A Look at Oklahoma State's Big 12 Tournament Runs Under Mike Boynton
Oklahoma State is set to start another Big 12 Tournament run on Tuesday, and it is looking to finally break through.
Since Mike Boynton took over for the Cowboys in the 2017-18 season, he has led them to only one NCAA Tournament appearance. For that to change this season, he will need a miraculous five-game run to win the Big 12.
OSU has not won the Big 12 Tournament in nearly two decades when it won back-to-back titles in 2004 and 2005. As Boynton enters his sixth Big 12 Tournament, let’s take a look at his previous appearances.
The Deep Run
2021 - Runner-up
The Cowboys made the championship game in 2021 with eventual No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham leading the way. After a second-round win against West Virginia, the Cowboys knocked off No. 1 seed Baylor, giving the Bears their second and final loss that season.
Although OSU managed to knock off the national champs, it could not finish the tournament with a title, losing to Texas in the championship.
The Bursted Bubbles
2018 - Second Round
In Boynton’s first season, OSU looked poised to make an NCAA Tournament appearance, but its hopes were cut short in the second round. After beating Trae Young’s Oklahoma team in the first round, OSU matched up with top-seeded Kansas.
Although the Cowboys had just completed a regular-season sweep of the Jayhawks, a third win was too much to ask of them. Despite keeping the first half tight, they ran out of juice in the second half and narrowly missed the big dance.
2023 - Second Round
Like in 2018, OSU eliminated its in-state rival in the first round, this time completing a three-game sweep of the Sooners. However, the second round went much rougher last season.
After a five-game losing streak near the end of the regular season, scoring only 47 points against No.2 seed Texas was too much for OSU to overcome.
The Shorthanded Season
2019 - First Round
After gutting the roster midseason because of off-court issues, OSU had a rough time in conference play. Finishing the season 12-20 with
Lindy Waters III’s heroics at Texas Tech were maybe the lone bright spot of the season, and even that performance came in a loss. So, it was no surprise when OSU’s season came to a quick end in the first round of the tournament against TCU.
Didn’t Get a Chance
2020 - First-Round Win
OSU’s 2019-20 season had the most promising start of Boynton's tenure, with seven wins in a row. However, the season went downhill after Isaac Likekele, OSU’s linebacker playing point guard, missed a month with an illness.
Still, OSU looked to make a run in the Big 12 Tournament. Likekele made a game-winning layup in the final seconds to beat Iowa State in the first round. But it would be the final game of the season as Rudy Gobert’s positive test was announced later that night, essentially shutting down the sports world.
2022 - Postseason Ban
After the NCAA’s investigation into former OSU assistant coach Lamont Evans, the team received a postseason ban in 2022. Although the team would not have been in NCAA Tournament contention, it did not get a chance to make a Big 12 Tournament run.
OSU finished the season 15-15 overall, with an 8-10 conference record.
It’s possible this will be Boynton’s final tournament run despite his expectations to be back next season. But as the Cowboys look to do the unthinkable, any postseason wins will bolster his case to remain their leader beyond this week.
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Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.