Following a remarkable comeback at home against No. 24 West Virginia, where Iowa State was down as much as 19 at one point, the team has been riding a hot streak with an undefeated conference record (4-0) that goes along with a seven-game win streak.

A main part of this recent success from the Cyclones has come from the energy built from within the team, with the main two coming from freshmen Audi Crooks and Addy Brown.

With every shot they make or every big play that’s made by them or the team in general, Crooks and Brown are always there to raise the team’s energy even when it may be high already.

Both Crooks and Brown have made significant impacts on this young Cyclone team aside from the energy they bring, as they both are leading the team in multiple categories including being the only two players who average double-digit points.

Head coach Bill Fennelly has not been used to this type of energy that has been brought to Iowa State in his 29 seasons being the head coach of the Cyclones, so having Crooks and Brown be those energy makers helps boost confidence levels.

“It’s not something we’ve seen here. Our fans are used to seeing Ashley Joens be a great player, but you wouldn’t see her act that way,” Fennelly said. “But for [Crooks] and [Brown], they believe it’s part of their success. They love to make plays and enjoy the reaction when they do make plays.”

Other players around college basketball and at Iowa State have had moments where they celebrate good plays when it comes around, but for Crooks and Brown, it seems to be a part of their recent success this season.

“It’s a unique thing, they know that they’re good, in a good way,” Fennelly said. “I think they feel that they play better when they are excited and do show their emotion.”

Coming in as freshman and expecting to see a role on the team comes with handling the times that do not go their way. But Crooks and Brown tend not to let those bad times get in their way, as Fennelly enjoys seeing this mentality which has resulted in more success.

“The one thing I’ve been impressed with them, is they don’t get too stressed out about having bad plays,” Fennelly said. “They have that next-play mentality and I believe it’s been a huge part of the way they’ve managed to be successful.”

With the competition growing in a juggernaut Big 12, Iowa State will have to rely on the high energy that Crooks and Brown bring to the team as the conference schedule rolls on.