Exciting future in men's basketball for Iowa State

AMES - The future of Iowa State's men's basketball provided just as much buzz as the present for much of the 2010-11 season.

With Wednesday's first-round loss to Colorado at the Big 12 tournament, and the conclusion of Fred Hoiberg's first year as head coach, no one has to feel guilty about it anymore.

The future is now.

“It's going to be a fun trip,” freshman forward Calvin Godfrey said. “I can't wait to get it started.”

At least eight new players are set to suit up next season - five transfers, two incoming freshmen and a junior college combo guard.

The most eagerly anticipated among them is Royce White, who spent this season on the scout team after his appeal for immediate eligibility was denied by the NCAA. The 6-8, 250-pound forward was considered one of the top recruits nationally coming out of high school.

White will have three seasons to play after missing his entire freshman year once being dismissed from Minnesota before ever wearing the uniform.

“It's been a long wait,” said White, who watched home games from the Hilton Coliseum stands alongside ISU's other red-shirting transfers. “The first time I hear my name I'm probably going to come to tears or something. There was a time when I thought I'd never play basketball again.”

White will be joined by guards Chris Allen (Michigan State), Chris Baab (Penn State), John Lamb (Morehead State) and forward Anthony Booker (Southern Illinois).Allen and Lamb have one season, Baab and Booker will be juniors.

The brand-new players to the program - Cowley County (Kan). Community College's Tyrus McGee and preps Tavon Sledge and Anthony Odunsi - will be expected to contribute.

“We've got a lot good bodies coming in and a lot of experience, toughness, size - it looks good for next year,” said Melvin Ejim, who averaged 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in his freshman season.

The Cyclones (16-16) are losing guards Diante Garrett and Jake Anderson and big man Jamie Vanderbeken.

“A big thing we'll figure out over the summer is who is going to be the leader of this team,” Hoiberg said. “That'll play itself out.”

The first-year coach will do plenty of figuring himself in the off-season.

ISU lost nine games by six points or less, seven to Big 12 opponents, and that's not counting an overtime loss at Oklahoma State where the Cyclones led in the closing seconds of regulation.

“We had chances to win a lot of games,” Hoiberg, who was the third-winningest rookie coach in ISU history. “I've already watched all the close ones and I'm going to again. I'm going to do everything I can to help our team close these games.”

By Eric Petersen, Correspondent