After getting demolished by fifth-ranked South Carolina in their last game, the Iowa State women’s basketball team desperately needed a big performance Saturday to bounce back.
The Cyclones got it.
Audi Crooks poured in 21 points and grabbed six rebounds as 15th-ranked Iowa State beat Middle Tennessee, 75-59, in the Elevance Health Women’s Fort Myers Tip-Off at Suncoast Credit Union Arena.
Iowa State improved 6-2 on the season and successfully recovered from an ugly 76-36 loss to the reigning national champions just two days earlier.
Nothing seemed to go right for the Cyclones that day. But Iowa State got back on track Saturday shooting 54.7% (29-for-53) from the field including 8-of-19 from 3-point range.
Coach Bill Fennelly tinkered with his starting lineup, tossing freshman Aili Tanke in to start the game. The adjustment worked. Tanke scored eight points on 3-4 shooting from the field.
But the star was Crooks. The Iowa State sophomore connected on 9-of-14 shots from the field. Crooks had plenty of help. Addy Brown, who was held scoreless in the loss to the Gamecocks, was back to her usual self, scoring 12 points and grabbing eight rebounds for the Cyclones.
Brown connected on a 3-pointer as the buzzer expired to give Iowa State a 41-33 lead at halftime. The Cyclones rolled from there going on an 8-0 run in the third quarter to pull away. A 3-pointer by Tanke gave Iowa State a 51-35 lead.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State women’s basketball bounces back to defeat Middle Tennessee
