After three years of player defections, losing seasons and general frustration, Iowa State coach Greg McDermott finally has a reason to smile.

Cyclones forward Craig Brackins announced Friday that he’ll return for his junior season, giving both McDermott and Iowa State fans hope that the long-awaited turnaround in Ames will come in 2009-10.

Iowa State has had three straight losing seasons under McDermott, and player departures have been a major reason for the Cyclones’ struggles. A mass defection followed the dismissal of former coach Wayne Morgan in 2006, and McDermott lost Mike Taylor (dismissal) and Wesley Johnson (transfer) after each of the last two seasons.

If Brackins had jumped to the NBA, it would have been tough to see Iowa State as a .500 team next season. Now, with Brackins back for his junior and possibly final season, the Cyclones will be expected to at least push for a .500 mark in the Big 12 and make a run at a postseason bid.

Brackins, a 6-foot-10 power forward from Palmdale, Calif., had a breakout season as a sophomore in 2008-09. The first-team All-Big 12 pick averaged 20.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, numbers that jumped to 21.8 points and 10.3 rebounds in conference play.

Extortion charge filed

Louisville, Ky. — An equipment manager’s estranged wife has been charged with trying to extort Louisville men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino.

A criminal complaint filed in federal court Friday also accuses Karen Sypher of lying to the FBI. She appeared in court but did not enter a plea, and was released on her own recognizance.

The complaint says Sypher’s husband brought Pitino a written list of demands including a house, cars and money. It says Sypher wanted college tuition for her children, two cars of her choice, her house paid off and $3,000 per month. The complaint says those demands were later withdrawn when she asked for $10 million instead. It isn’t clear why she was demanding the money.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Baylor’s Wilson leaving

Waco, Texas — Baylor standout Danielle Wilson won’t return for her senior season, and it wasn’t immediately clear what that means for her future. Wilson, whose departure was announced by Baylor on Friday, missed the final eight games of last season after injuring her left knee Feb. 28 in a win over Texas. Wilson averaged 15.1 points and 9.6 rebounds.