Craig Brackins drained a spinning fade away on the Cyclones first possession, but that was just the start.

Brackins put on a show, scoring 21 points from all over the court and pulling down seven boards, as he propelled the Cyclones to a 67-55 win over Loyola Marymount on Saturday. It was the team’s second win in Hilton Coliseum in 16 hours.

“Coach told me to go in there and we needed a spark,” Brackins said. “We needed to play better defensively and offensively. So I just told myself to go out there and play hard, we were able to do that and get results.”

Brackins spent most of the first half of Iowa State’s narrow win over UC Davis on Friday on the bench after two early fouls, but he didn’t pick up his second foul Saturday till the final minute of the half. That, he said, allowed him to be more aggressive in a second half in which he scored 12 points.

“I thought they were going to come at me and try to get me in foul trouble,” Brackins said. “It helps a lot because you don’t really worry about [foul trouble] as much because then the next foul, I mean you don’t have to worry about it as bad as if you already have two or three.”

Brackins in just his sophomore year, has impressed Coach Gregg McDermott.

“We all know what he is capable of and I think he is closer to doing it on a consistent level certainly than he was at the end of last year,” McDermott said. “He’s going to continue to grow. I’m as guilty as probably all of our fans in wanting so much more out of Craig all the time and I keep reminding myself he is two games into his sophomore season. He has a chance to be a special player.”

The Cyclones were carried by their 3-point shooting all night. Friday, the Cyclones went just 1-of-9 from the arc to start the game, but on Saturday they started 4-of-8 and finished 10-of-26 for the game.

“I think it is a big deal for our team especially because teams have to respect our three point shot,” said freshman Wes Eikmeier. “All of our shooters, whenever we come out they are going to be really aware of where we are all at. I just think it will open up lanes for our point guards and I think that being to score in different ways other than just getting to the basket is really going to help our team.”

After getting out to an early 24-8 lead lead, LMU went on a 22-9 run to close the half and the score to 33-30. But the Cyclones, led by Brackins and Eikmeier, went on their own 27-7 run to open the second half and stretch the lead to 60-38.

Eikmeier, who spurred the Cyclones comeback Friday by going 3-of-5 from the arc, provided a hot hand through out the game. He scored 15 points, all on three pointers, shooting 5-of-10 from 3-point land.

“I’m glad I’ve been knocking down a few shots and I’ve been missing a couple of open looks, but I mean I think I that will come with getting my freshman jitters out a little bit,” Eikmeier said.

McDermott, who said he has been impressed with his shooting practice sessions, hasn’t been surprised by Eikmeier’s hot start.

“Anything he does shooting the basketball doesn’t surprise me,” McDermott said. “He has carried his shooting ability over to college and when you do that you should expect results.”

Sophomore Diante Garrett, a day after hitting the game winning shot, dished out 11 assists and only turned the ball over one time. The 11 assists were the most since Curtis Stinson recorded 10 on Feb. 5, 2006.

Lucca Staiger, who’s still battling back from arthoscopic knee surgery, played just seven minutes and didn’t score a point. McDermott said he might not be at full strength for at least six weeks.

The Cyclones go for their third straight win at 7 p.m. Sunday against University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin in the finale of the World Vision Classic.