That summed it up.

Midway through the second half, with just one second left on the shot clock, ISU senior Brittany Wilkins threw up a left-handed hook – a prayer – to beat the clock.

It went in.

“I thought, ‘please just hit rim,'” Wilkins said about the shot. “It went down, and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I don’t know how it went in – that was a miracle.'”

In her final regular-season game as a Cyclone, Wilkins scored 22 points and nabbed eight rebounds, helping spark the Cyclones after struggling through the first half.

Everything seemed to be falling for the senior, whose 22 points came from 10-of-18 shooting.

This season, even the finale, was a long time coming.

“I struggled for a couple seasons with playing time and turning the ball over,” Wilkins said. “A lot of that was getting rid of fear and building confidence.

“I think that’s the way you have to approach life.”

After not playing much her first four years on the team, Wilkins started every game this season for the Cyclones.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever been around many people that have done what Britt [Wilkins] did,” said ISU coach Bill Fennelly. “Most of us in our lives, we won’t wait five minutes . This kid waited five years to play.”

The wait paid off for Wilkins and the Cyclones, who came through in a season where they needed big things to have life in the Big 12.

“If Brittany Wilkins hadn’t played the way she’s been playing, I’m probably getting fired,” Fennelly said. “That’s how bad it could have been.”

How good has Wilkins played this year? Fennelly said it’s good enough for her to be on the Big 12 all-conference team.

“She probably won’t make the all-conference team because nobody knew who she was,” Fennelly said.

“If you look at her numbers, she should be on the all-conference team.”

“There aren’t 10 players in this league that have played better than her.”

The waiting and patience paid off for Wilkins, who said she never doubted her decision to remain a Cyclone.

“I never considered leaving,” Wilkins said. “The coaches continued to give me a chance.

“This year they gave me a chance . I love it at Iowa State, and I wouldn’t trade my decision for the world.”