Breaking: Unbeaten Iowa State Hosts No. 11 Iowa in Cy-Hawk Showdown Tonight
Ames is buzzing. No. 10 Iowa State, undefeated at 10-0, is on the floor at Hilton Coliseum for a top tier Cy-Hawk clash with No. 11 Iowa. The game is part of the Jimmy V Women’s Classic on ESPN. The stakes are real. The Cyclones are chasing validation to match the hype, and they are doing it in front of a national audience.
This is more than a rivalry night. It is a measuring stick for a fast-rising program that has scored 100 points in back to back games and sits in the center of the national conversation. Iowa State has roared to 10-0 behind center Audi Crooks, who leads Division I scoring at about 27 points per game and dropped a school record 47 points on November 30. It is time to test that power against elite competition.
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The Stage and the Stakes
Hilton Coliseum waits for moments like this. The building is full. Students are loud. You can feel the floor shake when the Cyclones push the pace. Tonight pairs the best start this program has seen in years with the rare sight of both rivals ranked in the top 11, both arriving unbeaten. It is not just bragging rights. It is seeding, ranking and momentum in one December package.
Iowa State’s resume already pops. A 106 to 95 win over Indiana, then a 105 to 52 rout of Northern Illinois, gave the Cyclones their first back to back 100 point nights in school history. Crooks has scored in double figures in 77 straight games. Freshman forward Addy Brown has a triple double on her ledger. Guard Jada Williams sets the tempo and guards the point of attack. If you are building a modern contender, this is the blueprint.
Hilton Magic is real. The crowd swing here often plays like a sixth defender in the fourth quarter.
What This Game Will Decide
Iowa State has punished teams inside, then run past them. Tonight asks a harder question. Can the Cyclones control the paint, value the ball and survive a flurry of threes from a ranked rival on a big stage?
Matchup keys
- Touches for Crooks early, with space from shooters
- Transition defense against quick outlet threes
- Foul discipline on ball screens and in the post
- Bench minutes that hold serve late in the third
This is also a Big 12 signal. A win cements Iowa State as a top tier seed path heading into January. A loss would not erase the start, but it would force tough film sessions on pace control and defensive rebounding against stretch lineups.
Audi Crooks scored a school record 47 points on Nov. 30. Her post footwork and touch are shaping the offense.
The Stars and the Support
Crooks is the anchor. She seals deep, takes contact, and finishes. Her touch from the left block has become automatic, and her improved passing has punished double teams. When she draws two, the ball finds shooters in rhythm.
Brown is the glue. She rebounds out of her area, starts the break and threads backdoor passes. Her triple double earlier this season was not a fluke. She reads the floor like a veteran. Williams brings calm. She gets the Cyclones into their sets, picks her spots to score, and guards the other team’s best ball handler for long stretches.
Together, the trio leads the Cyclones across Big 12 categories, from scoring and efficiency to assists and blocks. The roles fit. The trust is clear.
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The Culture and the Moment
Cy-Hawk nights feel like a state holiday. Families split for a few hours. Teammates across town become rivals. The players feel that energy, then get back to business. Add the Jimmy V Women’s Classic platform, and the game takes on a mission bigger than basketball, with attention and dollars helping fuel cancer research.
It is also history talking. It is rare to see both programs ranked this high at the same time while both undefeated. Iowa State’s 10-0 start, one of the best in school history, now meets a rival that loves to push pace and bomb from deep. The contrast is perfect theater.
The Jimmy V Classic shines a national light on the sport and helps raise money for cancer research.
What Comes Next
A Cyclone win changes the way voters and computers see this team. It boosts the ranking, strengthens a top 16 seed case and sharpens belief heading into the grind of Big 12 play. It also confirms that the Crooks-led offense holds up when the lights are bright.
If Iowa State stumbles, the film will still show a path. More bodies on the glass. Cleaner spacing when doubles hit the post. Sharper closeouts on shooters. The ceiling remains the same.
Either way, tonight is the truth game. And Iowa State wanted it that way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What time is the game and where is it played?
A: Tipoff is tonight at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, with national TV coverage on ESPN.
Q: Why is Iowa State’s start so significant?
A: The Cyclones are 10-0 with back to back 100 point wins and a top 10 ranking.
Q: Who is leading Iowa State’s surge?
A: Center Audi Crooks, about 27 points per game, plus Addy Brown and Jada Williams.
Q: What are the big implications of this game?
A: Rankings, NCAA seeding outlook and in state bragging rights in the Cy-Hawk rivalry.
Q: Did Audi Crooks really score 47 in a game?
A: Yes. She set the school record with 47 points on November 30.
This is the litmus test the Cyclones asked for, and the country is watching. Hilton is ready. Iowa State is on the clock, and the moment is theirs to grab.
