Fans Call For Audi Crooks to Transfer After Iowa State NCAA Tournament Elimination

The No.11 seed Iowa State Cyclones women's basketball team has been eliminated from the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Friday after they were beaten by the No. 6 seed Michigan Wolverines by a score of 80-74.
Despite the defeat, Cyclones star center Audi Crooks was fantastic in the game, as she finished with 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists in 33 minutes played. This finished an awesome sophomore season where Crooks averaged 23.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, which was enough to earn her third-team All-America honors a few days ago.
It's difficult to imagine that the Cyclones would have made it to the NCAA Tournament this season without Crooks on their roster, given that she has been their best player by far. And in the wake of Friday's loss, some fans on social media are asserting that now is the right time for Crooks to transfer so she can find success at another school.
"Audi crooks hit the portal. You deserve better," one X user wrote along with a GIF of actor Mark Ruffalo protesting something on the street.
Audi crooks hit the portal. You deserve better pic.twitter.com/pWwa1CHffz
— Domo 🗽 🏆 (@ddubxdo) March 21, 2025
Another fan added, "Audi Crooks gotta hit the transfer portal."
Audi Crooks gotta hit the transfer portal.
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) March 21, 2025
"Audi Crooks gone ahead and hit that transfer portal 🕊️," a third fan wrote.
Audi Crooks gone ahead and hit that transfer portal 🕊️
— itsskaylaa (@shehoops12_) March 21, 2025
There's no indication that Crooks intends to transfer out of Iowa State at this point in her career. But if she wants a chance to compete for an NCAA national championship before her college career ends, leaving the Cyclones in favor of another school may be her only opportunity.
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Grant Young covers women’s basketball for Women’s Fastbreak and Indiana Fever On SI. His coverage centers on league trends and the growth of women’s basketball, both on and off the court. He also creates digital content focused on the sport’s biggest moments and personalities.
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