nate heise delivered a breakout March moment as second-seeded Iowa State surged to a 108-74 win over Tennessee State on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cyclones moved on despite a key first-half injury that ended Joshua Jefferson’s night early. As of Friday night ET, Iowa State’s next opponent is set, and the game time is still pending an official announcement.
Record-setting night in St. Louis, with nate heise at the center
Iowa State (28-8) posted 108 points, a program record for an NCAA Tournament game, and piled up 55 points by halftime — the most in a half in the program’s 49 NCAA Tournament games. Killyan Toure scored a career-high 25 points and added 11 rebounds for his first career double-double, while nate heise added 22 points, his most as a Cyclone.
The Cyclones shot 53 percent from the field and hit 11-of-24 from three-point range. Iowa State’s defense also stood out: Tennessee State (23-10) was held below its season average of 80. 5 points per game, marking the 17th straight opponent Iowa State has kept under its own average.
How Iowa State seized control after Jefferson injury
The game’s early turning point arrived almost immediately. Iowa State went ahead 5-3 on a Joshua Jefferson coast-to-coast layup, but Jefferson went down with a lower leg injury on the play and did not return.
Even without Jefferson, Iowa State quickly overwhelmed Tennessee State. After the Tigers cut the margin to 9-7, the Cyclones detonated a 23-0 run over the next five-plus minutes to build a 32-7 lead. During that stretch, Iowa State knocked down five three-pointers, including two by Milan Momcilovic and two by Heise.
The pressure didn’t ease. Iowa State forced 12 Tennessee State turnovers in the first half while shooting 57. 1 percent from the field, carrying a 55-29 lead into the break. The second half followed the same script, as the Cyclones extended the margin and closed out a dominant advance to the second round.
Immediate reactions and verified postgame notes
Iowa State head coach T. J. Otzelberger guided the program to the second round for the fourth time in five seasons under his tenure, an outcome secured with Iowa State’s highest-scoring NCAA Tournament performance on record. Otzelberger also tied Johnny Orr for the most neutral-site wins in school history with 24, a milestone logged in Iowa State’s official postgame notes.
Additional team milestones from Iowa State Athletics included the program improving to 17-8 all-time in NCAA Tournament first-round games and 25-24 overall, while also winning its first tournament game in 14 of the last 18 tournaments. The victory was Iowa State’s 28th of the season, tied for the third-most in school history, and marked the program’s 101st win over the last four years — the most in a four-year span in school history.
Quick context: what this win changes right now
The win moved Iowa State into the NCAA Tournament second round and reinforced a defensive streak that has now reached 17 straight opponents held below their season scoring averages. It also arrived with a notable uncertainty after Jefferson’s lower leg injury, an issue that will hang over preparations heading into the next game.
What’s next: Kentucky awaits, tip time still to be set
Iowa State will face seventh-seeded Kentucky on Sunday, with tip time scheduled to be announced later Friday night ET. If Iowa State carries forward the pace, shooting efficiency, and the perimeter burst it rode in St. Louis — with nate heise coming off his highest-scoring game as a Cyclone — the Cyclones will enter Sunday with momentum and a newly proven ability to surge even when key pieces are forced out midgame.
