Mussatto: Oklahoma State basketball's embarrassing Big 12 loss could end Mike Boynton era

One game shouldn’t decide a coach’s fate. But if Oklahoma State’s administration was undecided on Mike Boynton’s future, the manner in which the Cowboys were embarrassed Tuesday in Kansas City did nothing to instill confidence that the future of OSU basketball is bright.

OSU’s 77-62 loss to UCF in the Big 12 Tournament was downright bleak.

The Cowboys fought … for a half. The Knights went on an 18-1 run to start the second half, and UCF led by 27 points with 7:25 left. OSU got hot from 3-point range late to make the score slightly more respectable, which tells you how far the standard for Cowboy basketball has slipped.

If Boynton was coaching for his job, it didn’t show. If Boynton’s players were trying to make a statement in support of their coach, it didn’t show. If OSU fans were looking for a reason to believe in Boynton, a reason to show up at Gallagher-Iba Arena next season, none was given.

“I know that’s a topic out there,” Boynton said of his job after the loss. “I don’t know. I’m not in position to give an answer to that. And I really haven’t, honestly, at this point today, thought about it at all. My whole focus was trying to win this game and get back to the hotel and hopefully be preparing right now to figure out how to beat a team (BYU) we lost to Saturday.”

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The Cowboys are young. They have promising prospects on their roster. But this was Year 7 for Boynton. We’ve heard about OSU struggling to keep up with the big boys in the NIL race. But how much NIL money is flowing into UCF basketball?

Boynton inherited a tough situation. He dealt with the ramifications of NCAA sanctions. All of this is true, but making one NCAA Tournament in seven seasons (of which OSU was eligible for five due to NCAA sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic) isn’t good enough. It took the best player in college basketball, Cade Cunningham, for the Cowboys to make the one tournament they did.

OSU athletic director Chad Weiberg is in an awfully tough spot. There’s a $6.6 million buyout after April 1 to consider. The fan element to consider, too. A near-empty GIA reflects the vote of Cowboy fans. But there’s also the human factor.

I like Boynton. Really like him. Everybody does. When I talked to him about his job status in January, he couldn’t have been more pleasant, understanding and honest about a topic that, if the roles were reversed, would’ve made me sweat and squirm.

Imagine someone coming into your workplace and asking you to respond to people who want you fired. That’s more or less what I did to Boynton, and he couldn’t have been more gracious.

This has become the book on Boynton. Terrific guy, beloved in the community, team player in the athletic department, but … he doesn’t win enough basketball games.

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Boynton is 24 games under .500 (51-75) in Big 12 play.

UCF, a first-year Big 12 member, was picked to finish last in the conference. The Knights went 7-11 in league play, which included a win in Stillwater.

Then came the drubbing in Kansas City.

I don’t know if this is the end for Boynton at OSU, and I don’t know if it should be. We’ll find out soon enough.

But the reasons for keeping Boynton are running out.

Winning Tuesday would’ve helped his cause. Getting embarrassed most certainly did not.

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Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State basketball loss to UCF might end the Mike Boynton era