Three Exciting Things about OSU’s 110th Basketball Season

Yes, Charlotte happened, and that was not good. However, Oklahoma State’s home opener is Wednesday, and there are plenty of things that entice about this Cowboy team.

Here are three things to be excited about this season.

1. The Youth

I’m not sure how many times I’ve already written this so far this year, but OSU has six freshmen on its roster.

This year might be rough, but it’s important to remember it’s only the beginning.

The OSU career blocks record is 222. Given the fact that Yor Anei is starting at the beginning of his freshman season, he has a shot to get close to that number. It would take about 56 a season, which is a lot, but from what I’ve seen in practices and what I’ve heard about their closed-door scrimmage against Wichita State, Anei has as good a shot as anybody given his position.

Along Anei, there’s Isaac Likekele who has stood out as the most college-ready freshman OSU has. Likekele scored a game-high 18 points in the Cowboys exhibition against Ouachita Baptist, and he had 13 points against Charlotte. He is a 6-foot-4 point guard with incredibly long arms and a nice work ethic added to it.

Maurice Calloo has the chance to be an X-factor given his 6-9 frame that has the ability to shoot. Kentrevious Jones needs to improve his footwork, but his size and dedication to lose 50+ pounds will help him go far. On Monday, Mike Boynton said Duncan Demuth and Mitchell Solomon in the same breath. Even walk-on Luke Major played seven minutes in the Charlotte game.

If you’d like to look at youth apart from freshmen, there’s only one senior on the team in graduate transfer Mike Cunningham. Other from Cunningham, everyone has the chance to return to GIA next season.

This year looks to be only the beginning as Boynton’s 2019 recruiting class sits 13th in the country. This is the start of a new era, and it’s exciting to see it all happen.

2. Cam McGriff and Lindy Waters Might Be Some Dudes

This will be the first season that Cameron McGriff and Lindy Waters are thought of as more than role players.

Each have shown glimpses of excellence. McGriff dropped 20 in Allen Fieldhouse then matched that the next weekend at West Virginia in a pair of program-building victories.

Waters has been consistent and versatile in his time at OSU. His ability to ball handle as well as defend four positions has made him a valuable asset, and he has proven to have a clutch jumper. In the trip to West Virginia last season, Waters hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 14 seconds left. He is a guy Boynton will likely put on the opposition’s best guard, and he contributes offensively, too.

Without Jeffrey Carroll or Kendall Smith, I’m intrigued to see how each McGriff and Waters handle a star role.

3. Another Year of Boynton

I think I’m going to leave this one to ESPN college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla, who told this to the team a few weeks ago:

“Nobody knew Coach Boynton, and there’s probably a lot of people around the country who follow college basketball who still don’t know him. In my opinion, and I’m not just saying this, you’ve got a coach that’s a rising star, and all you young guys, you’re gonna to be part of something special. You’re building a program from the ground up. This program has incredible tradition, some of the best in the country. This place has been known as on of the loudest places. The tradition is here, the coaching staff is here, you’re in a great league and now it’s about just listening to (the coaches) and getting better every day.”