Iowa State Rallies Late to Stun No. 2 Houston in Top-10 Thriller
In a game that felt like March arrived early, No. 6 Iowa State delivered a gutsy comeback in front of a raucous crowd in Ames, knocking off Big 12 leader and second-ranked Houston, 70-67, on Monday night. The Cyclones closed the game on a 17-4 run, flipping the script in the final minutes and handing the Cougars just their third loss of the season.
Nate Heise played the hero with a clutch corner three that gave Iowa State the lead for good with 1:17 remaining. The shot capped a perfect night from deep for Heise, who went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc-just hours after his sister, Taylor Heise, helped propel the U.S.
Women’s Olympic hockey team to the gold medal game in Milan. Not a bad day for the Heise family.
But this win was about more than just one shot. It was about toughness, timely plays, and a team that refused to fold.
Tamin Lipsey’s hustle in the final seconds might not show up in the box score as a bucket, but it sealed the deal. After Blake Buchanan missed the front end of a one-and-one with four seconds left, Lipsey fought through traffic to tip the rebound back to Joshua Jefferson, who was fouled with one second on the clock.
Jefferson hit one of two free throws to give Iowa State the final three-point cushion.
Jefferson led the Cyclones with 12 points, while Heise added 11 and Buchanan chipped in 10. It wasn’t a dominant offensive performance, but Iowa State made the plays that mattered most when the game was on the line.
Houston, meanwhile, looked like it had things under control. The Cougars led for much of the second half and got 22 points from Kingston Flemings, who was aggressive and efficient.
Emanuel Sharp poured in 16-all in the first half-and Milos Uzan added 11. But when it came time to close, Houston stumbled.
A shot-clock violation with 43 seconds left and a missed jumper by Chris Cenac Jr. in the final seconds opened the door-and Iowa State barged right through it.
The loss snaps Houston’s six-game winning streak and tightens the race atop the Big 12 standings. The Cougars now hold just a half-game lead over No.
4 Arizona, who visits Houston on Saturday in what’s shaping up to be a heavyweight showdown. Iowa State, sitting just one game back, heads to Provo for a tough road test against No.
23 BYU.
For Iowa State, this win comes just two days after a dominant 74-56 victory over No. 8 Kansas. That’s two top-10 wins in three days-momentum doesn’t get much better than that heading into the final stretch of conference play.
The Cyclones are showing they’re more than just a tough out-they’re a legitimate contender. And if they keep closing games like this, nobody’s going to want to see them come tournament time.