If you were up around 11 p.m. central on Sunday, the earth you felt moving under your feet was Oklahoma State landing Audi Crooks in the transfer portal.
The weekend rumor became fact when Crooks announced her intention to play her senior season for the Cowgirls on her social media accounts. Oklahoma State played it up the following day, including a social post that said, “Good morning, it wasn’t a dream.”
One could excuse Oklahoma State for going that way. I’m not sure anyone expected Crooks to land with coach Jacie Hoyt and the Cowgirls. The rumors are flying about the NIL money, and I’m not sure how much to believe the figures I’m reading. But, clearly someone in Stillwater stepped up to help close the deal.
In doing so, Crooks can change the Cowgirl programs in two ways — next season and for the long term.
OSU Next Season
It isn’t just that Crooks landed in Stillwater. Hoyt and her staff did excellent work in the portal before Crooks committed. Hoyt lost nearly her entire roster to either eligibility or the portal. Just one player from a 24-win team remained.
Yes, NIL money is great and one should dismiss the lure. But I must imagine Crooks looked at the talent Hoyt already collected and say, “Yeah, that’ll work.”
The work OSU has done is an all-time heater:
C Audi Crooks (Iowa State): 25.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg
G Ellie Brueggemann (Lindenwood): 14 ppg, 3.1 apg
G Liv McGill (Florida): 22.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg
F Nene Ndiaye (Rutgers): 14.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg
G LA Sneed (Utah): 6.3 ppg, 3.3 apg
F Talexa Weeter (Fort Hays State): 27.5 ppg, 8.9 rpg
That’s a starting lineup and a sixth player. That’s 110.9 points per game. That’s the No. 1 (Crooks) and the No. 6 (McGill) players in the portal class, per ESPN. That’s the best scorer in Division II basketball last season in Weeter. That’s incredible.
And you know the best part? Hoyt still has her best player form the last three seasons, Stailee Heard, a three-time All-Big 12 player who has 13.8 points and 6.8 rebounds for her career. The portal closed on Monday. This is her reward for staying. And if you think Heard is going to get lost in all this talent, you clearly haven’t seen Heard play.
That’s seven players and 123 points per game. I know there’s only one basketball, but, geez.
This is talent with the capability of doing what TCU did two years ago — jumping from a solid program to one that can challenge for a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. It’s the one thing Hoyt hasn’t done in four seasons and three NCAA Tournament appearances. The Cowgirls have won one NCAA Tournament game in her tenure.
If you’re wondering, the furthest the program has ever gotten is the Sweet 16. This group can get the Cowgirls deep in the tournament, which would be catalyst for the other way that Crooks can transform the program.
OSU Long-Term
TCU is a good example of what can be done if you get the right players in the right system through the portal. Before his first year at TCU, coach Mark Campbell convinced two Pac-12 players he recruited while an assistant at Oregon to sign with him — guard Madison Conner and center Sedona Prince. The “Underfrogs” won 21 games but missed the NCAA Tournament. But he used that success to sign guard Hailey Van Lith, another player he tried to recruit at Oregon.
She was accelerant. She transformed the program. TCU won 34 games, the Big 12 regular season and tournament titles and reached the Elite Eight for the first time. All three graduated. But Campbell used that to recruit guard Olivia Miles, forward Marta Suarez and center Clara Silva, among others. TCU won 32 game and got to the Elite Eight again.
Now, Campbell doesn’t have to beat bushes. Transfers come to him. Big-time transfers come to him. He’s in an enviable position. Crooks could be the same springboard for OSU.
If you haven’t seen OSU play since Hoyt arrived, you’re missing out. The Cowgirls are fun. They’re offensive-minded. They play with a chip on their shoulders. Their defensive identity has evolved. They’re a tough, entertaining team. This class of transfers, led by Crooks, will only amplify that. They’ll take it national. OSU will get some big games out of this in non-conference.
What if the Cowgirls get to the Elite Eight next year? What if Crooks is a first-round WNBA draft pick, like Van Lith and Miles? From there, Hoyt doesn’t have to chase. Top-flight transfers will see the success and come to her. It’s an enviable position for a non-traditional women’s college basketball power.
Yes, getting Crooks is a huge deal for next season. But she also represents a massive opportunity for Hoyt and her program. Capitalize this season, build on it the following season and she may find herself in the same boat with Campbell and TCU and give the Big 12 another national program to be reckoned with.
Like I said, the earth moved under my feet. It’s a big deal.
