Oklahoma State Looks to Build on Win at No. 8 Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse

STILLWATER – Mike Boynton sat there looking at the media Saturday, smiling a little more freely as his Oklahoma State team had just broke a six-game losing skid, all in Big 12 play, and beat West Virginia 70-66 on the day of the “Remember the Ten” game. Boynton said he was proud of two things, that his players continue to show up at pracitce and at games ready to work and ready to improve. He was also very proud of winning the game for the families of the 10, the members of the Oklahoma State basketball travel party, incuding two players that lost their lives in that plane crash. Surely Boynton was going to take some time, go home, go out, do something to enjoy that win. No, he wasn’t. He was completely adament about what he was doing next.

Robert Allen - Pokes Report

It was back to work for Boynton after the win.

“I’m going to go upstairs and get the film and turn on and see how they (Kansas) lost today (Saturday) and see if we can replicate some of those things (Iowa State did to give them trouble),” Boynton said very matter-of-fact. “See the things we did wrong two weeks ago and see how we can do those better. (We will) see if we can do something that has been really hard for a lot of people.” 

Boynton asked again, emphasized that was exactly where he was heading after giving his last answer. The past three plus weeks has been hard, very hard. Boynton knows he’s on a hot seat. He knows he needs to get his team to win games.

William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports

Small needs to be good, scoring, defending, and passing. Leading too. 

No excuses. He does have some youngsters and they are growing up. He also has a point guard that has a good chance to help them grow even further and produce even more. Javon Small is the guy. When he is at his best, others are at theres and the win over West Virginia was proof.

“He played phenominal and led the team in the right director today,” Eric Dailey Jr. said of Small’s 15 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists game in the win over West Virginia. “He nearly had a triple double. He put us in the right position and that’s what we need him to do every game.”

William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports

Garrison played special on Saturday.

It would help if Del City freshman and McDonald’s All-American Brandon Garrison would play like he did against Baylor in the Big 12 opener, not missing a shot and rebounds well and like he did Saturday with 20 points to lead the Cowboys and he did a lot of damage in the low post putting pressure on the rim and the backboard with several impressive slams. Here is the first chance for Garrison to play against somebody he has already seen, you know, just an All-American like Hunter Dickinson, who had 23 points in the 90-66 win for KU in Stillwater. 

“We just realize that we are in the toughest conference in America and these losses mean something,” freshman big man Brandon Garrison said. “we have to get back to work and get ready for the next one. Coach keeps preaching that we have to be prepared.”

Pat Kinnison - Chief Photographer

This will be the first time Garrison gets to see an opponent for the second time.

Boynton has coached his team to a win in Allen Fieldhouse. He did it his first season as head coach in 2018. In fact, Oklahoma State swept the Jayhawks and Boynton was the first Big 12 coach to do that to a Bill Self KU team. No chance to sweep this time, but one advantage for the Cowboys unavailable in the first meeting, they now know how winning in the Big 12 feels.

“The feeling of winning is lovely, it’s lovely,” Dailey added. “It’s what we strive for every day in practice. We are going to be ready for Kansas.”

Yes, and after losing Saturday at Iowa State and dropping in the polls that came out today, Kansas is likely going to be eager to get back on the court, the one they are a perfect 10-0 on so far this season.