Crooks has 23 points and go-ahead basket as Iowa State women top Baylor in Big 12 tourney 67-62

Mar 10, 2025, 06:09 am

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- — Audi Crooks scored 23 points including the go-ahead basket with 41 seconds left and Emily Ryan made all eight of her free throws in the fourth quarter to help Iowa State wrap up a 67-62 win over No. 17 Baylor in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament.

The fourth-seeded Cyclones (19-10) will take No. 19-ranked and top seed Oklahoma in Monday's semifinals.

Crooks scored underneath to give Iowa State the lead and Ryan made four free throws from there to complete a 12-1 game-ending run while fifth-seeded Baylor missed its final nine shots.

Dre’Una Edwards hit a pair of 3s and Sarah Andrews hit another from deep to give Baylor (24-7) its largest lead, 61-55, with 3 1/2 minutes remaining. Those were Baylor's lone field goals in the final period as the Bears went 3 of 24 in the quarter. Iowa State only put up seven shots, making four, but all 11 of their free-throw attempts came in the period and they made 10.

Ryan finished with 12 points and she collected her program-record 746th career assist and 10th of the game on Crooks' go-ahead basket. Ryan passed Nikki Moody (2012-15), who had 745.

Addy Brown scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for Iowa State, which outshot Baylor 47% to 31% and survived 22 turnovers that led to 25 Baylor points.

Dre’Una Edwards scored 17 points and Bella Fontleroy 14 for the Bears.

Iowa State led 36-31 at halftime but an Edwards' 3-pointer gave the Bears a 50-48 lead through three quarters.

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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball