Iowa State doesn’t need star Audi Crooks to be great. Such as the argument of Iowa women’s basketball head coach Jan Jensen at media availability on Tuesday. While Crooks leads Division I in scoring with 27.6 points per game and is the clear face of the Cyclones, her supporting cast is just as potent. Jensen said tenth-ranked Iowa State would still be in the top-20 even without Crooks.
With a dangerous three-point attack and a new threat at point guard, Iowa State will be a tough test for No. 11 Iowa as the two undefeated squads square off at Hilton Coliseum on Wednesday night in Ames.
“I still don’t really know how good we are yet, but I love what I’ve seen,” Jensen said.
Iowa State will be Iowa’s second ranked matchup this season, as the Hawkeyes defeated then-No. 7 Baylor last month in Orlando. Since that trip south, injuries have plagued a trio of Hawkeye guards. Second-year Chit-Chat Wright returned to action on Saturday against Rutgers, but received a blow to the face in the first half and did not return for precautionary reasons.
Jensen said Wright will be “good to go” on Wednesday, but maintained doubt for Emely Rodriguez and Teagan Mallegni. Rodriguez is dealing with a back ailment and is day-to-day. Meanwhile, Mallegni did not travel with the team to New Jersey and did not practice on Sunday.
With limited depth, Iowa will face an Iowa State squad that has efficiently replaced a program great. In her final Cy-Hawk game last year, senior guard Emily Ryan dropped nine points and eight assists. She would finish her career as the program’s leader in assists and became just the third NCAA women’s basketball player to record 1,500 points, 900 assists, and 600 rebounds.
Arizona transfer Jada Williams now occupies Ryan’s spot at point guard and leads the team with 6.7 assists per game. Recruited by Iowa out of the portal, Williams adds 10.8 points per contest.
With Crooks on the floor, Iowa State dominates in the paint. Crooks shoots 73 percent from the floor while the Cyclones fire from 53 percent from the clip, ranking second and third in Division I, respectively. Jensen said if Crooks gets the ball at the block, the 6-foot-3 junior is hard to stop.
“She doesn’t really have a bad game,” the coach said. “I don’t think anybody’s shut her down. You’ve got to rebound when she misses, but also pay attention to the other players.”
These other players are lethal from beyond the arc. Iowa State ranks 22nd in Division I in three-point percentage and features four players shooting at least 44 percent. Junior guard Arianna Jackson leads the pack at 52 percent, followed by Kenzie Hare and Reagan Wilson at 50 percent each.
Guarding both Crooks and the perimeter will be a balancing act for the Hawkeyes. Tasked with this challenge might be senior forward Hannah Stuelke. Jensen praised Stuelke’s defensive efforts but added she needs to be more consistent offensively. Stuelke shot a combined 33 percent over Iowa’s last two games.
“I hope she goes out and attacks it,” Jensen said. “So everyone can see what Hannah is capable of.”
Iowa and Iowa State tip off at 6 p.m. Wednesday on ESPN.