Sutton's teams have different look now, Richardson says

Friday, December 8th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) _ The Eddie Sutton team that No. 21 Arkansas will face when it plays Oklahoma State on Saturday will look nothing like any of the teams Sutton coached while he was at Arkansas, Razorback coach Nolan Richardson said Thursday.

``Oklahoma State runs now,'' Richardson said. ``They aren't like the Eddie Sutton teams of the past. They shoot after the first or second pass and they run breaks. They don't walk it up and down the floor.''

Richardson succeeded Sutton as coach of the Razorbacks in 1985, when Sutton went to Kentucky.

Saturday's game at Tulsa won't be the first time a Richardson team has met a Sutton team. In Sutton's last year at Arkansas, the Razorbacks played Tulsa _ then coached by Richardson _ at Little Rock, winning 70-66.

Richardson said Sutton's team at Oklahoma State (3-1) will be very different from the team Tulsa faced in 1985.

``They're averaging 75 points a game,'' Richardson said. ``That's a lot of points. When he was here, 50-55 points was a lot of points.''

The Razorbacks (6-1) have won five straight and are coming off a 97-77 win over North Texas on Tuesday. Oklahoma State lost for the first time on Wednesday, 61-59 at Wichita State. Richardson sympathized, especially since Saturday's game will be the first on the road for his team.

``Any time you go on the road, anything can happen,'' he said. ``Going on the road and losing are two things that don't build character. I want to get as many games at home as we can, then go on the road and see where we are.''

He said fans should look for some similar things in the two teams meeting at Tulsa. Sutton and Don Haskins, Richardson's coach and mentor at Texas-El Paso, were friends ``and that all goes back to coach (Hank) Iba,'' Richardson said.

Coaches influenced by Haskins and Iba, Richardson said, ``have one thing in common. We will guard you. Some will guard you at halfcourt and a few will guard you fullcourt. I chose fullcourt because I don't want to live and die on each possession.''

Sutton's style of play isn't much different, Richardson said. Sutton ``wants to smother you and not give up any good shots,'' the Arkansas coach said. ``I'm more of a gambler. I'll give you a layup to get four shots.''