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Mike Boynton on Bad Home Loss to KSU: ‘We’ve Got to Decide Who We Want to Be’

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Oklahoma State has not won a home basketball game since it stunned then-No. 4 Oklahoma in GIA on January 20. Three straight double-digit losses to TCU, Baylor and Kansas State by a combined 34 points.

That’s not very good, and it has likely pushed the Cowboys too far outside of the NCAA Tournament bubble conversation for them to recover (barring a miracle over the last five games).

The energy in GIA has been lethargic — that seems obvious — but OSU’s on-court play has equaled that of those in attendance. OSU has shot 40 percent in this three-game run, while it has given up a 55-percent mark to its three opponents. Awful. But it gets worse. The Cowboys have averaged just under 10 assists per game and allowed teams to shoot 50 (!) percent from 3-point range.

Here’s a look at the difference in their last three road Big 12 games (against the top thee teams in the league!) and their their last three home Big 12 games.

OSU Offense
OSU Last 3 away from GIA Last 3 in GIA
FG Percentage 48% 40%
3P Percentage 43% 35%
FT Percentage 75% 65%
OSU Defense
Opponent Last 3 away from GIA Last 3 in GIA
FG Percentage 47% 55%
3P Percentage 40% 50%
FT Percentage 74% 84%

These numbers are astonishing. OSU is giving up a 50-50-80 number at home while limiting teams on the road. Conversely, they gain almost 10 percentage points in each area of shooting when away from GIA.

What gives?!

“We’ve got to decide who we want to be,” said Mike Boynton on Wednesday after the latest defeat. “This is three weeks in a row where we come out kind of flat and not with the same sense of urgency that you need to have success consistently in this league. As a coach, it’s really difficult to plan when you’re not really sure what type of focus your team’s going to have. I’ve got to do a better job of finding a way to get those guys consistently focused. Then we certainly have to just execute better.”

When senior Jeffrey Carroll was asked what the issue is, he said OSU lacks focus.

“That’s probably the key right now,” said Carroll. “And not being locked in. We play well on Saturdays, and we have proved that. But we come home and play poorly. It is kind of tough to pinpoint what’s wrong, but we’ll figure it out.”

OSU is, very strangely, 5-0 in Big 12 games on Saturdays and 0-8 on games played on any other day. This probably just a statistical oddity, but it’s not one that bodes well for OSU playing into March.

“Maturity is the thing that comes to my mind immediately,” added Boynton about where OSU needs to improve. “Really mature teams find a way to not have the same thing happen to them over and over again. They don’t get caught up in the emotional roller coaster of playing on these great highs and tremendous lows.

“From an energy stand point, from a focus standpoint. We’ve got to continue to grow, continue to learn and we’ve got a couple of weeks to figure this thing out.”

Maybe less. And the great irony of all is that OSU is probably looking forward to getting away from GIA to find the answers they need.

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