ISU men’s basketball coach Greg McDermott has dismissed senior guard Mike Taylor, who was the Cyclones’ most valuable player last season.

Taylor had a tumultuous spring in which he was arrested March 19 for fourth-degree criminal mischief, and was later ticketed for shoplifting a box of cold medicine from Cub Foods in April. He pleaded guilty to a charge of fifth-degree theft following the shoplifting incident.

After the March arrest, McDermott suspended Taylor indefinitely from the team.

“Mike and I sat down at the beginning of the summer and clearly defined the expectations that he needed to meet in order to remain a member of this basketball team,” said McDermott in a release. “Unfortunately, Mike fell short of the goals that were set for him. As a result, I have decided that it is in Mike’s best interests to pursue his academic and athletic career at another institution.”

Taylor, a native of Milwaukee, Wis., earned honorable All-Big 12 honors in his first and only season as a Cyclone. He averaged 16.0 points and 4.5 assists, playing out of position at point guard.

“I had a great experience at Iowa State,” Taylor said in the release. “I appreciated all of the fan support and the opportunity to play in front of Hilton Coliseum. However, due to circumstances I got myself into, it is in my best interests to further my education and basketball opportunities at another school.”

The loss of Taylor will further strain a young stable of guards that was already hurting from the loss of Dodie Dunson and Corey McIntosh to transferring.

The Cyclones will not have any experienced guards on the team, and will rely on newcomers Diante Garrett (6-4, 170, Fr.), Marcus Brister (6-3, 210, Fr.) and Bryan Petersen (6-1, 175, Jr.) to fill the void.

Point guard was already an opening for the Cyclones, and McDermott had named the trio of guards as the front-runners for the job.

“The point guard position will probably be as competitive as any because there will be three new guys competing for that spot,” McDermott said in a July 10 release. “Marcus, Diante and Bryan are all going to get a look to see if one or a combination of the three can do that job for us. Obviously, Bryan has the upper hand early because he’s got two years of college basketball experience. He played in a system at Kirkwood very similar to how we play and he’s been a winner the last two years there.”