March Madness for some, March sadness for others.
Two veteran coaches were fired on Thursday after disappointing seasons, with Vanderbilt dismissing Jerry Stackhouse and Oklahoma State parting ways with Mike Boynton.
Stackhouse leaves Vanderbilt with a 70-92 record, including 28-60 in the SEC.
“Commodore Nation will always remember the ‘Memorial Magic’ moments we experienced under Coach Stackhouse’s leadership,” athletic director Candice Lee said. “Given his pedigree, experience, and love of the game, I look forward to seeing what’s next for him.”
Stackhouse and Vanderbilt appeared poised to keep building after going from 19-17 to a 22-15 record. The Commodores reached the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals last year, then reached the NIT quarterfinals before losing on their home court to UAB.
Stackhouse thanked Vanderbilt for the opportunity in the university’s release Thursday. But the decision had only been a matter of time.
“All that matters is the results, and the results weren’t what they were supposed to be,” Stackhouse said after Wednesday night’s opening loss in the SEC Tournament. “The NCAA Tournament is the ultimate goal, and we haven’t done that. I haven’t done that. No matter what, those results are those results.”
The Commodores started this season with a home loss to Presbyterian before going 5-8 in nonconference play.
They finished with a 4-14 record in SEC play to finish 13th out of 14 teams before the league expands by adding Texas and Oklahoma this summer.
Worse, attendance topped 10,000 at Memorial Gym only twice all season with Tennessee and Kentucky fans helping fill the building.
Vanderbilt averaged 6,785 spectators per game this season. Vanderbilt currently is building new basketball offices and a practice gym for the men’s program.
Meanwhile, Boynton had a 119-109 record in seven seasons at Oklahoma State.
The Cowboys went 12-20 this season and lost their opening game of the Big 12 Tournament to UCF on Tuesday.
“For seven years, Coach Boynton has led this program and represented this university with class,” Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg said in a statement on Thursday. “We’re grateful for the genuine passion and care he has for the student-athletes on our team. Unfortunately, the desired results have not followed. Therefore, it is time to part ways and begin a new chapter. We wish Coach Boynton and his family the very best.”
The Cowboys reached only one NCAA tournament under Boynton as he dealt with the fallout from an NCAA investigation. His teams often were gritty and defensive-minded but struggled to score.
In 2020, an NCAA infractions committee gave the Cowboys a one-year postseason ban and other penalties after former assistant coach Lamont Evans accepted up to $22,000 so he could help steer athletes to certain financial advisers.
Oklahoma State immediately fired Evans after he was arrested in 2017, and the school said it fully cooperated with the NCAA’s inquiry.
Oklahoma State played in the postseason in 2021 because the case was being appealed. The Cowboys, led by star freshman Cade Cunningham, reached the NCAA Tournament before being upset by Oregon State in the second round. Cunningham was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft.
Oklahoma State had a promising team heading into the 2021-22 season, but the school’s appeal of its postseason ban was denied. Boynton called the penalty unfair.
“There’s no wonder that nobody trusts them,” an emotional Boynton said of the NCAA at the time. “As they get to hide behind letters … And they don’t have to come do this — answer questions and talk to kids and talk to parents.”
— With AP
