Iowa State Cyclones Dominate Arizona State Sun Devils in Big 12 Tournament

Audi Crooks leads the way with 41 points as Iowa State cruises to victory

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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The Iowa State Cyclones women's basketball team entered the Big 12 Tournament as the seventh seed and took on the Arizona State Sun Devils in the first round. Led by a dominant 41-point performance from star player Audi Crooks, the Cyclones cruised to a comfortable 81-68 victory over the Sun Devils. Iowa State's size advantage and efficient shooting, including 50% from three-point range, proved too much for Arizona State to handle.

Why it matters

This win keeps Iowa State's momentum going after they took down Kansas State to close out the regular season. The Cyclones are looking to make a deep run in the Big 12 Tournament and potentially earn an NCAA Tournament bid, while Arizona State was hoping to boost their resume and make a case for an at-large selection.

The details

Iowa State's game plan was simple - get the ball to Audi Crooks and let her go to work. Crooks shot an incredible 16-19 from the field and a perfect 9-9 from the free throw line. Jada Williams also had a strong game with 23 points and 9 assists. The Cyclones dominated the glass, outrebounding the Sun Devils 48-24, and limited Arizona State's transition opportunities on defense.

  • The Big 12 Tournament is currently underway.
  • Iowa State and Arizona State faced off in the first round on March 5, 2026.

The players

Audi Crooks

Iowa State's star player who scored 41 points on 16-19 shooting and a perfect 9-9 from the free throw line.

Jada Williams

Iowa State's point guard who contributed 23 points and 9 assists to the Cyclones' victory.

Addy Brown

Iowa State forward who led the team with 14 rebounds in her return from injury.

Bill Fennelly

Iowa State's head coach who is taking every game seriously as his team looks to make a deep tournament run.

Arizona State Sun Devils

The opponent for Iowa State in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament, looking to boost their NCAA Tournament resume with an upset win.

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What they’re saying

“There's no one here I would be like, 'We can't beat them.' I mean, that's happened in the past and there's no one that we're playing that's like, 'Oh man, if we show up, we're going to win the game.' There's none of that either.”

— Bill Fennelly, Head Coach, Iowa State Cyclones (Yahoo Sports)

What’s next

The winner of the Iowa State-Arizona State matchup will advance to face the winner of the Baylor-TCU game in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament.

The takeaway

Iowa State's dominant performance, led by the stellar play of Audi Crooks, showcases their potential to make a deep run in the Big 12 Tournament and potentially earn an NCAA Tournament bid. The Cyclones' ability to control the glass and limit Arizona State's transition opportunities proved to be the key difference in this first-round matchup.