Being a team-leader carries with it a lot of responsibility and expectations. Stevie Johnson and Michael Nurse are up for the challenge.

Johnson and Nurse are the lone seniors on the Cyclones’ 16-man roster and know the importance of leadership with a young team.

“The leadership role is very important. We’ve got a year under our belt with Coach Eustachy and we kind of know what he wants to do and conveying it to the new guys is important, and doing that is what the coaches expect out of us,” said Johnson.

Iowa State coach Larry Eustachy felt that his first-year Cyclone team did not have a true leader last season and is confident that Johnson and Nurse can turn that around this season.

“Our team really lacked leadership last year, and I think the returning players need to do a better job with that this year. I’ve never asked a player to do something they’re not capable of doing, and I think Stevie and Michael are capable,” said Eustachy.

Johnson feels more familiar with Eustachy’s system in his second year and is trying to pass that along to his teammates.

“I feel a lot more comfortable this year. I’ll be talking to the guys in the locker room and Coach Eustachy says the same thing when we get out on the court. That makes me feel good like I’ve been listening and I kind of know what’s going on,” said Johnson.

Not a vocal person by nature, Johnson realizes that he’s going to have to be more talkative, be there for his teammates and answer any questions they might have.

“I’m going to try to lead more vocally this year. I don’t like to talk a lot, but I have to talk more to the players on and off the court to be a good leader,” said Johnson.

Johnson put in a lot of time working on his game during the offseason and is ready to translate that into success on the basketball floor. He is also ready to play whatever role his coaches give him.

“I shot a lot and tried to work on every aspect of my game. I also worked out a lot so I can be stronger and more aggressive this season,” said Johnson. “I’m going to do everything I can do to help this team win like rebounding and turning up the defensive intensity. Plus if the team needs to me to score, I will.”

Nurse also takes pride in the leadership position that being one of only two seniors offers, and he knows it’s his job to make his new teammates transition as easy as possible.

“It’s important to me. I’m more familiar with what Coach Eustachy wants, and I just got to show them that if I can do it, they can do it,” said Nurse.

With a year of experience of playing the Big-12 in his possession, Nurse won’t be surprised by anything this year and is taking a different attitude into games this year.

“This year I’m just going to go out and play. Last year I worried about some situations that was going on and I can’t do that,” said Nurse.

Two areas that Nurse feels will be greatly improved from last season are his strength and his confidence.

“I worked out a lot over the summer and increased my bench and squats. With the added strength I’ll be able to muscle other guards instead of the other way around like last year,” said Nurse.

With this being his last go round at Iowa State, Nurse has some unfinished business he hopes to take care of.

“I want to play in the NCAA tournament. I’ve never been there, and I want to play in the tournament before I’m done. I’m ready to do whatever it takes to accomplish that,” said Nurse.