Audi Crooks scored 28 points but her Iowa State team fell agonizingly short of a shock upset in the curtain-raising game of the women’s March Madness on Friday.
Iowa State lost 74-80 to Michigan Wolverines, meaning one of the fan favorites in the women’s side is out at the first hurdle.
And while Crooks impressed, her teammate Addy Brown struggled to back her up and finished with a tally of eight points.
Jordan Hobbs of the Wolverines also impressed with 28 points of her own to propel her side to an opening round victory.
Crooks, 20, was in brilliant form earlier this week, the 6-foot-3 center pouring in 27 points and three rebounds for the Cyclones as they beat Princeton to move into the first round.
‘Audi Crooks hit the portal. You deserve better,’ one fan wrote seconds after the game ended.
Audi Crooks and Iowa State lost 74-80 in the first game of the women’s NCAA tournament
Fans were hugely excited to see Crooks in action after her star display earlier this week
Another wrote: ‘Damn man I really wanted Audi Crooks and Iowa State to go far in this March Madness tournament.
‘Still dropped 28 though. She’s definitely one of my favorite college players right now.’
Crooks has established herself as one most prolific scorers in women’s college basketball this season, averaging 23.2 points per game to go along with 7.6 rebounds and 1.1 ‘stocks’ (steals plus blocks) per contest.
And the Algona, Iowa native is no stranger to upping her play in March.
Including last year’s trip to the NCAA Tournament, which ended with a loss to Stanford in the second round, Crooks has averaged a staggering 25.7 points per game in March Madness.
But unfortunately this time, it wasn’t enough despite her team threatening a surprise win.
