When it mattered most, it was the seniors that stepped up in their final game at Hilton Coliseum.

After coming back to take the lead following No. 13 Oklahoma State’s 6-0 run to start the game, Iowa State never again trailed in the final 36 minutes. But when the Cowboys (22-7, 12-5 Big 12) moved within two points of the Cyclones (20-10, 10-7), the ISU seniors responded.

“It was very special for us,” said senior ISU guard Chris Babb, capping off the victory. “We knew at some point they were going to make their run and being leaders and being seniors we knew we had to come together and get stops.”

Leading 70-68 with 4:28 remaining in the game and Oklahoma State charging back, ISU guard Will Clyburn hit a 3-pointer. The shot broke the ISU single-season record as it was No. 294 for the Cyclones as a team and started an 8-0 run that would lift Iowa State to an 87-76 resume-building win.

“He stepped up and shot that huge 3 there when they cut it to two [points],” said ISU coach Fred Hoiberg of Clyburn. “I heard a guy behind me yell ‘Why?’ and then it went in. We all cheered.”

The pass also came from a senior as guard Korie Lucious dished it to Clyburn for one of his six assists. The Cyclones had 21 assists overall on 27 made baskets.

“I don’t know who it was that found me,” Clyburn said as Lucious raised his hand to tell him. “I just wanted to stay aggressive and try to make a play.”

The win came following back-to-back Big 12 losses for the Cyclones that put them on the NCAA tournament bubble. After losing to Oklahoma by 17 last Saturday in their worst loss of the season, ISU players held a team meeting in the days leading up to senior night on March 6.

The meeting was simple; the Cyclones wanted to make sure they left everything on the court.

“We had a long talk just as players; we just let everything out. I think that was the turning point so far,” Babb said. “We just came together and knew we had to finish out the season strong. We’ve come too far and worked too hard. We’ve all sat out and been through everything together.”

Seniors weren’t the only contributors in the team’s signature victory. Freshman Georges Niang scored 18 points while junior Melvin Ejim added 13 points and 12 rebounds.

With the game hanging in the balance, though, it was the seniors who finished and the seniors who were able to enjoy walking off the court at Hilton to Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” playing above one last time.

“All our seniors had huge impacts on this win tonight,” Hoiberg said. “What they’ve been doing for this program for two years has been special — to get this program back on the map and really giving us a boost.”

As for what the win means for the team’s NCAA tournament chances, Iowa State believes those are looking up.

“Watch out for the Cyclones,” Lucious said. “We’re coming.”