KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 08: Head coach Mike Boynton of the Oklahoma State Cowboys reacts from the bench during the Big 12 Basketball Tournament quarterfinal game against the Kansas Jayhawks at the Sprint Center on March 8, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Oklahoma St. Basketball: Three Steps to 2022 Big 12 Title
KANSAS CITY, MO – MARCH 08: Head coach Mike Boynton of the Oklahoma State Cowboys reacts from the bench during the Big 12 Basketball Tournament quarterfinal game against the Kansas Jayhawks at the Sprint Center on March 8, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
After a strong season featuring a No. 4 tourney seed and a Big 12 title game appearance, what can Oklahoma St. men’s basketball do to capitalize in 2021-22?
Oklahoma State men’s basketball ended the 2020-21 on a sour note earlier in March, dropping an 80-70 decision to No. 12 Oregon State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Cowboys were unable to advance to the program’s first Sweet 16 appearance since 2005 despite enjoying the starring role of the presumed consensus No. 1 NBA Draft pick Cade Cunningham. The Pokes entered the Big Dance with their best seed in 16 years (No. 4) and now return home with only a first-round win against No. 13 seed Liberty.
With a narrow 91-86 loss to Texas in the Big 12 Tournament championship game following wins against talented West Virginia and Baylor, the Cowboys proved that they are capable of competing with the conference’s best when it matters the most. It’s fair to say that OSU is trending in the right direction compared to five seasons ago, when the program was transitioning between the coaching staffs of Travis Ford and Brad Underwood before getting hit with NCAA recruiting violations.
What can head coach Mike Boynton and the Pokes do to get over the hump and capture OSU’s first league title since 2005?
