Lucca Staiger knew his desperation heave had a chance.

With Iowa State clinging to a 57-49 lead over Oregon State<, the Cyclones let the shot clock wind down against a stingy Beaver defense. As the shot clock hit its final seconds, Staiger, realizing Iowa State had no other option, threw up and made a 3-pointer from about 34-feet, sticking a dagger into the Oregon State’s comeback hopes.

“I was waiting for a long rebound,” teammate Craig Brackins said.

The three-pointer prompted a standing ovation and a “ Lucca” chant from the Hilton Coliseum crowd, and capped his team-high 14-point performance in Iowa State’s 63-50 victory.

“That was the best feeling I’ve had so far on the court,” Staiger said.

Staiger started his third straight game, but only had two points at Northern Iowa on Wednesday and three points against Mississippi Valley State last Saturday. Coach Greg McDermott stuck with him, however, and it paid off Saturday.

“I have to remember that I come from a surgery and everything, and try to think positive,” Staiger said. “The coaches have helped me a lot with it and talked to me and stuff so I’m glad about that.”

After the Northern Iowa game, McDermott said Staiger was unhappy with his performance and kept that feeling in the two days after the game. Saturday, not only did Staiger lead the team in points, he also had three assists with no turnovers, and made big plays late in the game.

With the Cyclones leading by only six with under two minutes to play, their smallest margin of the second half, Staiger chased the ball into the backcourt, made a nifty behind the back move to avoid getting it stolen, and threw it to an open Diante Garrett for an assist.

McDermott said the coaching staff is trying to help Staiger avoid focusing on his mistakes.

“Sometimes when you’re so frustrated with your last mistake, you can’t make yourself understand why the mistake happened, and as a result you can’t fix it,” McDermott said. “We’re just trying to get him to be a little more even-keel in his approach to himself, and understand that not everything is going to be perfect.”

After coming off of a knee surgery before the season, Staiger has battled with the knee on a day by day basis. He said the knee felt good on Saturday, though McDermott said some games Staiger will receive less playing time depending on how the knee feels on that day.

Because he spent a year off the court and has been fighting an injury to begin the season, Staiger said he is more appreciative receiving playing time.

“It turned out in a better way even because now I know how I appreciate it so much to be out there,” he said. “It wasn’t all bad to sit out the whole year. I know how excited you can be to be out there. I appreciate it so much.”

McDermott said Staiger brought a spark late in the game when Iowa State needed one.

“I think in large part it’s because he’s so appreciative to be back out on the floor because the game was taken away from him for a year, so he probably appreciates the opportunity more than the rest of our guys,” McDermott said.

And the 13,668 announced fans at Hilton got a spark from the long three-pointer at the end of the game. Staiger noticed the fans chanting his name. It was more welcome to his ears then the “Free Lucca” chant.

“Hilton is just unbelievable,” he said.