Nate Heise's corner trey lifts No. 6 Iowa State past Houston 70-67
AMES, Iowa — Nate Heise hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and Tamin Lipsey grabbed a decisive offensive rebound in the closing seconds as No. 6 Iowa State rallied for a 70-67 victory over second-ranked Houston on Monday night (ET). The Cyclones closed the game on a 17-4 run to topple the Big 12 leader and hand Houston its first loss in six outings.
Heise delivers in crunch time; Lipsey, Jefferson finish the job
With the score tied late, Heise stepped into the left corner and sank a trey with 1: 17 remaining to push Iowa State ahead, 69-67. Houston had two opportunities to respond, but a shot-clock violation with 43 seconds left and a missed attempt by Chris Cenac Jr. with four seconds remaining allowed the Cyclones to hold on.
Blake Buchanan grabbed a rebound on Cenac's miss but missed the front end of a one-and-one. Lipsey hustled for the offensive rebound and knocked the ball back to Joshua Jefferson, who was fouled with one second to play. Jefferson made the first free throw for the final margin.
Heise finished 3-for-3 from beyond the arc and scored 11 points. Jefferson led the Cyclones with 12, while Buchanan contributed 10.
Momentum swing and what it means in the Big 12
The comeback capped a dramatic sequence for Iowa State, which had also beaten a top-10 opponent three days earlier. The 17-4 closing spurt underscored the Cyclones' balance and poise in late-game situations. Coach T. J. Otzelberger praised Heise's confidence and singled out the performance as one of the guard's best as a Cyclone: "Of all the games from him as a Cyclone, tonight stands out as the one that was most elite. The confidence he's playing with is awesome. "
The loss halted Houston's six-game win streak and trimmed the Cougars' conference lead. Houston sits a half-game ahead of another top team as the league schedule tightens; Iowa State remains in the mix and is one game back in the Big 12 hunt.
Individual bright spots and next steps
Houston received 22 points from Kingston Flemings, while Emanuel Sharp produced 16 — all coming in the first half — and Milos Uzan added 11. Houston coach Kelvin Sampson acknowledged the difficulty of winning in Ames but expressed disappointment the visitors couldn't close it out: "Iowa State's good. It's not an easy place to come in and win. I'm disappointed we didn't win. I'm not disappointed in our effort. "
The game also carried a unique family subplot. Heise, who was perfect from deep on the night, said his performance came hours after his sister, Taylor Heise, scored in Team USA's win that sent the women's hockey team to the gold-medal game at the Milan Cortina Olympics. Heise smiled at the thought of the family text chain: "It'll be fun because I think they went to sleep before the [Iowa State] game started, so they'll wake up to some fun texts. Obviously, it was cool earlier when she scored a goal and they won and they're on to the championship. So, pretty good day. "
The victory gives Iowa State a signature late-season win and keeps the Cyclones firmly positioned for a run through the final stretch of the conference slate. Both teams now refocus quickly, with Houston set to return home for its next matchup and Iowa State looking to build on consecutive high-profile wins.
