True, three coaches and two players have moved on from Ames on unpleasant terms.

True, two senior starters are out — one ineligible, one suspended. Most pick this year’s version of the ISU men’s basketball team — the first under Wayne Morgan’s direction — to finish in the Big 12’s lower half.

But there’s no shortage of excitement about the 2003-04 Cyclones.

Ask Brandon Nicol.

“I absolutely love the game, love the program,” Nicol said.

Nicol’s attitude is hardly unique among walk-ons. They join the roster knowing their contributions will come almost wholly in practice. The rewards are a few minutes of court time during blowouts.

But not so for Nicol. The NCAA ruled him ineligible to play this season, after he spent three years in the ISU program from 1999-2002. Last year, Nicol averaged 6.7 points per game for NAIA Dakota State, but transferred back to Iowa State this year with the goals of rejoining the Cyclone team and earning his degree.

Nicol will finish his coursework in August, but the NCAA says he can’t play a fourth season of Big 12 competition.

So the senior will practice, but for now, he doesn’t appear on the ISU roster and won’t see action in games.

“It’s out of my hands,” Nicol said.

Morgan praised Nicol’s dedication, and also had encouraging words about every member of the team who attended Tuesday’s media day at Hilton Coliseum.

“I’m hopeful and I’m optimistic about this group of young men,” Morgan said. “I think the players feel like this is a new team.”

Iowa State welcomes four new scholarship players — three freshmen and junior college transfer Damion Staple — but also has a strong corps of returning players. Senior guard Jake Sullivan averaged 17 points per game last year to lead Iowa State, and Morgan said junior center Jared Homan is the Cyclones’ “most improved player.”

“Jared Homan has completely bought into our program,” Morgan said. “You see he’s doing things he couldn’t get before.”

Homan will have the most experience of any ISU post player in the early part of the season. Senior Jackson Vroman is suspended indefinitely for drunken driving, and Staple and Reggie George are both new to the program. Senior Andrew Skoglund and sophomore Adam Schaper have played sparingly.

Homan, who averaged 7.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game last season, said he’s worked on expanding his game away from the basket.

“I’m going to get a chance to shoot a little bit,” he said.

Freshmen Will Blalock and Curtis Stinson and Sullivan will all compete for the point guard job this fall while senior Tim Barnes misses the first semester because of academic problems. Barnes is not practicing with the Cyclones.

Blalock, a Boston native who stands 5-foot-11, won the slam dunk competition at Saturday’s Cyclone Tip-off and is just one of the ISU players who might provide a lot of excitement — and tension — for fans this fall, Morgan said. The Cyclones don’t leave Hilton Coliseum before a game at Drake Dec. 20.

“Our fans are in for some thrills and spills,” Morgan said. “From [Blalock] in particular.”