ORU Notebook - Tulsa World (2-17-2006)

[ORUTerry]

ORU Notebook:

By MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer

2/17/2006

Bearing Up:

With all the adversity his father has been through in the past seven days, head coach Scott Sutton said it was a relief to play basketball.

Oklahoma State head coach Eddie Sutton took an indefinite leave of absence from the sidelines after losing control of his vehicle and sustaining a head injury in a two-car crash last Friday.

"I told our kids there was nothing they can do but continue to pray for our family and play as hard as (they) can. That's what my father would want, and I thought we played hard (against UMKC)," Sutton said.

"The Sutton family's going to be OK, believe me. We're a close bunch. We've been through some adversity in the past and we'll get through this."

Sutton expressed concern for older brother, Sean, who is coaching the OSU team in their father's absence.

"He's having to go through a lot right now," Sutton said. "He's worried about his father, but he also has to worry about a team that has gone through a lot of adversity as well."

Back in action:

Junior guard Ken Tutt played for the first time since sustaining a stress fracture in his right foot against Western Illinois on Jan. 7. He had missed 10 games.

An 18.1-points-per-game career scorer, Tutt received a standing ovation when he entered the game with 5:30 left in the first half. He took no shots in almost four minutes of first-half playing time.

"I know he was excited about playing, and the ovation he got was very deserved," coach Scott Sutton said. "But it's going to take a while. That's why I'm glad we have (three more regular-season games) to work him back in. He's not moving nearly as well, he's out of shape and that's to be expected. Hopefully, by the time the (conference) tournament comes around, he'll be 100 percent."

Early risers:

The Golden Eagles were to fly out of Tulsa at 7:30 a.m. Friday, bound for Minneapolis, where they will board a connecting flight for Missoula, Mont., and Saturday's Bracket Buster pairing against the University of Montana.

"They say it's 15 below and two feet of snow on the ground (in Missoula)," Sutton said. "I can't wait to get there."

Montana (18-5) is tied for second in the Big Sky Conference. The game will be televised locally by KGEB (Cox cable 23) at 3:05 p.m.