What went wrong in Mike Boynton's tenure as Oklahoma State men's basketball coach?

STILLWATER — Oklahoma State and men’s basketball coach Mike Boynton parted ways Wednesday, ending a partnership that lasted eight years — seven with him leading the program.

Boynton guided the Cowboys to just one NCAA Tournament appearance in that span, though they were ineligible for one and the COVID-19 pandemic canceled another. Still, OSU was 119-109 overall under Boynton.

And OSU was just 12-20 overall and 4-14 in Big 12 play this season.

There was certainly a lot of bad luck. Still, the lack of wins simply weren’t enough. 

But what went wrong?

Here is a look at key factors throughout the years that led to Thursday's dismissal.

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Lamont Evans scandal casts shadow over Mike Boynton, OSU

From almost Day 1, Boynton had to deal with controversy. And it never truly went away during his tenure.

Assistant coach Lamont Evans was arrested and charged in a federal case for accepting bribes to link players with bribe-paying managers and financial advisers.

Though Boynton was not involved in the scheme, the possibility of serious NCAA sanctions loomed for years, making recruiting tougher at the very least. 

OSU cooperated with the NCAA during the investigation with the belief that would benefit the program in the long run. But it was also the right thing to do.

In hindsight, it was not.

The NCAA eventually gave the Cowboys a one-year postseason ban and reduced scholarship along with several other sanctions. No other program involved in the scandal received a postseason ban.

But more on that later.

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COVID-19 pandemic leaves lasting impact

It can be easy to point a finger at the COVID-19 pandemic impacting all kinds of things. But it certainly marked Boynton’s tenure.

Were the Cowboys bound for the NCAA Tournament in 2020? Probably not. But a year after Boynton dismissed three players and added walk-ons from the student population midseason, things were turning around. They were on the bubble when the Big 12 Tournament and March Madness was canceled. 

That’s not the biggest impact, though.

Look to next season.

Boynton brought in superstar Cade Cunningham, a five-star recruit who became the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft. He was the best player in the country. He was a must-see every night.

There were game-winning shots. Dazzling plays. Remarkable performances.

And yet attendance was limited to 25% in Gallagher-Iba Arena. Fans were unable to interact with Cunningham.

The Cowboys were simply unable to fully capitalize on having a generational talent.

Now, in ways they did. They advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. They played in the Big 12 Tournament title game.

That gave the program a jolt. Boynton earned a contract extension.

Some momentum appeared to be on OSU’s side.

But imagine GIA at full capacity nearly every night, the kind of scene OSU fans reminisce about in the Eddie Sutton days. 

That would have been the ultimate momentum builder.

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NCAA postseason ban overwhelms Cowboys

But even with the good vibes from Cunningham and the NCAA Tournament in a pandemic, that was short-lived.

Less than a week before the 2021-22 season began, OSU received word that it would not be eligible for the postseason as a result of the Evans scandal. The Cowboys had already appealed and lost.

A tearful Boynton unleashed his anger on the NCAA in a news conference. A season was lost before it began.

The Cowboys went 15-15 overall and 8-10 in Big 12 play despite having a talent-laden roster. That would not have been enough to return to the NCAA Tournament.

But how much of the disappointment from the inability to play in the postseason impacted things? 

Boynton has talked openly about the struggles of that year. 

Now, it’s easy to see how that punishment put a full-stop on momentum.

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NIL, transfer portal change the game

Boynton was open about struggles competing in name, image and likeness to recruit players. The Cowboys were near the bottom of the Big 12, according to the coach.

That’s a huge problem.

But when Boynton took over the program and even landed Cunningham, there was no NIL. The transfer portal was just becoming a reality.

That all changed the game on a coach known for his recruiting ability.

Boynton connects with people. It’s harder to do that in today’s college basketball landscape. 

Did that lead to roster struggles?

Well, the Cowboys lost key players to the portal after being the first team out of making the NCAA Tournament. Boynton pointed to lack of NIL funding. 

He then went young with a top-10 recruiting class. Portal options were limited.

And the Cowboys had their worst season in his tenure.