OSU beats Ouachita Baptist in exhibition

The Oklahoma State men’s basketball team defeated Ouachita Baptist 80-59 in an exhibition game at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater on Sunday.

STILLWATER — After the Oklahoma State basketball team’s 80-59 victory in an exhibition against Ouachita Baptist on Sunday in Gallagher-Iba Arena, coach Mike Boynton offered a brief report card.

Focus: B+. Execution: D. “If it was an A, I would probably be even more concerned,” he said. “If I thought we were playing our best basketball now, I’d probably would keep this very short and go recruiting again.”

Cunningham held out

Graduate transfer guard Mike Cunningham suffered a minor left hamstring pull early in the week, so Boynton elected to hold him out from Sunday’s exhibition.

With Cunningham out, the Cowboys used a heavy dose of freshman Isaac Likekele, who finished with 18 points while being one of four Cowboys to play at least 28 minutes; the other three were captains Lindy Waters, Cam McGriff and Thomas Dziagwa.

Boynton said Likekele recorded 13 deflections in Sunday’s exhibition, a “pretty astronomical” number that shows how active he was defensively.

“At first, I was really kind of nervous, more anxiety to go out there and play,” Likekele said. “But it was definitely a great experience.”

Major minutes

Freshman walk-on Luke Major scored four points in 12 minutes Sunday, making a layup after a steal and sinking two technical free throws.

The 6-foot-7 Edmond native played for the OKC Storm, a homeschool basketball team, before walking on at OSU over the summer, and Boynton said he wouldn’t worry about playing Major regularly.

“I don’t see why not,” Boynton said. “He’s got great length. He’s a good athlete.

“I’ve got confidence in him.”

Wait and see on Weathers

Sophomore guard Michael Weathers is due to appear at 10 a.m. Monday in Payne Country Courthouse for a preliminary hearing related to a September arrest for felony grand larceny.

Boynton said he was unsure whether Weathers, who was indefinitely suspended after his arrest, would be available for Saturday’s regular-season opener at Charlotte, but that if the legal process resolves without issue, he will return to the team at some point.

“What he has been asked to do, he’s been doing,” Boynton said. “He’s a guy that if everything goes well, we hope to have back.”

Quotable

McGriff, on what changed between his first half (0-for-4 shooting, seven turnovers) and second half (13 points, no turnovers, finished with a double-double):

“I fell on the sideline, and a bunch of coffee fell on me. I think that’s what kind of woke me up. I got a little bit of caffeine.”