The dream ended abruptly.

Senior Brittany Wilkins had a standout season for the ISU women’s basketball team, earning all-Big 12 honorable mention status and being named to the all-Big 12 tournament team.

Tuesday’s second-round WNIT loss to Marquette was Wilkins’ last in an ISU jersey.

“I love this place, and I’m going to miss it,” Wilkins said. “It’s hard to let go after five years.”

Wilkins had 13 points and six rebounds in her finale as a Cyclone, ending her tenure with 955 points.

She scored 498 of those this season and started all 31 games. She had started just 18 throughout her first three seasons.

“Britt [Wilkins] had a hell of a year,” said junior guard Lyndsey Medders. “She deserved everything she got.”

Still, Wilkins said she wasn’t ready to say farewell.

“When it’s been a part of your life for five years, it’s hard to [take it] that this is the last time,” she said.

Wilkins had 11 double-doubles this season, opening eyes throughout the nation. ISU coach Bill Fennelly said Wilkins’ presence will be missed next season.

“Britt [Wilkins] is someone who’s done a lot for this university,” he said. “She’s one of the more popular players we’ve had here in the way she conducts herself on and off the court.

She had a phenomenal senior season.”

Fennelly also said it’s not just her heart that will be missed.

“She scored, she played a lot of minutes and she competed,” he said. “Her numbers are hard to replace.”

Medders, however, said the Cyclones find it hard to swallow this loss when they could have continued playing with a win.

“We just kept trying to win games for her and for [senior] Kandice [Beenken],” Medders said.

“I don’t think people were expecting the year that Britt [Wilkins] had, so that’s going to be a huge hole to fill.”

The collegiate career may be over, but Wilkins said the experience will be remembered for a lifetime.

“I love these girls and I love this program, and I wouldn’t trade any of this for the world,” she said. “I’ll always be a Cyclone.”