In any sport, perfection is expensive and next to impossible. With competition in college basketball on the rise, it was always going to be difficult for Iowa State to maintain its unblemished record. After 14 games, Audi Crooks was finally stopped by a tenacious Baylor side, who defeated them 72-70. 

Darianna Littlepage-Buggs erupted for 12 of her 13 points during the opening quarter, while also tying her career best with 20 rebounds to lead Baylor’s effort. Off the bench, Yuting Deng contributed 12 points, and Jana Van Gytenbeek added 11 of her own.

The game’s defining moment belonged to Taliah Scott, who delivered the clutch game-winner with just 2.9 seconds remaining and poured in all 21 of her points after halftime to carry her team to victory.

On the other side, Crooks finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds but was held to only 4 points in the second half, preventing her from extending her streak of 30+ point games to six. It marked her least efficient outing of the season, as she shot 11-of-20 from the field (55%).

“One of the guards was kind of just sitting in front of me the whole time, and the other girl who was actually guarding me was behind me,” Crooks observed after the game.

“So it made it really, really hard for the guards to make post entry passes because they were also both, I think at least 6 foot 1, 6’2 with ups. That just makes it difficult to get it inside. So it was a good defensive plan by Baylor.”

While her offense was still well above average compared to her competitors, it was her defense that the fans were disappointed with in this game. 

Defensive Struggles Spotlight Audi Crooks as Iowa State Gets Exposed

“I’m sorry, but Audi Crooks can’t be NPOY with that trash ass defense,” commented a fan. Crooks’ defense is definitely a question mark for Iowa State. She is among the weakest defenders on the team and in the country, as her defensive box plus-minus of 1.3 ranks 647th on Barttorvik.

Even in this game, her DBPM of 0.6 ranked among the worst in both teams. Her Hakeem percentage, which is the sum of a team’s or player’s block percentage and steal percentage, is just 3.8 %. For comparison, Sarah Strong, who is in the National Player Of The Year conversation as well, has a Hakeem percentage of 14.8%. 

“Audi Crooks is a defensive liability,” another fan wrote in the same breath. It’s undeniable that her size, which helps her under the post on offense, affects her defense.

Top Stories

Cowboys Fire Defensive Coordinator Matt Eberflus: Contract, Salary, NFL Earnings & More

Huge Fire Destroys Over 125-Year-Old Golf Club Designed by 5x Open Winner in London – Report

Scottie Scheffler’s Caddie Shares Cryptic Message as He Bids Fans ‘Goodbye’

Brooks Koepka’s LIV Golf Exit Explained as Ex-Pro Reveals Brutal Reality

Tiger Woods’ Warm Moment With Ex-Wife Elin Nordegren Caught on Camera at Son Charlie’s Junior Event

Russell Wilson Announces Retirement Stance as Giants QB Shares Hidden Injury News

Faster and more agile players often go past her with ease, and her help defense is often delayed. However, the Cyclones can’t help it either, as her Defensive Points Replacement Per Game of 3.1 is the second highest in the team.

Essentially, few other players on the squad can replace her defensive output if possible. While Crooks’ defensive issues came into the fore, Iowa State’s unilateral strategy was also highlighted in that last play.  

The scoreline read 72-70 with just 2.9 seconds on the clock. After the ball was inbound to Addy Brown at the top of the key. She immediately looked for Crooks in the paint. However, two Bears cut off the passing lane, a tactic they employed throughout the second half, and the clock ran out.

It could have been pertinent to take an outside shot since they are not a bad three-point shooting team either. (37.6%, which ranks 16th in the country). On the day, they shot 29%.

But when your best player is being heavily guarded, a bet on their three-point shot could have been better. Rolling back the tape, some fans noticed an illegal play from Baylor that went unnoticed. 

“Just one of a constant stream of illegal picks – Baylor is never set and moves into the defender every time,” commented a fan. With 8 seconds to go, Tahliah Scott had the ball almost at the halfway line, guarded by Jada Williams. As she struggled to break free, she got the screen from Kiersten Johnson to break past.

She pulled out a middy over Audi Crooks for the winner. The screen was shaky at best, and without it, Scott was unlikely to get free. However, such decisions regularly go under the radar, even at the professional level in the WNBA and the NBA. 

“Doesn’t mean much until the tournameeeeent,” pointed out another fan. This is true; this loss can also be a positive for the Cyclone and Audi Crooks. Yes, they drop to No.4 in the Big 12 standings with a 2-1 conference record. However, some blowback is necessary to identify the flaws.

Crooks herself pointed out the same things in the post-game conference, as she said, “You don’t want to play your best basketball in January. You don’t want to be a monster in January. You want to be a monster in March. And in order to do that, you need to recognize your flaws. You need to recognize your shortcomings.”

Baylor celebrates both a new signing and a major upset win. They have done something bigger than just adding a win, as they have given the blueprint for defeating Iowa State. It will still take a herculean effort to contain Audi Crooks, but the skeleton of a strategy is now present.

It will give them confidence as they strive to return to the top of the Big 12. On the other hand, Iowa will head back to the drawing board for some counterintelligence.