By the time she checked out, the damage was already done. With five minutes and 20 seconds left in the third quarter, Audi Crooks headed to the bench, not for foul trouble or fatigue, but because she’d already put together the kind of performance that leaves an arena buzzing.

Crooks entered the game as an offensive threat. “You throw the ball to her, and it’s going in,” said Iowa State guard Reagan Wilson. And that’s exactly what happened.

Against NIU, Crooks had four points during Iowa State’s 12–0 run to close the first quarter. Then, she added nine more in the second, and by halftime, she had 23 points. She played for five more minutes and finished with a smooth 30-point performance. That marked her 77th straight game in double figures (the longest active streak in the country). Except for her debut in 2023, Crooks has scored in double digits in every single game of her college career.

Even in the matchup before this, she delivered a record-breaking 47-point explosion in Iowa State’s 106–95 win over Indiana. She went 19-of-25 from the field, knocked down nine free throws, and poured in 30 points in the second half alone, surpassing the 43 points she had dropped only days earlier. 

Once you see her elite post footwork, power finishing at the rim, and high shooting percentages, all her impressive performances don’t seem surprising. That’s why the decorated center at Iowa State led the Big 12 in scoring with her 23.4 points per game and 820 points last season. She even earned AP and USBWA Third Team All-American honors and a unanimous First Team All-Big 12 selection.

And she’s not just elevating her individual records, she’s helping the Iowa State program, too. Behind her unstoppable presence in the post today, Iowa State surged to a perfect 10–0 record for its best start since the 2013-14 campaign when the Cyclones opened the season with 14 straight wins.

Fans go wild after Audi Crooks’ historic night!

Within hours of her unique milestone, fans flooded the comment sections with excitement.  “I smile every time I see Audi highlights,” one user wrote.

Well, every time Iowa State plays, it’s Crooks who takes over. Her 47-point performance also helped the program earn the Coconut Hoops Blue Heron Division championship in Fort Myers, Florida. And it’s not about one game. 

“Best center in college right now,” another user said. 

Undoubtedly, it’s hard to argue. Crooks is the most unguardable true center in the country. She combines elite size and strength with a soft touch and polished back-to-the-basket scoring. Her 73.8% shooting from the field is telling enough. Once she gets a deep position, she’s unstoppable.

As she put it herself, “No one can guard me yet. I’m going to keep playing my game and let my teammates get involved.”

And that leads to a fair question from fans,  “Why aren’t teams double-teaming her? Does ISU have snipers on the perimeter too?”

Well, double-teaming her barely helps. When Crooks dominates, defenses collapse on her, creating open shots and driving lanes for teammates. Cyclones’ role players benefit tremendously from the attention she draws. Beyond scoring, she puts immense pressure on defenses. Iowa State uses her early to set the tone and build big leads before resting starters.

According to coach Bill Fennelly, the plan was clear from the start against NIU. Their first eight possessions were designed to get the ball to Crooks.

“I always use the analogy of football,” Fennelly said. “If we’re going to run it down your throat, we’re just going to run it down your throat. Why throw it?”

“She’s an unstoppable monster,” another user said.

Crooks, a 6-foot-3 junior, has already carved out a huge place in Iowa State’s record book. Last season, as only a sophomore, she set the program’s single-season mark for field goals made with 329. She also blew past the 1,000-point mark faster than anyone who has ever worn a Cyclones jersey, reaching it in just 49 games, a pace that ranks third-fastest in Big 12 history.

And her impact was obvious from the start. As a freshman, she became the first Cyclone ever to earn freshman All-American honors, the program’s first rookie to make the All-Big 12 First Team, and she rewrote the freshman scoring record with 635 points.

At Bishop Garrigan, Crooks led the Golden Bears to back-to-back Class 1A state titles, earned a spot on the all-tournament team four straight years, was a four-time all-state pick, and even claimed two Class 1A state championships in the shot put.

This year, she’s even better. She leads the nation with 27.3 points per game while averaging just 25.3 minutes. With that kind of efficiency, it’s no surprise fans are already talking about her high value in the WNBA draft.

Another netizen said, “She’d probably be a top-15 draft pick right now.”

Thanks to Crooks, the Cyclones have scored 100-plus points in three of their last four games. They’re averaging 95.8 points and holding a +38.6 scoring margin, fifth best in the nation. Still and all, we’re yet to see if she will be able to help her team against a ranked opponent. So stay tuned!