Oklahoma State Coach Demands Apology from NCAA after Kansas Avoids Major Penalties

Mike Boynton, the head coach of Oklahoma State’s basketball team, has expressed his frustration with the NCAA after Kansas, another school involved in the college basketball corruption scandal, escaped significant penalties. Oklahoma State was banned from the 2022 NCAA tournament due to its connection to the FBI’s investigation. Boynton believes that the NCAA owes his program an apology for the harsh punishment they received while other schools have been spared.

In the latest case heard by the Independent Accountability Resolution Process (IARP), which is an independent process that reviews and determines violations of NCAA Bylaws in select, complex infractions cases, the panel ruled that the Kansas men’s basketball program and coach Bill Self would not face further serious punishment. The IARP has also not issued any postseason bans or significant penalties for LSU, Louisville, Arizona, and NC State, which were also linked to the FBI’s investigation. It’s worth noting that Oklahoma State chose to work with the NCAA rather than the IARP in their case.

Boynton expressed his frustration, stating, “My message was always, with what they are saying now, is that they did the wrong thing to us. My only issue at this point is I still haven’t heard anybody call and say, ‘You know what? We screwed up.’ Accountability is a big deal to me. It’s something I preach in our program every day.”

The coach believes that a simple acknowledgment of the NCAA’s mistake would suffice. He wants the NCAA to acknowledge that they made the wrong decision and take responsibility for it. Boynton emphasized that accountability is crucial, and it’s a principle that he instills in his team regularly.

Last year, Kansas imposed a self-imposed four-game suspension on Coach Bill Self, who was initially charged with a Level I violation. However, the IARP reduced the infraction to a Level III violation. In comparison, Oklahoma State faced a more severe penalty with a ban from the 2022 NCAA tournament due to former assistant coach Lamont Evans’ involvement in the FBI bribery investigation. It’s worth noting that Evans’ actions occurred before Boynton’s appointment as head coach.

Despite the unfair treatment his team received, Boynton does not wish for other schools to face additional punishments. He stated, “I don’t want Kansas to be more severely punished. I don’t think the kids on their team deserve to be banned from the postseason, either. They didn’t have anything to do with what happened before, either. Neither did the kids at LSU or Arizona. But none of them have been banned from the postseason. We were. That was the unfortunate part.”

In conclusion, Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton demands an apology from the NCAA for the harsh punishment his program received in contrast to other schools involved in the college basketball corruption scandal. Despite his frustration, Boynton does not wish for other schools to bear a heavier burden but believes that accountability and acknowledgment from the NCAA are essential.