LUBBOCK, Texas – Iowa State (17-5, 5-5 Big 12) took the 84-70 road win at No. 21 Texas Tech (20-3, 7-3 Big 12) Wednesday night. The Cyclones handed TTU just its second home loss this season.
Iowa State never trailed in the matchup and led by as much as 21, with Audi Crooks totaling 33 on the night. Jada Williams added 15, and Sydney Harris notched 13 totaling three double-figure scoring Cyclones. With the victory, ISU secured its second of the season over a top 25 opponent.
Crooks and Williams hit milestones on the night, with Crooks totaling her 2,000th point while Williams notched her 1,000th. Crooks is the fourth Cyclone to hit 2,000 and did so in just 89 games.
Crooks and Williams got Iowa State off to a 6-0 start as the Cyclones held TTU scoreless for nearly the first four minutes of play. Crooks then had herself a three-point play to spark a 7-0 run and put the Cyclones up 13-5 at the 4:35 mark. Out of the media timeout, Crooks sent in back-to-back layups to stretch a 17-8 advantage but TTU followed trimming its deficit to six at 19-13 after a third made 3. Williams sent in the final shot of the frame, beating the buzzer to put the scoreboard at 26-18.
ISU put the first four points of the second on the board as the lead grew to 10-plus. TTU continued to send in triples, totaling its fifth to make it a seven-point game (35-28) as just over six minutes remained in the half. Two free throws by Crooks ended a 7-0 TTU run to make it 37-30, while Texas Tech continued to claw back. At halftime, ISU led 40-38.
An Arianna Jackson deep shot kicked off the second half, while Kenzie Hare fired off another right after (46-38). ISU’s lead once again grew to double figures with a successful and-1 by Crooks at 7:00, but TTU came back within five with 1:39 in the third. Harris then drained her second 3-pointer and followed that with another bucket, sending the game to the fourth with Iowa State leading 65-55.
Reese Beaty put in a shot beyond the arc with 6:50 to play, making for the Cyclones’ then-largest lead of the game at 16 (74-58). Texas Tech called a timeout next, but ISU’s lead continued to grow after a Williams layup and Harris 3-pointer (79-58). TTU scored 10-straight as the game drew to a close, but the Cyclones kept with it, closing it out 84-70.
Top Performances
Audi Crooks had 14 points in the first quarter alone, going on to total 33 points and 12 rebounds for her ninth double-double this season. Crooks totaled her 15th-career game with 30 or more points, and had her 88th-straight in double figures.
Sydney Harris brought in her first-career double-double with 13 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, while Jada Williams came one assist shy of a double-double with 15 points and nine assists. Williams scored in double figures for her fourth-straight game.
Up Next
Iowa State next hosts UCF this Saturday, Jan. 31 at 2 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
Notes
Iowa State women’s basketball’s all-time record moves to 888-683 (.565) and 350-363 (.491) in conference play.
Fennelly’s career record moves to 817-383 (.681) in his 38-year career and 651-330 (.664) at Iowa State.
The series record between ISU and TTU moves to 31-16 in favor of the Cyclones.
With a win today, head coach Bill Fennelly earned his 297th victory in Big 12 play and secured the all-time wins record in the conference, passing Baylor’s Kim Mulkey with 296. Fennelly has won 302 conference games in his ISU career (297-214 Big 12, 5-9 Big Eight).
With 33 points today, Audi Crooks extended her double-figure scoring streak to 88 games, the longest active streak in NCAA women’s basketball. It is the longest streak among Big 12 players since Brittney Griner’s 116-game streak.
Crooks scored her 2,000th career point with her eighth basket in the first half, good for her 20th point of the night. Crooks is just the fourth Cyclone to reach 2,000 points in an Iowa State career (Angie Welle, Bridget Carleton, Ashley Joens).
The performance marked her seventh 30-point game of the season and 15th of her career.
With 13 made baskets tonight, Crooks also set an ISU junior record for made field goals with 229 makes tonight.
Kenzie Hare made her 50th 3-pointer as a Cyclone with her first triple of the night.
With her fifth board of the night, Sydney Harris pulled down her 150th rebound as a Cyclone.
With two layups in the first quarter, Jada Williams scored her 1,000th career point. As a Cyclone, Williams has scored 306 points through 22 games in the Cardinal and Gold.
Williams also became a top five ISU junior assists leader with her fifth dime of the night. She has posted 169 dimes this season and ranks fourth behind Lyndsey Medders (215), Lindsey Wilson (207) and Emily Ryan (204).
