Audi Crooks scores 30 points, No. 18 Iowa State finally pulls away to beat Eastern Illinois, 87-55

[The Rob Gray]

Audi Crooks scores 30 points, No. 18 Iowa State finally pulls away to beat Eastern Illinois, 87-55

Iowa State Cyclones' center Audi Crooks (55) goes for a shot between Eastern Illinois Panthers' guard Kiyley Flowers (7) and center Ellie Colson (14)during the first quarter in the NCAA women’s basketball home opening at Hilton Coliseum on Monday, Des. 15, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. © Nirmalendu Majumdar/

cyclonefanatic.com

 

[ZorkClone]

Thanks for the write up.

I feel like this quote is quite revealing in light of criticisms of our offense.

“It’s like, if you can run the ball and score touchdowns, run the ball,” said ISU head coach Bill Fennelly, who watched Crooks score 30 points as his team eventually pulled away from Eastern Illinois for an 87-55 win Sunday at Hilton Coliseum. “Why do we have to throw it? Just run it — and it’s OK to run the same stuff. We literally ran the same play eight times in a row. That’s OK. They’re literally looking at me like, ‘Yeah, yeah.” We call it boomerang. Just keep going in.”

 

[swclone11]

Thanks for the write up.

I feel like this quote is quite revealing in light of criticisms of our offense.

Agreed. That's okay as long as it's working - and it was today, by and large, but it's more about when it stops working that it becomes an issue...

 

[ZorkClone]

Agreed. That's okay as long as it's working - and it was today, by and large, but it's more about when it stops working that it becomes an issue...

I think it’s a problem in that it seems to mess with our sharpshooters ability to get in the flow when they always look inside.

Bill is a coach that likes to play the odds, and if Audi is hitting shoots at a high clip it’s going to be hard to argue that you should do something else

 

[acoustimac]

I think it’s a problem in that it seems to mess with our sharpshooters ability to get in the flow when they always look inside.

Bill is a coach that likes to play the odds, and if Audi is hitting shoots at a high clip it’s going to be hard to argue that you should do something else

But...in the second half they definitely did a lot more on offense than feed Crooks. I was excited to see that!

 

[Cyforce]

But...in the second half they definitely did a lot more on offense than feed Crooks. I was excited to see that!

She needs to work harder to receive the ball. We get too many turnovers trying to get it into her.

 

[exCYtable]

They've given us no reason to believe this, but I just have a gut feeling they are going to give UCONN all they can handle, and maybe even win that game. I feel like we are due for a great performance like we saw at the end of last season and that we start to figure it out a little.

 

[Cymark86]

They've given us no reason to believe this, but I just have a gut feeling they are going to give UCONN all they can handle, and maybe even win that game. I feel like we are due for a great performance like we saw at the end of last season and that we start to figure it out a little.

I’ll have what you’re smoking! The athleticism difference makes this a 20 point game alone. It won’t be Carolina bad, but Geno will have a plan to stop Crooks. I’m not sure Bill ( and staff) will have a counter punch.

I think at this point we are a top 25 team (or in that arena). Nothing more or less. Most years that’s ok. Expectations probably unrealistic, probably skewed the fan base into being disappointed.

 

[CycloneVet]

I admittedly don’t watch a lot of women’s hoops. Is Audi a good passer? I would think she’d be the perfect toss it in type player and if not open then hit a cutter or a shooter. But I didn’t see us doing that during the Hawkeye game.

 

[ZorkClone]

I admittedly don’t watch a lot of women’s hoops. Is Audi a good passer? I would think she’d be the perfect toss it in type player and if not open then hit a cutter or a shooter. But I didn’t see us doing that during the Hawkeye game.

When she has passed it out, it usually looks pretty crisp. I got to think the reason she doesn't look out more is because the play they are running ends with her taking a shot.

Perhaps more freedom on offence would do them some good?

 

[CycloneVet]

When she has passed it out, it usually looks pretty crisp. I got to think the reason she doesn't look out more is because the play they are running ends with her taking a shot.

Perhaps more freedom on offence would do them some good?

I would agree especially if a defense is collapsing on her

 

[acoustimac]

When she has passed it out, it usually looks pretty crisp. I got to think the reason she doesn't look out more is because the play they are running ends with her taking a shot.

Perhaps more freedom on offence would do them some good?

We did see a beautiful example of this last night when the ball came in, and she could have scored, but the collapsing defense left Tanke open. Crooks fed her for three.

 

[ClonesFTW]

I think at this point we are a top 25 team (or in that arena). Nothing more or less. Most years that’s ok.

While true, I think in WBB there is just a drastic difference between the top 5 teams and the rest of the top 25 whereas that is not the case in MBB.

 

[HFCS]

While true, I think in WBB there is just a drastic difference between the top 5 teams and the rest of the top 25 whereas that is not the case in MBB.

I think Clark kind of fooled some (myself included) into thinking there was far more parity than there is. It was like finger snap and Iowa can beat UConn and South Carolina but really it's not like that for the vast majority of even ranked teams.

 

[BoxsterCy]

UConn also played Sunday, their opening game in Big East play and beat Georgetown by 30-something.

Huskies play USC next Saturday. After that they play a bunch of mediocre Big East teams but do have Tennessee and South Carolina slotted in there later.