Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton excited about strong freshman class as season nears

Updated Oct. 26, 2023 6:10 a.m. ET

Associated Press

Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton has again unleashed his recruiting magic.

Three years ago, he landed Cade Cunningham, the nation’s top recruit. Cunningham ended up being a first-team AP All-American and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft after his freshman year.

Now, Boynton’s got a new group of top-notch freshmen, led by McDonald’s All-American Brandon Garrison from Del City, Oklahoma. The already physically imposing big man added 13 pounds of muscle this summer and now measures 6-foot-11 and 245 pounds.

Eric Dailey, a 6-8, 230-pound forward, was a consensus four-star recruit who has won gold medals with USA junior national teams. Justin McBride earned four-star ratings from Rivals and 247Sports. Jamyron Keller was the 5A Player of the Year in Texas. Connor Dow, a 6-6 sharpshooter from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, is athletic around the rim.

“Looking forward to the season, like everybody else, I’m sure, and really excited about our group,” Boynton said. “It’s a very, very different group than we’ve had. Probably the youngest team I’ve ever had at Oklahoma State in terms of having as many freshmen as we do.”

The Cowboys started the process of building chemistry during a three-game trip to Spain in August. In one game, the Cowboys beat the Cape Verde national team that was preparing for the World Cup. McBride and Dow scored 14 points and Dailey scored 12.

They'll try to mix in with a group that includes a few experienced holdovers. Senior guard Bryce Thompson led the team with 11.2 points per game last season. John-Michael Wright started all 36 games last season and averaged 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists.

Still, most of the team is new, making the Spain trip especially important.

“This group probably needed it more than any other group I’ve had,” Boynton said. “So many new pieces and so many that will have to play key roles for us to be successful. It was really important to have those practices and be ahead of the game a little bit.”

OVER THE HUMP?

Oklahoma State has had its share of bad luck under Boynton.

Under his watch, three times, the Cowboys have won eight league games – a number that usually leads to an NCAA tournament bid – and not been invited. One of those seasons, they were left out because of NCAA violations that happened before he arrived.

Last season, the Cowboys went 8-10 in the league and lost in the NIT quarterfinals. Even when they had Cunningham for the 2020-21 season, the Cowboys were upset by Oregon State in the second round. The pressure will be on for Boynton to get the the tournament and have some success.

VETERAN TRANSFERS

Oklahoma State added some experience in addition to its youngsters.

Javon Small averaged 15.8 points and 5.6 assists at East Carolina last season before suffering a season-ending leg injury in January. The junior guard been healing nicely and had a successful run in Spain.

“He’s an impact player,” Boynton said. “He’s a guy that we believe can really be one of the best point guards in our league, can be a guy who really sets the tone for what our team can ultimately be at the end in terms of making the game easier for his teammates.”

Jarius Hicklen, a graduate transfer guard, spent two years each at Oklahoma Baptist and North Florida. Mike Marsh is a 6-10 post with one season of eligibility remaining.

FRESHMAN TRANSFER

Another transfer, Isaiah Miranda, is a redshirt freshman who enrolled at North Carolina State last year but did not play, allowing him to preserve all his eligibility. A member of the 2022-23 recruiting class, he was ranked the No. 30 overall prospect in the country by Rivals, No. 40 by On3, No. 47 by 247Sports and No. 55 by ESPN.

SCHEDULE

The Cowboys open the season at home Nov. 6 against Abilene Christian. The schedule includes games against Auburn or Notre Dame at the Legends Classic on Nov. 17 before a home game Nov. 30 against No. 8 Creighton. The Big 12 opener is Jan. 6 at home against Baylor.

___

Get alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 Basketball Polls throughout the season. Sign up here

___

AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll