We are less than 6 weeks away from the tip-off of a new college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to start preparing for the action ahead. We will do so via a series of season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage with Iowa State C Audi Crooks, who talked about leading the nation in PTS last year and her expectations for this season.
You were born/raised in Iowa and lost just 8 games in 4 years at Bishop Garrigan High School: did it reach a point where the fans just expected you to win every time that you stepped onto the court? Absolutely. Success was the standard in high school and the fans grew to expect it after a while.
You are majoring in psychology/minoring in sociology at Iowa State: why did you choose the Cyclones, and why did you choose those subjects? I chose the Cyclones because I feel they cared about me as a person as opposed to just being an athlete. They did not offer me anything on a gold platter and told me I would have to earn whatever came my way, which is really rare these days. I chose to major in psych because I have always had an interest in understanding mental health and how to help someone with it.
As a freshman at Hilton Coliseum you would play the drums if the band left them unattended: how did you 1st get into drumming? I first got into drumming with my father: we would stay at the church after the service was over and play all of the instruments.
How do you describe the Cy-Hawk Series to someone who has never seen it in person? It is like the ultimate college rivalry and everyone in the state of Iowa supports a college team due to the lack of professional teams. It is an intense environment and there is zero love lost.
In the 2024 NCAA tourney you scored 40 PTS/18-20 FG in a 7-PT win over Maryland to become the 2nd player with such tourney stats since Bill Walton: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? Yes, I was in the zone, but Maryland also was in a defense that allowed me to dominate that game. At first, I was just one-on-one in the paint with no weakside help, and once I saw that I knew it was going to be a good night.
You finished that season by being named the 1st freshman All-American in program history: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It was surreal to be honest and I was grateful to be the first in program history.
Last year your 820 PTS were #1 in the nation: what is the secret to being a great scorer? Consistency is the secret to being a good scorer. I just do what I do, well and often.
What did you learn from last year’s NCAA Tournament run that you think will help you going forward this season? The importance of persistence. That is a big lesson learned from the tournament that I will carry into this year.
Your late father Jimmie played college basketball and your mother Michelle played high school basketball: what does it mean to you to wear their #55, and who is the best athlete in the family? I am the best…but my dad in his prime would probably have me beat: I mean he was 6’9″! I wear that number with a lot of pride, especially knowing that I am walking in their footsteps while also making my own.
What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? My goals are to win the Big 12 tournament and make it farther in the NCAA tournament. I expect to be successful and develop both individually on my own and collectively as a team.
