Sutton Timeline

Published: May 19, 2006

Eddie Sutton has coached four teams to NCAA Tournaments, but the road has been long and winding. Here is a look at the highs and lows of Sutton's career.

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March 12, 1936: Born in Bucklin, Kan.

Feb. 21, 1957: Scores 18 points in Oklahoma A&M's upset of Wilt Chamberlain and Kansas, 56-54.

1959: A year out of college, Sutton is hired as head coach at Tulsa Central High School.

1966: Starts basketball program at the College of Southern Idaho.

March 9, 1974: Coaches Creighton to the NCAA Sweet 16 with a win over Texas 77-61. The Jays lose to Kansas 55-54 int he Midwest Regional semifinals.

March 18, 1978: Takes Arkansas - and its famed Triplets - to the Final Four with a 61-58 win over Cal State-Fullerton. The Hogs lose in the NCAA semifinals to Kentucky 64-59.

1987: Checks into the Betty Ford Center for alcohol rehab.

March 19, 1989: Resigns amid scandal at Kentucky. Sutton said he did not want the university ''to suffer anymore.''

April 11, 1990: Hired by his alma mater, Oklahoma State, to take over the basketball program. His college coach, Henry Iba, introduces him at the press conference.

March 26, 1995: Beats UMass 68-54 to advance to the Final Four in Seattle. That team, led by Bryant "Big Country Reeves, loses to UCLA 74-61 .

Jan. 31, 2001: Delivers eulogies at Gallagher-Iba Arena for the 10 men who were killed in the crash of an OSU team plane four days earlier.

March 6, 2004: Coaches the Cowboys to their first Big 12 title.

April 3, 2004: The Cowboys lose in the Final Four to Georgia Tech on a last-second shot, 67-65.

May 25, 2004: Sean Sutton is named OSU's head coach designate and will take over for Sutton upon his retirement.

July 15, 2004: Just months after leading Oklahoma State to the Final Four - the third of his career - Sutton stumbles down an escalator on a trip back from the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles, aggravating already existing hip and back problems.

Jan. 15, 2005: The court at Gallagher-Iba Arena is re-named Eddie Sutton Court.

Feb. 10, 2006: Sutton was cited with a DUI after being involved in a two-car traffic accident on his way to Stillwater Regional Airport for a trip to play Texas A&M.

Feb. 15, 2006: Sutton announced by phone that he will be taking a leave of absence from coaching and seek treatment for alcoholism.

May 5, 2006: Sutton pleads no contest to DUI charges and is put on probation for a year. He pays $1,438 in fines and other costs. He is given until Aug. 8 to pay restitution to Teresa Barnard, the accident victim.

May 19, 2006: Officially announces his retirement, saying "this decision is about what's best for me and what's best for the basketball program at Oklahoma State.


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