Coaching Matchup Of Sutton Brothers Possible For Next Season

Friday, June 1st 2007, 3:28 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A published report Friday said that Oklahoma State and Oral Roberts _ basketball teams coached by brothers Sean Sutton and Scott Sutton, respectively _ will play next season in the All-College Classic in Oklahoma City.

The Tulsa World, citing anonymous sources, said that the deal to play the game between the in-state rivals, which would be televised on ESPN, was finalized last week during the Big 12 Conference meetings. It would be the first meeting between the Suttons as head coaches.

Contacted Friday, Tim Brassfield, the executive director of the All Sports Association _ which organizes the All-College event _ said no such deal had been finalized, although it has been discussed.

``It's a matchup that we would certainly consider and welcome and love to have it take place, if it's what those two universities want to do,'' Brassfield said. ``But between the All Sports Association and ESPN, it's not completely finalized.''

ESPN spokesman Mike Humes said the cable network has had discussions about the All-College event but that the field has not been finalized for it.

Oral Roberts athletic department spokesman Cris Belvin said the private Tulsa school had no comment about its schedule for the 2007-08 season, and Oklahoma State athletic department spokesman Mike Noteware said he was unaware of any such game having been arranged.

The Sutton brothers are the sons of Eddie Sutton, who retired as Oklahoma State's coach after the 2005-06 season. Eddie Sutton won 798 games in 36 seasons at four NCAA Division I schools _ Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma State.

Sean Sutton, an assistant for 13 seasons for his father, became the Cowboys' head coach before last season, when the Cowboys finished 22-13 and lost in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.

Scott Sutton, who will turn 37 on Sunday and is 20 months younger than Sean, became Oral Roberts' coach before the 1999-2000 season. In eight seasons, he has a 144-102 record. The Golden Eagles have won the last three Mid-Continent Conference titles and played in the last two NCAA tournaments.

Oklahoma State is 15-4 all-time against Oral Roberts, with the teams' last meeting coming on Dec. 2, 1997. When he was Oklahoma State's coach, Eddie Sutton steadfastly declined to play Oral Roberts after Scott Sutton became the Golden Eagles' coach.

Asked before last season what the chances were of an Oral Roberts-Oklahoma State matchup, both Scott Sutton and Sean Sutton would not rule it out, but noted that they would likely need the blessing of their mother, Patsy Sutton, before arranging such a game. No one answered the phone at Eddie and Patsy Sutton's Stillwater residence on Friday afternoon.

It would not be the first time brothers coaching at Oklahoma colleges had played each other. When Clarence Iba coached at Tulsa from 1949 to 1960, his Golden Hurricane played the school now known as Oklahoma State _ then coached by Henry Iba _ 20 times. Oklahoma State won 16 of those games.