Mar 13, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Nate Heise (0) rebounds during the first half against the Brigham Young Cougars at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
AMES — Nate Heise slumped in his chair.
For four consecutive years, the Iowa State transfer guard watched the NCAA Tournament brackets pop onto his TV screen knowing his team would not be there.
No suspense. No chance. No “Big Dance” prospects to dream about for senior from Lake City, Minn.
That changed during this Selection Sunday show — and Heise smiled, certain he’d finally get an opportunity to play on college basketball’s biggest stage.
“That’s what I’ve dreamt about my whole life,” said Heise, who’s poised to play major minutes in the No. 3 seed Cyclones’ first-round tournament game against 14-seed Lipscomb at 12:30 p.m. (TNT) Friday at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. “So that’s what I focused on and thought about when I transferred here. That’s been the entire thing.”
Heise’s role expanded the last month of the season with star senior guard Keshon Gilbert in and out of the lineup. Now that Gilbert’s been shut down to focus on healing a lingering muscle strain, Heise’s strength and skill on both ends of the floor becomes even more vital for ISU (24-9), which has advanced to the Sweet 16 in two of head coach T.J. Otzelberger’s three seasons.
And he’s not the only Cyclone transfer to never experience March Madness — though he did play in the NIT for Northern Iowa as a sophomore. Twice-transferred big men Brandton Chatfield and Dishon Jackson will also play in their first NCAA Tournament, and all three will help determine if ISU makes another strong run or stumbles in the opening weekend.
“They work incredibly hard,” said Otzelberger, whose team opened as a 14.5-point favorite against the Bisons (25-9). “When we recruit guys, we talk to them about what the day to day is gonna be. And I think we’re very transparent that it’s not gonna be for everybody. So if you want to come here, you’d better be committed to the work, and if you do that, you’re gonna develop, you’re gonna be a better person, you’re gonna improve your game, you’re gonna be surrounded by like-minded people, and at the end of it, you’re gonna accomplish a lot of great things.”
Heise established Cyclone career highs in scoring three consecutive games during the last month of the season. The 6-5 senior’s also shooting a career-best 37.1 percent from 3-point range despite starting the season 7-for-26 from beyond the arc. Heise’s also one of ISU’s best on-ball defenders and is averaging 5.3 rebounds over the past six games.
“(He’s) playing with extreme confidence,” Otzelberger said. “He’s going out there and he’s extremely impactful.”
Jackson’s production has also spiked lately – and he’s scored in double figures three straight games for the first time since December. Chatfield’s been a ferocious offensive rebounder off the bench all season, and ranks third on the team in that area despite averaging just 14.5 minutes per game.
“They’ve worked really hard this year, so I’m happy they get to see what March Madness is all like, and the excitement behind it,” said fellow transfer Joshua Jefferson, who has previous tournament experience with St. Mary’s.
Heise’s hyped to finally be part of it, and not just because it will be his first time.
“(It’s been) one of the most fun seasons of my life,” he said. “Everyone (has) stepped up in different moments, and that’s what being a team is.”
