OSU BASKETBALL: 5 STORYLINES
STILLWATER — The Cowboys open their season Friday night with a new coach and a new direction and a new-look starting five. Five things to watch in the coming weeks and months: Boynton’s big opportunity. A stealth hire when Brad Underwood bolted for Illinois some 24 hours after last season ended in the NCAA Tournament, the 35-year-old Mike Boynton moves into a head coaching role for the first time. He was a popular pick among the players then, and remains well-liked throughout the squad. Now, is he ready to lead a program in the rugged Big 12? Boynton has flanked himself with former head coaches John Cooper (Miami, Ohio) and Scott Sutton (ORU) to help with the transition from an assistant’s seat to the big chair. He's already wielded some discipline, suspending Davon Dillard and Zack Dawson to start the season.
Who’s next? Gone are Jawun Evans, Phil Forte III and Leyton Hammonds, three of OSU’s top four scorers a year ago. Jeffrey Carroll steps into the spotlight as the Big 12’s returning leading scorer and rebounder. Still, to return to the NCAA Tournament, help is needed, especially on the offensive end. Can the Cowboys reliably count on anyone other than Carroll to score? There are plenty of options to seize a scoring load — grad transfer Kendall Smith, Lindy Waters III, Dillard, Mitchell Solomon, Tavarius Shine, Cameron McGriff, Thomas Dziagwa ... — so maybe there’s strength in numbers. What’s new? Other than the coaches, and a quieter sideline, not much. Smith, who arrived from Cal State-Northridge, takes over for Evans at the point. Otherwise, freshman guard Zack Dawson is the only newcomer to the roster. The Cowboys will play the same as they did under Underwood — fast on offense, harassing on defense. Boynton may push defense even more than his predecessor and former boss, with more size and length on the perimeter to pull it off.
Mixing and matching. With so many pieces — a full dozen, either now or in December — legitimately vying for a place in Boynton’s rotation, the early portion of the schedule will be used to sort out roles. And the battle is on, including for some starting spots. Dillard's imminent return and 6-11 Yankuba Sima’s second-semester eligibility will only intensify competition. Expect Boynton to look at a variety of combinations, too, to get a feel for who works best together. November momentum. OSU hoops could use some juice, and some love, from inside and out. Ever since Eddie Sutton’s final days as coach, Cowboy basketball has spiraled in a downward trajectory, spinning through three coaches and much mediocrity to get to Boynton. Now many fans seem to be in wait-andsee mode, needing proof of a positive path before returning to Gallagher-Iba Arena. November’s schedule allows for the one true positive: winning. And while winning November won’t soothe all, it’s a start — a necessary start.