Following their upset victory over Houston, the No. 6 Cyclones will hit the road for a two-game trip in Utah, with their first stop taking on No. 23 BYU on Saturday.
With a 70-67 victory under their belt that kept the Iowa State fans inside Hilton Coliseum on their toes, the Cyclones found themselves with a humble teammate, redshirt senior guard Nate Heise, to seal the win with a 3-point shot in the final 1:17 mark.
Heise’s shot was a shot clock beater, which went up with two seconds left on the clock and left his hands in four-tenths (0.4) of a second.
“That was one of the most spirited moments ever in Hilton Coliseum,” head coach T.J. Otzelberger said. “I’ve seen some great ones, some great shots, some great comebacks, been part of some great wins. That was one that we should all cherish for a long time.”
Although faced with an incredible shot and backed by a full-out team performance, Iowa State returns to its usual practices and treats every game the same. Specifically, taking a lot of pride in doing a lot together as a team, which will be vital during its day-long trips to Utah.
“It’s just the same as always, nothing changes,” freshman forward Dominykas Pleta said. “The routines stay the same, we practice the same. So we feel confident.”
“We eat all our meals together, do extra things outside, go to the girls’ games together, just enjoying each other’s presence off the court,” freshman guard Jamarion Batemon said. “Makes it so much better on the court when you’re doing what we love to do.”
In contrast to Iowa State’s upset victory, BYU will play at home following a 75-68 loss against No. 4 Arizona on the road Wednesday.
Despite the loss, freshman forward AJ Dybantsa fueled the Cougars offensive success, as he secured 35 points by shooting 13-for-28, marking his sixth time securing over 30 points this season.
“Obviously, they’re a prolific offensive team,” Otzelberger said. “I mean, Dybantsa, there’s not a good answer for how to guard him; it’s not a one-person job. His free throw rate, the numbers are off the charts, his ability to create his own shot, score the basketball is at such a high level.”
Dybantsa currently shoots 75% from the charity stripe and averages 24.8 points per game. Close behind Dybantsa is sophomore Robert Wright III, who averages 18.5 points per game, shooting 45% from deep and 50% from behind the line.
“Rob Wright, who’s one of the best scoring guards in all the country,” Otzelberger said. “He’s got such great speed, his confidence in his shot-making ability. So those two guys are such tough covers one-on-one, such difficult covers and in transition, they’re difficult certainly on the offensive after they get an offensive rebound.”
BYU played Arizona and will compete against Iowa State with its starting guard, Richie Saunders, who suffered a torn ACL in the Cougars’ 90-86 overtime victory against Colorado on Sunday.
“Still a good team without Saunders,” Batemon said. “Definitely play a little differently, with other guys having to step up. Then you see the two main guys, Rob Wright and AJ [Dybantsa], doing a lot. So definitely got to contain those two, but it’ll be fun.”
The Cougars enter the game with a 19-7 overall record, holding a 10-2 record at home and 3-4 away. BYU will also enter the game holding a two-game win streak over the Cyclones, the most recent win being a 96-92 victory in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament the year prior.
In hopes of redeeming themselves, the Cyclones will take on No. 23 BYU in Provo, Utah, at 9:30 p.m. Saturday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
