Mike Boynton’s Love Affair with Gallagher-Iba Arena

On the surface, Mike Boynton hasn’t accomplished much during this short tenure as OSU’s head coach. His team has a sub-.500 conference record, he’s barely sniffed the top 25 all season and his chances of making the NCAA Tournament are less than solid.

But through 19 games, the first year head coach has achieved plenty.

Earlier this season, I wrote about how this might be the hardest first year of any rookie Oklahoma State coach in history. Well that was before he had to dismiss his biggest upside signee in Zack Dawson and one of his most talented returning players in Davon Dillard — one month into the season.

During this whirlwind that is College Coaching 101 (on the fly), Boynton has his makeshift, under-manned roster performing up to (or beyond) its ability. They haven’t arrived. They haven’t even won a road game. But Boynton refuses to put a cap on his expectations for the team.

“We can compete with anybody in the country,” said Boynton after his team’s 83-81 overtime win over Oklahoma. “We talk about that every day. We have set no ceiling for this team because we believe no matter what, whatever situation we get in, we can win if we play the right way, if we’re committed to competing the way we have today.”

That confidence, it seems, is contagious. It’s spread to a team that took down the No. 4-ranked Sooners on Saturday and to the fans who seem to be buying in to the first year coach.

Mike Boynton to GIA: “You keep bringing it, and we’ll keep bringing it. This is one of the premier programs in the country.”

Still lit in here. pic.twitter.com/hmd7E1Tad7

— Pistols Firing (@pistolsguys) January 20, 2018

Kyle Porter asked the first-year CEO if he’s ever had a chance to really take in the historic GIA for what it is. According to Boynton it didn’t really sink in for him until his 13th, and latest game.

“I really hadn’t had time. There’s so much to think about,” said Boynton. “But to be honest, when we went to overtime was the first time I looked around and took it all in. ‘This is pretty cool.’

“Twelve months prior to now, I’m not sure three people in this room knew who I was. From where I come from, not that it’s some great story, but for the people to embrace me and for these kids to fight the way they do makes me feel really proud.”

One win — regardless of rank or rival — isn’t enough to win over a fan base that’s grown accustomed to turmoil and turnover. But Boynton started working on that first W with his emotional introductory press conference that laid the seed. He watered it with some open and honest banter with Cowboy nation and now he’s tended to it by slapping that maple floor of Eddie Sutton Court to psyche his team up for a crucial stop in Bedlam.

I think he was telling his team, "#LetsWork": Mike Boynton slaps the floor with 30 seconds left in OT. #Bedlam #okstate pic.twitter.com/5RTuLmVRBW

— Carson Cunningham (@KOCOCarson) January 20, 2018

Oklahoma State has been calling for the fans to #WakeTheGIAnt for two years now but Boynton knew that he had to wake it himself.

Boynton still has a long way to go before we can call his tenure a success. He’s got a long way to go before we can form an actual opinion of it. But he already has as many wins inside Gallagher-Iba Arena as his mentor and predecessor Brad Underwood, and he has five more tries to best him this season. Steal a couple of those and the Ol’ Girl will be gushing.