Iowa State hosts Iowa in Top-15 women's showdown

AMES — A Top-15 basketball showdown between the unbeaten Iowa State and Iowa women is set for Wednesday night inside Hilton Coliseum.

The No. 10 Cyclones (10-0 overall) take on the 11th-rated Hawkeyes (9-0) at 6 p.m. The contest will be televised by ESPN.

This will mark the highest-ranked matchup in series history.

Former Bishop Garrigan standout Audi Crooks continues to lead the nation in field goal percentage (73.2) while also averaging an NCAA-best 27.6 points per game to pace Iowa State. The junior is pulling down nearly six rebounds a night.

Crooks, the daughter of the late Fort Dodge Senior High graduate Jimmie Crooks and ex-Garrigan standout Michelle (Vitzthum) Cook, has reached double figures in scoring 77 straight times, which is the longest streak ever by a Cyclone basketball player.

The Cyclones are coming off a 105-52 rout of Northern Illinois, as Crooks scored 30 points in limited minutes.

Crooks is far from a one-player show. Teammates Addy Brown (12.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists) and Jada Williams (10.8 points, 6.7 assists) are both in double figures as well, with five others averaging between 5.9 and 8.0 points.

Iowa State is 7-0 at home so far this year.

The Hawkeyes have been just as impressive. Ava Heiden is scoring over 16 points per game, followed by Hannah Stuelke (11.4), Chazadi Wright (10.5) and Taylor McCabe (9.8). Nine different Iowa players are averaging at least five points per contest.

Heiden (9.2) and Stuelke (8.3) are the top rebounders.

The Cyclones are 10-0 for the first time in 12 seasons.

Last year, Iowa protected home court in this matchup with a 75-69 victory. Lucy Olsen had 25 points for the Hawkeyes, who rallied in the fourth quarter to prevail. Sydney Affolter (16) and Stuelke (13) followed.

Crooks scored 31 points to lead Iowa State, with Brown adding 13.

Iowa leads the all-time series, 32-22. The Hawkeyes have won eight of the last 10 matchups, including six of seven and three in a row.