Nelson Steps Up for Iowa State

0:00On March 21st, in Friday afternoon's game at the Enterprise Center, Iowa State beat Tennessee State Handily, but it came with an early setback win. Star Ford, Joshua Jefferson, sprained his ankle just under three minutes in. Senior Guard Dominick Nelson, who had been riding the bench, got the call to check in before six minutes had even ticked off the clock. This marked Nelson's first, first half appearance since the Cyclone's 84-63 loss at Kansas on January 13th. The senior transfer admitted the moment caught him off guard, as he wasn't sure he'd see any action at all that day. Nelson's college career took a twist after a standout junior year at Utah Valley, where he earned Whack Player of the Year honors, averaging 14. Point four points, over five rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. That success pushed him into the transfer portal for his final season. Iowa State initially showed interest, but stepped back, only to come calling again when another transfer, Guard Mason Williams, sat out the year due to...

1:02...hip surgery. The Cyclones landed Nelson over offers from Rutgers and others. With Jefferson's sideline for now, Nelson's unexpected role could open more doors as Iowa State pushes forward in their schedule.