Nate Heise’s Timely Surge Fuels No. 7 Iowa State’s Dominant Run
There’s a reason Nate Heise wears the captain’s badge for Iowa State - and it’s not just because he talks the loudest in the locker room or logs the most minutes on the floor. Heise is the kind of player who does the gritty stuff that doesn’t always show up in the box score: elite rebounding from the guard spot, relentless defense, and the kind of toughness that sets a tone for everyone around him.
But here’s the thing - Heise can shoot, too. And when he leans into that part of his game, Iowa State doesn’t just win - they dominate.
“I love Nate Heise,” head coach T.J. Otzelberger said, not once, but multiple times when asked about the senior guard.
“I love the relationship that we have. I love how he plays.
I love what he’s about as a person.”
That’s high praise, but Otzelberger’s not just handing out compliments. He’s also pushing Heise to be more aggressive offensively - because when Heise looks to score, the Cyclones reach another gear.
“Score the ball,” Otzelberger said. “Make the aggressive play.
Score the ball. Make the aggressive play.”
That’s been the consistent message from the coaching staff, especially as the calendar flips to February - the time of year when seasons are defined and legacies are built. And if history is any indication, this is when Heise does his best work.
Last year, Heise’s five highest-scoring games came in the final five weeks of the season. Right on cue, he’s heating up again.
Over his last two games, he’s averaging 9.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists - easily his most productive stretch of the year. And while those numbers might not jump off the page, they’re emblematic of the all-around impact Heise has had during Iowa State’s four-game win streak.
“It’s always good to hear a coach say, ‘Score the ball,’” Heise said. “That’s just kind of what he’s been saying the last couple weeks, and that’s beneficial to me - just knowing that we need that as a team to be successful. I think that’s the biggest thing: staying aggressive.”
Heise’s emergence couldn’t come at a better time for the No. 7 Cyclones (20-2, 7-2 Big 12), who host Baylor on Saturday. With opponents laser-focused on slowing down Iowa State’s “big three” - forwards Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic, along with point guard Tamin Lipsey - it opens the door for players like Heise to make their mark.
Jefferson, Momcilovic, and Lipsey are all top-10 finalists for major national awards at their positions, and they usually lead the charge in scoring, rebounding, and playmaking. But as teams scheme to contain them, it’s Heise - along with freshmen Killyan Toure and Jamarion Batemon - who’s finding more space to operate. That’s a big reason Iowa State has won three of its last four games by 30-plus points.
“You hope that every game you can just click like that and win by 30, but that’s unlikely,” said Lipsey, who’s quietly putting together a career-best season with 5.5 assists per game and just 1.1 turnovers. “We’re gonna have ups and downs and bumps in the road, but how we’re playing right now - we’re on such a high. We’re just trying to ride that and continue to stay confident and feed off each other.”
That confidence is contagious, and Heise’s evolving mindset is part of the Cyclones’ surge. He’s no longer just the glue guy - he’s becoming a catalyst.
“I want him to feel far more like that’s the oxygen our team needs to breathe than it’s an extra benefit,” Otzelberger said. “It’s something we have to have.
It’s necessary. It has to show up every possession.”
That’s what makes Heise such a valuable piece of this Iowa State puzzle. He’s not chasing stats or headlines - he’s just doing what the team needs, when they need it most. And right now, that means stepping into the spotlight.
Heise may not always be the first name in the scouting report, but make no mistake - he’s one of the reasons Iowa State is playing like a team with serious March ambitions.