March Madness: Iowa State freshman Audi Crooks emotionally reveals she prays for her father before every game following his death in 2021 when she was just 16 after scoring record 40 points in first-round win

Iowa State freshman Audi Crooks spoke emotionally about his late father after leading the Cyclones’ comeback victory in the first round of March Madness.

The center led Iowa State to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 93-86 victory over the Maryland Terrapins on Friday night.

Crooks deservedly hit the Cyclones’ nameplate on the NCAA tournament board after scoring a career-high 40 points, the most by a freshman in women’s March Madness history.

The 6-foot-3 shooter made 18 of 20 shots as No. 7 seed Iowa State beat 10th-seeded Maryland.

Following Iowa State’s comeback victory, Crooks excitedly told the media that his late father, Jimmie, had “the best seat in the house” to watch his impressive record-breaking performance.

“Before every game I try to take a moment and pray,” she said through tears. ‘I am seeking guidance from my father. He passed away when I was 16 in 2021.

‘I just try to take a second to connect and connect with my spiritual side and know that everything is going to be okay. It has the best seat in the house.

Jimmie Crooks died in August 2021 at the age of 55 when Audi was just 16 years old.

Audi reportedly committed to Iowa State shortly after, and Bill Fennelly took her to her favorite Mexican restaurant during the recruiting process, according to ESPN.

Jimmie also reportedly excelled in high school basketball. A 6-foot-8 forward, he averaged 14.5 points for Fort Dodger in 1984-85.

‘I’m just grateful. “I can’t thank the people around me enough,” Crooks added.

“When you’re surrounded by people that you love, that care about you, that trust you as much as they trust you in getting you the ball, that says a lot about how we play as a unit.”

Iowa State made all the big shots in the second half to come back from a 20-point deficit and beat Maryland.

The 20-point comeback marked the second-largest of all time in a women’s NCAA tournament. Only Texas A&M overcame a larger gap with a 21-point deficit to beat Penn in 2017.

“I thought it was one of the most entertaining games I’ve ever been in,” Iowa State coach Fennelly said. “I’m very proud of our team, ecstatic for them.”

Crooks became the first player in NCAA tournament history to score 40 points on 90 percent shooting from the field.

She also tied Brittney Griner for the most points by a Big 12 player in tournament history.

With her display, Crooks became the fourth player in the history of the Iowa State program to score 40 points in a game.

He also scored the most points in an NCAA debut in the last 25 years and the second most in a debut all time.