As we prepare for tomorrow’s NCAA Tournament game between Syracuse and the Iowa State Cyclones, we chatted with Jared Larson from Wide Right & Natty Lite to get some insights on the Cyclones.
TNIAAM: We have to start with Audi Crooks. She’s 2nd in the NCAA in scoring at 25.5 points per game and shooting 64.7% from the field. What is that she does well to get the ball in positions to score?
WRNL: She is really good at getting into position and getting shots from right by the basket at a super efficient
clip. She was that way at Class 1A Bishop Garrigan – 49 points in a state title game – leading her to Miss Iowa basketball in 2023. This season she’s really improved at driving though contact and often connecting on field goals to try and convert a traditional three-point play. Her streak of games with 10+ points is almost to the century mark.
Her ability to get rebounds has also been a delight to watch as the season’s gone by:
I don’t know if we’ll see her drop 40 in a March Madness game again, but that’s the fun of sports. You’ll never know what’ll happen until it happens.
TNIAAM: Syracuse center Uche Izoje is 5th in the country in blocks. Do you think her defense is enough to make Crooks an inefficient scorer?
WRNL: I’m very excited to see the matchup of Izoje versus Crooks. I think playing against Baylor will be a benefit. Watching Crooks improve her footwork over the season has been a bright spot. Crooks will get her double digits, but watch for others like Brown to fill the stat sheet, too.
TNIAAM: The Cyclones are 12th in the country in 3-pt percentage at 36.5% with both Arianna Jackson and Mackenzie Hare above 40%. Are they just getting lots of open looks as teams pack in around Crooks, or is there something else that Iowa State does to get good shots?
That really is the case, if teams double (or even triple) Audi, if she’s able to get it out to someone on the wing they’ll most likely be getting set up for that shot. AJ and Kenzie have been delights to watch. AJ, a legacy Cyclone that is stellar defensively and Kenzie transferring in from Marquette has had shining moments this season, perhaps the buzzer beater over Kansas being one of the brightest moments.
TNIAAM: Syracuse has two Aussies on the roster and Iowa State has one Kiwi…will Oceanic hostilities boil over in Connecticut on Saturday night?
Hopefully not! Very recent birthday haver Lilly Taulelei is a delight to her teammates. She provided lei to lone senior Sydney Harris following her senior night game against the Oklahoma State Cowgirls in February.
TNIAAM: Do you think the UConn fans will have a rooting interest in this one?
For UConn fans, having a rematch from the exciting Big East days could be their sway. The Cyclones and the Huskies played in December 2024, and a trio of Connecticut players – led by Strong’s 29 – scored 27 or more points in a 101-68 victory. I’ll be excited to see how the fan bases travel, but I do expect to hear “hey you, your socks untied” at least once on Saturday.
TNIAAM: Who wins this game and why?
I believe the loss of Darius moves this into the first win in series history for the Cyclones. The 8-9 seeded matchup always provides some of the best excitement of the entire opening weekend of March Madness. Audi will get hers, ie, double digits, Izoje will block some shots but at the end of the day it’ll be fun watching and seeing how the teams adjust. Give me the Cyclones, with a refreshed Addy Brown 76-67.
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Thanks to Jared for taking the time to do this preview with us. You can find Jared on social media @Jar_Lar often sharing something from Newspapers.com or whatever sporting event he’s been taking pictures at.
