Everything Mike Boynton said after Oklahoma State hoops practice
by Cody Nagel
STILLWATER, Okla. — The 2021-22 college basketball season continues to inch closer with the opener for Oklahoma State just over a month away. The Cowboys are in their second week of preseason practice as they prepare to tipoff the non-conference schedule against UT Arlington inside Gallagher-Iba Arena on Tuesday, November 9. After practice on Thursday, Oklahoma State head coach
Mike Boynton met with reporters to discuss where things stand with the Cowboys, the offensive and defensive approach, the latest on the NCAA appeal and more. Here is everything he said during the media availability.
OPENING STATEMENT:
"We're actually working on a pretty cool Homecoming weekend event, that we think is going to be pretty special here on campus. Friday night of Homecoming will be a pretty cool opportunity for our fans to see our program out on campus. It won't be here in the arena, but the details are still coming together on it so hopefully you guys will be hearing some more about it over the next couple days, maybe next week early.
ON IF THERE ARE ANY TEASERS ABOUT THE EVENT:
"Not yet, I mean, we got to have information to have teasers so all I've got is a date. But I think it's gonna a be pretty cool concept to try and integrate ourselves with Homecoming and be a part of the campus atmosphere that's already existed."
ON WHAT SPAWNED THE IDEA TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THIS YEAR FOR HOMECOMING:
"I really don't know. I think this started, maybe a couple of years back with more of the students. I think for years, and obviously I've only been here a short amount of time, but it's been like a mandatory come over to GIA thing. For you guys that went to school here, I guess that was a thing, and it kind of lost some of its allure, kind of, maybe. And so I think the student body was looking maybe to try and do something different with their portion of all-night pop, or the pep rally or whatever it is, and so when I heard that they were not thinking about using GIA, I wanted to make sure that we were still a part of it, because again, we're just a part of this campus just like all the other students and we want to make sure that the basketball program had an opportunity to take part in whatever was going on."
ON THE IDEA OF WANTING TO PLAY A PRESS DEFENSE MORE THIS SEASON:
"I think so. It's early. You know, this team will evolve into whatever it's going to be at some point, probably in early January, so we're a ways away from that, but I think the depth and athleticism we have may be best served by trying to create tempo and help me give me an opportunity to use the depth that we have. Again, I said it the last time I was in, 200 minutes is a pretty challenging task in front of me. Got to try to create as many opportunities for guys as possible."
ON HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT CONFERENCE REALIGNMENT AND THE NEW SCHOOLS:
"I think it's pretty cool. I think my job got harder, to be perfectly honest. I enjoy that challenge though. Obviously I have a lot of respect for all four schools who have been invited and have accepted those invites. I watched Cincinnati basketball for a long time, kind of transitioned away from a lot of conferences it seems in my lifetime. I certainly remember when coach
(Bob) Huggins was there, and the success that he had kind of created an identity for that program which is, you know, credit to him, it's kind of stayed with them since. That kind of tough, high level of success, recruit guys who really want to work hard. What coach
(Kelvin) Sampson has done at the University of Houston is nothing short of phenomenal, really. I was working at Stephen F. Austin not too long ago, and we had a better basketball program than the University of Houston did. It just is what it is, and that's not the case anymore. And it has a lot to do with his commitment, and then their commitment to investing in that program, but he's recruited really well, went to the Final Four a year ago, is one of the all-time great coaches in our game. And Central Florida's had some success, not as consistent as the other programs. I've never been to BYU, but I've seen the environment at their basketball games. So, I'm not necessarily looking forward to it, but I know that it's going to create more competition in a league that is already, in my opinion, the best in the country."
ON IF HE WAS INVOLVED IN TALKS WITH CHAD WEIBERG AND DR. KAYSE SHRUM?
"I was not, no. I think my players think I'm pretty important, but as you go up the other way, I become less important. But, I trust Chad, obviously, and Dr. Shrum to do what's best for our university (and) athletic department. I think their vision and their commitment to making sure that we're always going to be positioned to have long term success, and have a chance to compete for championships is — I don't question anything. not anything. I offered that if they wanted to ask my opinion, but no one followed up on that."
