
We are gathered here today to celebrate one of college basketball’s great careers.
Crooks has shown the nation how great of a player and person she is again and again, soaking in the spotlight with 29 points per game. Crooks is going to be up for just about every award she is eligible for, and has not really had a down game all season.
So, why is Crooks not entering all-time discussions?
You are not going to find me saying Crooks is already a top-10 player to ever step foot on a college basketball court, but it almost seems, with Crooks, people are unwilling to leave the door open for her.
Back in 1988-89, Patricia Hoskins of Mississippi Valley State set the single season scoring average record at 33.6 points per game, a record that has since gone unbroken. Recently, players like Kelsey Plum and Caitlin Clark have come close at 31.7 and 31.6 points per game in their senior seasons, but could not complete the tall task.
Crooks is the next player in line with a true chance to break it. She leads Division I scoring by about four points per game. Over the five prior games, Crooks has scored 47, 30, 30, 41, and 35.
The reason Crooks’ scoring production has increased even further despite the opponents getting tougher as the year goes on is because Head Coach Bill Fennelly wisely does not task Crooks with as many minutes against lesser teams. She has incredible footwork, leads the nation in shooting percentage at about 72% and holds her own on the defensive end. Given all that, why do people talk about her like she could never become a top player to ever play the game.
Her footwork flies under the radar, and the newfound fadeaway has made her virtually unguardable. If you double team, Crooks will just kick it out to one of the many capable three-point shooters.
Is it because she has not done enough winning yet? Well, the team is 14-1 this season, has won a top-15 game, is currently in the top-15 and poised to make a run.
It really does not feel like there is much of an opposition movement against Crooks, but it’s time she gets the credit she deserves on the all-time stage.
New Quarterback
They say if you can’t beat them, join them. Arkansas State Quarterback Jaylen Raynor certainly gave Cyclone fans a scare in a 24-16 Iowa State win this season, but came up just short.
Well, as the saying goes, Raynor joined em’, as multiple national reporters announced Raynor’s commitment to Iowa State. The transfer did not come as a huge surprise after Arkansas State Offensive Coordinator Keith Heckendorf joined the Cyclones as quarterbacks coach days prior.
Raynor was 19-of-33 for 222 yards and an interception with 83 rushing yards and a touchdown against Iowa State, and compiled nearly 10,000 yards and 67 touchdowns over three years with the Red Wolves. Raynor has one year of eligibility remaining, with most expecting him to open the quarterback competition atop the depth chart, with the returning Connor Moberly slotting into the backup spot.
Raynor may not have even been the most eye-popping transfer, though, as Division II All-American linebacker Tristan Exline of Texas Permian Basin also committed to the Cyclones. Exline has one year of eligibility remaining after compiling an insane 143 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and an interception. Exline had a ton of Division I offers this offseason, so the commitment was viewed as a big win for the Cyclones.
The Cyclones also brought in a couple strong offensive linemen thus far.
The transfer cycle is still young, but commitments like these need to serve as a reminder that what is broken can always be rebuilt. Some fans gave up on the team when players announced they would be transferring even though it should have come as no surprise. These days in college football, not many student-athletes stay put through coaching changes, and there was little reason to suggest an external hire would be any different at Iowa State. Now, the Cyclones are feeling some of the positives of that portal as the coaches look to field a competitive team in 2026.
To keep an eye on the daily portal updates, check out the transfer portal tracker.
Big 12 Opener
After a bit of a shaky start, the men’s team ran away with an 80-59 win over West Virginia in the Big 12 opener. The win was not what stood out of the 14-0, third-ranked Cyclones.
Joshua Jefferson became the ninth Cyclone in history to record a triple-double, posting 10 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and two blocks. Jefferson is known as a do-it-all type player, and he did it all just enough to reach the lofty milestone.
Milan Momcilovic continued to be the bottom of the net’s worst nightmare, pouring on 26 points on 8-of-10 three-point shooting. Momcilovic has been a true marksman all year long, shooting an unfathomable 56.3% from deep while averaging 18.5 points per game.
