Why Audi Crooks Is the Perfect Fit in Jacie Hoyt’s System

Oklahoma State women’s basketball made one of the more impactful portal additions of the offseason, landing Audi Crooks—a move that immediately reshapes what Jacie Hoyt’s system can look like heading into the new year.

Crooks brings a rare interior scoring presence to Stillwater, giving the Cowgirls a true low-post option who can consistently generate points with her back to the basket. That alone changes everything for Oklahoma State’s offense. In recent seasons under Hoyt, the Cowgirls have leaned heavily on pace, spacing, perimeter shooting and guard-driven creation. With Crooks in the mix, that structure doesn’t disappear—it evolves.

Crooks forces defenses to collapse. Every time she catches the ball on the block, help defenders are pulled into the paint, which naturally opens driving lanes and cleaner kick-out opportunities for Oklahoma State’s perimeter shooters. In Hoyt’s system, where pace and quick decision-making are the focus, that interior attention can improve offensive efficiency almost immediately.

It also creates a more layered pick-and-roll attack. Defenses can no longer load up on guards at the point of attack without consequence. If they do, Crooks becomes the natural release valve on the block or in deep seal positions. If they stay home on her, Oklahoma State’s guards get more space to operate off the dribble and generate cleaner three-point looks. That “pick your poison” dynamic is something the Cowgirls have not consistently had at this level in previous seasons.

Beyond scoring, Crooks brings physicality. Oklahoma State becomes harder to guard in the half court and tougher to contain late in possessions. That matters in Big 12 play, where games often come down to execution in tight spaces, rebounding margins, and the ability to score when tempo slows. Crooks gives OSU a reliable option when sets break down or when the perimeter offense gets stuck.

Rebounding is another impact area. Extra possessions are a major part of Hoyt’s up-tempo philosophy, and Crooks strengthens that on both ends of the floor. Whether it’s extending defensive possessions with boards or creating second-chance scoring opportunities, her presence adds value beyond just scoring.

The adjustment is just as important as the production. Integrating a dominant post player into a system built around guards and pace requires timing, spacing discipline, and buy-in across the roster. The key for the Cowgirls will be maintaining tempo while still finding ways to feature Crooks in advantageous positions—especially early in possessions before defenses can fully set.

Finding that balance is the upside. If Hoyt and her staff can blend Crooks’ interior dominance with their established pace-and-space identity, OSU has the potential to become far more versatile than in previous seasons. They won’t just be a team that runs and shoots—they’ll be a team that can impose multiple styles depending on the matchup.

In a competitive Big 12, that versatility matters. With Audi Crooks now in the fold, Oklahoma State suddenly has a new centerpiece capable of shifting how defenses prepare for them night to night.

The foundation of Jacie Hoyt’s system hasn’t changed—but with Crooks, the ceiling of what it can become absolutely has. 

Now the question becomes: can Crooks replicate her Iowa State scoring production in a new system and a new uniform—and potentially emerge as one of the nation’s leading scorers once again?