Most basketball teams use the off-season to work on improving their games and getting in better shape, but the ISU women’s basketball team will have extra motivation during this spring and summer.

The Cyclones will be looking to redeem themselves after a losing season and missing the NCAA tournament for the first time in six seasons. Iowa State ended its season with a 12-16 record — its first losing season under head coach Bill Fennelly.

His team had several ups and downs during the 2002-2003 season. The Cyclones were swept by in-state rivals Drake, Iowa and Northern Iowa. They bounced back from those three losses to win the Cyclone Classic, winning both their games by an average of more than 50 points.

They stunned third-ranked Kansas State at home and seemed to have some momentum before losing four of their next five games.

Iowa State lost to Kansas 63-60 in the first round of the Big 12 tournament just six days after pounding them 69-44 in Lawrence, Kan. The loss sent the Cyclones home to think about next year.

Now it’s time for the Cyclones to get back to basics. NCAA rules allow coaches two hours per week to work with athletes during the off-season. Fennelly and his staff, which is short one person with the departure of associate head coach Robin Pingeton Tuesday, have broken up the team into two groups of four. They train for an hour two times per week.

Senior guard Erica Junod said the team also works out on the other three weekdays.

“It’s just a lot of pickup games and lifting over the summer,” she said. “Some people stay [in Ames] and some people go. With the people that are here, we try to get enough people to play.”

Fennelly said the coaches are working with the players on their all-around games.

“Right now the work is very fundamental. We’re reviewing and trying to get better based on what we saw this year,” he said. “We’re just working on the basics of what makes a good player and what makes a good team.”

Fennelly said it’s tough to get a lot accomplished because of the small group settings, which are necessary because of the limited amount of time they have to work.

“You can’t do a whole lot with just four people,” he said. “You can’t really put in new plays, new offenses or defenses. It’s very fundamentally driven, getting them ready for what we feel they need to work on their own this summer.”

Junod, the only senior on the roster next season, said this past season has left a lot of room for improvement before next year.

“Obviously, shooting was a big miss for me last year. Over the summer a lot of shots will be taken,” she said. “We need to work on everything. We had such a down year this year that no matter what you focus on, it has to be better [next] year.”

There is good news for the team. Although they lost nearly 20 points per game, as well as the ability and leadership of all-conference guard Lindsey Wilson, the team has a strong recruiting class arriving in the fall, not to mention last year’s Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Katie Robinette, who will be eligible to play after sitting out a year for transferring from Nebraska.

The team also returns several starters, as well as players who saw significant playing time last season. The newcomers will give the Cyclones some much-needed depth up front, which will take some pressure off the guards to do much of the scoring.

Junod said ISU fans should see a much-improved squad next season.

“We have four very good recruits coming in who are really excited about the opportunity to come here and play for this program,” she said. “We hope the new girls can come in and play a part in getting us back on the winning track.”