AMES, Iowa — Nate Heise sank a decisive three-point shot and Tamin Lipsey secured an offensive rebound during the closing moments, concluding No. 6 Iowa State’s comeback in a 70-67 triumph against Big 12 frontrunner and second-ranked Houston on Monday evening.
Heise converted all three of his three-point attempts, just hours subsequent to his sister, Taylor Heise, scoring a goal that assisted the U.S. Women’s Olympic hockey squad in their 5-0 victory over Sweden, thereby advancing to the gold-medal match in Milan.
“Among his performances as a Cyclone, this evening’s display truly distinguished itself as exceptional,” remarked Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger regarding Heise. He added, “The self-assurance he exhibits in his play is magnificent.”
The Cyclones (23-3, 10-3) concluded the game with a 17-4 surge, enabling them to defeat a second top-10 squad within a three-day period. Iowa State had previously overcome No. 8 Kansas with a score of 74-56 on Saturday.
The Cougars (23-3, 11-2) saw their six-game winning streak end, and their conference advantage was reduced to merely a half-game ahead of No. 4 Arizona, prior to their upcoming Saturday contest in Houston. Iowa State currently occupies the third position, trailing Houston by one game.
From the left corner, Heise drained the three-point shot with 1:17 remaining, affording the Cyclones a 69-67 advantage. Houston received two opportunities to equalize or seize the lead; however, a shot-clock violation was called against them with 43 seconds left, followed by Chris Cenac Jr.’s missed attempt with four seconds remaining.
Blake Buchanan drew a foul subsequent to securing Cenac’s missed shot, yet he failed to convert the initial attempt of a one-and-one. Nevertheless, Lipsey secured the offensive board, nudging the ball toward Joshua Jefferson, who was then fouled with a mere second remaining. Jefferson successfully sank his first free throw, establishing the ultimate score difference.
Jefferson emerged as Iowa State’s top scorer with 12 points. Heise contributed 11, and Buchanan added 10.
“Iowa State is formidable. It presents a challenging venue for achieving a victory,” stated Houston coach Kelvin Sampson. He further commented, “While I am disappointed by our failure to win, I am not dismayed by our endeavor.”
Kingston Flemings spearheaded Houston’s scoring with 22 points. Emanuel Sharp amassed 16 points, all of which occurred in the initial half. Milos Uzan contributed 11 points.
This report received contributions from The Associated Press.