Iowa State Basketball Starter Performing at High Level With Joshua Jefferson Out

Which player from the Iowa State Cyclones has performed well with a star out?

Mar 20, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger addresses the media after a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Tennessee State Tigers at Enterprise Center. | Jeff Le-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones will be back in the Sweet 16 on Friday against the Tennessee Volunteers, and the program should be very proud of how they performed in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament. 

Coming into March Madness, the Cyclones were a program riding high and feeling good about how they performed in the Big 12 tournament. With a couple of really convincing wins for the program and a close matchup against the Arizona Wildcats, Iowa State knew that they were going to be a contender in the NCAA tournament.

Unfortunately, they have taken a major hit in that area right from the start in their matchup against the Tennessee State Tigers. Joshua Jefferson got injured right at the beginning of that game and missed the remainder of that matchup and the game on Sunday against the Kentucky Wildcats as well. 

With the star forward out of the lineup, it has been a much different-looking rotation for the team. While Nate Heise has entered the starting lineup and is playing major minutes, he isn’t the only one on the court. Starter center Blake Buchanan has also seen a bit of an increased role, with size being a bit of an issue without Jefferson. 

Buchanan Quietly Performing Well In Slightly Expanded Role

Iowa State Cyclones forward Blake Buchanan | Jeff Le-Imagn Images

With Jefferson out, size is certainly a bit of an issue for the Cyclones, and they have needed the strong performances that they have gotten from their starting center. In the win over the Tigers in the first round, he totaled 11 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, two blocks, and three steals in one of his best games of the season. 

Knowing that Jefferson was going to be out for the matchup against the Wildcats, he performed well against them also, totaling nine points, eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Furthermore, he logged 31 minutes of action in the game, which was the most in a game since January 2nd. 

Getting strong performances from their starting center in a bit of an increased role has been really important. Size is going to be an issue for the Cyclones as long as Jefferson is out, and Buchanan’s ability to rebound is extremely important. 

Even though the junior center isn’t the most prolific offensive player, he is a strong defender and very athletic at the position. In the absence of Jefferson, he has played well, and Iowa State will need him to continue that.