Busting Brackets
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Big 12 Basketball: 10 biggest questions entering 2023-24 season

By Cole Amundson

Mar 11, 2023; Kansas City, MO, USA; The Texas Longhorns and Kansas Jayhawks line up for the National Anthem before the first half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2023; Kansas City, MO, USA; The Texas Longhorns and Kansas Jayhawks line up for the National Anthem before the first half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-USA TODAY Sports /
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UCF Basketball coach Johnny Dawkins (Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images)
UCF Basketball coach Johnny Dawkins (Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images) /

9. Who is on the hot seat?

Quite hot: Johnny Dawkins, UCF

After narrowly falling to the infamous 2018-2019 Duke Blue Devils in the Round of 32 in 2019, Johnny Dawkins has yet to lead the Knights back to the Big Dance. Entering his eighth season in Orlando, the pressure is on to win despite their 2023-24 roster not looking the part of an NCAA Tournament-caliber squad. Although Dawkins has kept the Knights a formidable program throughout his tenure, UCF Athletic Director Terry Mohajir will be tasked with an important choice to make if the Knights struggle to remain competitive in their first year in the Big 12.

Getting warm(ish): Mike Boynton, Oklahoma State

Boynton has been dealt with some bad luck the past couple of years. In 2021-22 — in a highly controversial manner — the Cowboys were ruled ineligible for postseason play due to improper benefits stemming from former assistant coach Lamont Evans. In 2022-23, the Cowboys were the first team left out of the NCAA Tournament.

Despite uncontrollable misfortunes throughout his tenure in Stillwater, Boynton has only led the Cowboys to the NCAA Tournament just once — the Cade Cunningham-led Cowboys in 2020-2021 where they fell in the Round of 32 to 12-seed Oregon State.

He’s not on the hot seat yet — but is worthy to keep an eye on because if he misses the NCAA Tournament in 2023-24, the seat will begin to warm.

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