Nate Heise’s Heroics Cap Off Cyclones’ Stunning Comeback Over No. 2 Houston
On a night when his sister Taylor was making Olympic headlines with her first goal for Team USA, Nate Heise decided to write a moment of his own - one that Cyclone fans won’t forget anytime soon.
With less than 90 seconds left in a heavyweight Big 12 showdown between No. 6 Iowa State and No.
2 Houston, Heise - a graduate wing who averages just over five points per game - found himself wide open in the corner. One catch, one confident release, and one swish later, Hilton Coliseum erupted.
That three-pointer didn’t just give the Cyclones the lead - it sealed a 70-67 statement win and capped a furious 17-4 run to close the game.
For a team that had dropped 10 straight games when trailing by double digits in the second half, this was more than just a win. It was a gut-check, a rallying cry, and another chapter in the lore of Hilton Magic.
A Tale of Two Halves
This was billed as a clash of elite defenses - both teams rank among the nation’s best at forcing turnovers and suffocating opponents. But the first half told a different story. Iowa State and Houston combined for 13 made threes before halftime, and the Cyclones in particular looked unbothered by Houston’s trademark ball-screen pressure.
Give credit to Iowa State’s offensive execution. Whenever Houston brought the heat with blitzes, the Cyclones made smart reads - hitting the short roll, swinging the ball, and finding the open man.
One of the most effective playmakers was forward Joshua Jefferson, who led the team with 12 points and five assists. He was the steady hand in the middle of the chaos, and it was his skip pass that found Heise for the game-winner with 1:17 to go.
Houston’s Second-Half Surge
Of course, Kelvin Sampson’s teams don’t stay down for long. Houston came out of the locker room with renewed intensity, especially on the glass. Center Chris Cenac Jr. was a force, grabbing 10 of his 12 rebounds in the second half - including three on a single possession that set the tone early after intermission.
Then came Kingston Flemings. The freshman guard, who hadn’t made a three in five straight games, suddenly couldn’t miss.
He poured in 22 points with four triples, showing off the kind of quick-trigger scoring and downhill burst that’s made him one of the most exciting young guards in the country. With graduate guard Emanuel Sharp sidelined by foul trouble, Flemings took over.
And when Houston pushed its lead to 10 with just over seven minutes to play, it felt like the Cougars were ready to close the door.
But Iowa State had other plans.
The Role Players Rise
TJ Otzelberger’s squad has been defined by its balance all season, and that depth showed up when it mattered most. While Jefferson continued to orchestrate from the high post, it was a trio of unsung heroes who sparked the comeback.
Freshman Jamarion Batemon hit a pair of clutch threes, including a deep one with 2:10 left that briefly gave ISU the lead. Backup big man Dominykas Pleta made the most of his minutes, finishing around the rim off a slick drive-and-dish from Tamin Lipsey. And then, of course, there was Heise - cool, calm, and collected in the corner, delivering the dagger in front of the Cyclones’ bench.
Final Possession Drama
Houston still had a shot. Down two with 19.5 seconds left, Sampson put the ball in Flemings’ hands - no surprise there.
But this time, the freshman couldn’t finish the story. Driving hard into the lane, Flemings slipped and had to tip the ball to Cenac, who airballed a hook shot under pressure.
Iowa State center Blake Buchanan secured the rebound and was fouled, giving the Cyclones a chance to ice the game. Buchanan missed the front end of a one-and-one, but Lipsey - ever the energizer - came flying in for the offensive board, tipping it to Jefferson with just under two seconds left.
Game over. Cyclones win.
A Heise Family Doubleheader
It’s not every day that siblings make national headlines in different sports within hours of each other. But for the Heise family, Monday will be one for the scrapbooks.
Taylor lit the lamp in Olympic play. Nate lit up Hilton Coliseum.
More importantly for Iowa State, this was their third top-10 win of the season - and second in just three days. The Cyclones are now riding a nine-game home win streak against top-10 opponents, and they’re right in the thick of the Big 12 title race.
What’s Next
Houston won’t have much time to dwell on the loss. The Cougars now return home to face No.
4 Arizona, a team trying to rebound from back-to-back defeats. Arizona faces No.
23 BYU on Wednesday, and if they handle business, Saturday’s matchup with Houston could decide first place in the Big 12 - and potentially shake up the top line of the NCAA Tournament bracket.
But for now, the spotlight belongs to Iowa State - and to Nate Heise, who proved that clutch moments don’t care about stat lines or headlines. Sometimes, they just find the right player at the right time.