Cowboy Basketball Team Announces European Summer Tour in 2018

Oklahoma State announced Thursday that it will make a trip this summer to Venice, Rome and Athens as part of a 10-day European tour that will feature competition against international talent, team-building activities and also serve as an educational experience.

“This is a tremendous opportunity that the NCAA allows for our team that will have a lasting impact on the future of our program,” Mike Boynton said in a statement. “I want to first thank our administration for allowing us to do this, and extend my thanks to the generous donors who have stepped up to make this a reality.

“Our team will have a great experience bonding with one another and it will give our staff a chance to work with these guys through our extra practices during the summer and kick start what will be a very exciting season of Cowboy basketball. In the weeks leading up to this trip, we will open the doors to our practices so that our fans can come get a preview of our preparation.”

Oklahoma State will play three games at minimum as a part of the tour, and potentially a fourth. But perhaps the biggest benefit of the trip — outside of, y’know, going to Venice, Rome and Athens! — is the 10 practice allowance OSU will be afforded beginning in July, which will serve as a jump start on 2018 season prep.

This will be a multi purpose journey. Can't wait to start preparing for the 18-19 season. #GoPokes #Committed2Excellence https://t.co/O7JPpiin84

— Mike Boynton (@thacoachmike) May 31, 2018

The NCAA allows each college basketball program a chance to travel outside the U.S. to face foreign competition once every four years; Oklahoma State did so in 2012 when it traveled to Spain. But OSU isn’t the only program to take advantage.

Last season, Alabama traveled to Canada for a week-long trip, Texas and TCU to Australia, OU to New Zealand, Kansas to Italy, and many others, all of which benefited from additional practices and team-building.

Just don’t ask how UCLA’s trip to China turned out last year!

Below is the team’s European Tour Itinerary per an OSU release sent out in the announcement.

Aug. 4 – Leave Stillwater and fly overnight to Venice
Aug. 5 – Arrive in Venice and take a boat to the hotel
Aug. 6 – Gondola tour of Venice
Aug. 7 – Game No. 1
Aug. 8 – High-speed train to Rome / Tour of the Colosseum and Pantheon
Aug. 9 – Guided tour of Vatican City / Game No. 2
Aug. 10 – Morning flight to Athens / Walking tour of Athens
Aug. 11 – Tour of the Acropolis & Parthenon / Host local youth clinic / Game 3
Aug. 12 – Saronic Gulf Cruise to visit Hydra, Poros and Aegina Islands
Aug. 13 – Beach time at Akanthus / Farwell dinner
Aug. 14 – Return to Stillwater

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