Crooks scores career-high 36 to power Iowa State past No. 14 Kansas State

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Audi Crooks put Iowa State on her shoulders in the third quarter, scoring 14 of her career-high 36 points as the Cyclones blew past No. 14 Kansas State 85-63 in their regular season finale on Sunday.

With a one-point lead to start the second half, Crooks, a 6-foot-3 sophomore center, was 6-for-6 from the floor plus two free throws in the third quarter as the Cyclones outscored K-State 27-15 to take over the game.

The loss scrambles the Big 12 Conference standings, knocking the Wildcats out of a tie with No. 21 Oklahoma State for the No. 3 seed into the tournament and into a three-way tie for fourth with No. 18 West Virginia and Utah. OSU knocked off Kansas Sunday to clinch the third seed and the Mountaineers, who beat Kansas State head-to-head, get the No. 4 seed and a bye into the semifinals. Kansas State is the No. 5 seed and the Utes the No. 6, and each will have a first-round bye. Iowa State (21-10, 12-6) is the No. 7 seed, also with a first-round tournament bye.

Crooks, the fastest Cyclone in program history to reach 1,000 career points, has now scored in double figures in 63 straight games, one shy of the Iowa State record held by Angie Welle. She was 14 of 18 from the field, 8 of 11 from the line and pulled down 10 rebounds. Senior Emily Ryan scored 17 points and dished 10 assists in her final regular-season game. Kelsey Joens added 10 points and Addy Brown pulled down 10 rebounds to go with her nine points.

Temira Poindexter scored 17 points and Serena Sundell added 10 points, six rebounds and six assists for Kansas State (25-6, 13-5).

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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