© Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports
For OSU Hoops, it can't Get Much Uglier
Oklahoma State’s conference stat sheet features, and clearly that’s not the best choice of words, a lot of ugly indicators.
The Cowboys are getting outshot, both from close and long range and the foul line; outrebounded; out-assisted; and out-blocked.
And, of course, outscored. No wonder they’re winless in the Big 12.
But within that scoring issue is the ugliest number of all: a minus-14.4 scoring margin. In other words, noncompetitive.
Um, what’s going on here?
And what’s anybody going to do about it?
That’s what fans want to know; those still willing to watch. It may be what Mike Holder wants to know. It may be what recruits want to know.
Somebody, please, provide some answers.
“We’re a frustrated team,” Cowboys coach Mike Boynton said. “I think that's a reasonable thing to expect from a team who got off to a good start and hasn't been able to figure it out, especially in conference play.”
Frustrated, sure. And for good reason.
During this unfathomable 0-8 start to Big 12 play, the Cowboys are getting routed with regularity. Six of the eight losses are double-digit defeats. And the closer games… seven points. Some of the losses came against good teams. Some against mediocre teams.
Right now, Cowboys fans would settle for mediocre.
I wrote heading into the weekend that maybe OSU would find a breakthrough during an easier stretch of the schedule. Well, that was supposed to start Saturday, at Oklahoma against the Sooners, a pedestrian squad by any measure. Except that afternoon in Norman ended in another double-digit thumping, an 82-69 verdict that wasn’t at all that close.
Not only did the Cowboys go down, they did so with little resistance, absorbing several disrespecting Sooner dunks that sniffed strongly of the bully stealing their lunch money.
So much for Bedlam.
So much, too, apparently, for any hint of toughness.
It’s bad enough when Kansas jams on you. But when OU’s Austin Reaves throws down, celebrating with a rim dance… yikes.
It’s time to ask, again: what’s next?
Is it time to turn the program over to the kids and get them as much exposure as possible before next season? Warning: this won’t be pretty, with results likely worse than we’ve already seen.
Does Boynton remain loyal to his seniors, despite a surprising lack of production? These guys have been his core since he took over for Brad Underwood three seasons ago. Benching them isn’t an easy or comfortable move.
Does Boynton massage a balancing act of the above two scenarios, hoping against hope that all the bad karma attached to this team finally lifts?
There are no easy answers.
Still, answers are necessary.
This isn’t a particularly talented team. Who would start for Kansas? Or Baylor? Or Texas Tech or West Virginia for that matter?
Isaac Likekele is a really good player. Beyond that, if the seniors are in regression, it’s a misfit cast of characters. Little size. No shooters.
There’s help on the way, with Cade Cunningham, the nation’s No. 1 recruit headed to Stillwater.
Kansas has Cunninghams, or a reasonable facsimile, up and down its roster.
The Cowboys need a lot to happen to improve significantly for 2020-21. The Boone twins have to get bigger and stronger. Chris Harris needs to develop into the shooter he can be. Avery Anderson could benefit from becoming a better scorer, with Likekele and Cunningham holding down the point and No. 2 guard slots.
Cunningham can be a game-changer, for sure. But the best case involves him recruiting some other top talents to join him, preferably some bigs. The roster is guard heavy.
See, already we’re moving on to next year. And that’s not good, not with 10 games remaining in this season.
Boynton knows it, too. And he’s let his players know it.
“They have a job to do,” Boynton said. “For the most part, guys are here on scholarship to work hard, represent this university and then on game day perform at the highest level they can — and we're obviously not doing that.
“However that makes them feel — if it's a woe is me — too bad. Get over it.”
