Mike Boynton Calls Mitchell Solomon a ‘Warrior,’ Praises Seniors after Loss

Following his team’s 92-84 loss to Western Kentucky — and the end to his first season as a head coach — Mike Boynton showed just as much emotion as his players.

As is tradition (win or lose), the group assembled, arms locked to sing the alma mater. For some it was their last time.

The alma mater for the final time for Mitchell Solomon, Kendall Smith and Jeffrey Carroll #okstate pic.twitter.com/uT4Cnv4fQw

— Harold R. Kuntz (@HaroldRKuntz3) March 22, 2018

Mitchell Solomon, the awkward freshman-turned-ultimate glue guy talked about that final alma mater.

“That means so much to me growing up a Cowboy,” said Solomon. “It kind of sucks that the last time I got to sing it was after a loss, but that’s part of the tradition we have in this program. It means so much to me to be able to be a part of it and be a foundation for the future.”

The finality of it all is still setting in for Jeffrey Carroll, who followed up a 26-point performance that willed the Cowboys past Stanford on Monday night with a 2-of-10 showing, pushing the Cowboys’ record to 0-7 when he doesn’t reach double digits scoring this season.

“It doesn’t feel real honestly,” said Carroll. “Just being there for the last time and doing it in this special building is surreal to me right now.”

The end is always hard. My goal is to play on the final day of the season, and one day, we will. This team will be a big reason why. Thanks to all of our fans for embracing our kids and staff. The foundation is laid… The Rowdy is Back… And the future is bright. #GoPokes

— Mike Boynton (@thacoachmike) March 22, 2018

Mike Boynton reflected on his first year, his readiness to work and his appreciation for the opportunity. But he took time to address each of the four players who took part in Senior Day festivities back on March 3, including those two long-tenured Cowboys.

“At his core, he’s a fighter,” Boynton said of Solomon. “He’s a warrior. He wants to leave everything he has on the line, and he did that every single night this year. I couldn’t be more proud of his effort and his growth, not only as a player, but as a person.”

Boynton looked past the stat line and praised Carroll for his perseverance and contributions for the program.

“Jeff has done a tremendous job of overcoming a lot of adversity,” Boynton said. “He has been through a lot in his personal life and is able to continue to fight and become a really good player … somebody who will have a chance to continue to play. We’ll certainly be proud of whatever comes next for him, but I’m very thankful for him and his efforts and his ability to be adaptable.

“I was the third coach that he played for in his final three years of college. He gave me everything he had every night, so I’m very thankful for him.”

Directly after the game, the first-year head coach’s message was clear — it’s all about his players, and what they accomplished through adversity during his inaugural campaign. He’s also looking toward the future.

“I didn’t make a shot this year or grab a rebound,” said Boynton. “The credit goes to those kids and our staff for putting those guys in position to have success. And I look forward to seeing what’s next. I’m excited about the future and can’t wait to get back to work.”

? "I'm really proud of what these kids accomplished. They overcame so much and so many doubts, and they kept fighting and believing in each other and our staff. I'm very thankful for being able to lay the foundation we have and looking forward to building on it." –@thacoachmike pic.twitter.com/bJgCLwSO8G

— Cowboy Basketball (@OSUMBB) March 22, 2018