Scott Sutton Talks Guards and Cowboys Have a Home Opener
STILLWATER -- Oklahoma State will open the basketball season back close to home for standout guards in freshman and preseason All-American Cade Cunningham and veteran Isaac Likekele when they travel on Nov. 25 to play at Texas-Arlington. Now it looks like they will come back to open the home schedule inside Gallagher-Iba Arena on Saturday, Nov. 28 against SWAC favorite Texas Southern as part of a football-basketball doubleheader on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
Isaac Likekele (above) and Cunningham will get to open the season close to home at UT-Arlington.
Pat Kinnison - Pokes Report chief photographer
Pokes Report has learned that Oklahoma State and Texas Southern agreed to the contest for that day and the contract is done, but the official announcement is waiting on a tipoff time that will be determined Monday when the Big 12 and their television partners announce the kickoff time for the Cowboys final regular season home football game that same day against Texas Tech.
If the Cowboys and Tech kick off during the day, then the basketball game will go as a night game. If the football game kicks in the evening then the basketball game will be an early afternoon affair.
Oklahoma State continues to practice and get ready for the start of the season. Pokes Report and Triple Play Sports Radio spoke with Cowboys assistant Scott Sutton today and he talked about line-up options and as head coach Mike Boynton has talked about a really talented group of guards including Cunningham and Likekele.
Lots of preseason honors for Cunningham including first-team A.P. All-American and Big 12 Freshman of the Year. Next is going out and earning it all.
Bruce Waterfield - Oklahoma State Athletics
"If there's a weakness it is probably at the five position, but we have great size on the perimeter," Sutton said. "Cade is 6-7, 6-8 and 220-pounds and your other point guard, who is just as valuable "Ice" (Likekele), is 6-4 and 200-pounds and both of them have long arms, so they can defend taller players. You'll see some different line-ups. Some line-ups without a true post player or maybe you'll see a line-up out there with five guards. We feel that Cade and Isaac can guard bigger players and you'll have to see those guys adjust and try to guard both of them."
Sutton echoed the comments of head coach Mike Boynton and many of the Cowboys players that have spoke up and talked about what a humble guy that Cunningham is for a "one and done" and a projected first pick in the next NBA Draft.
"It's been really cool to see Robert, to be honest," Sutton responded. "I'll tell you no ego for a guy that hasn't played a minute of college basketball yet and that is getting all this recognition, you'd think there would be some jealosy. It shows what type of kid that he is and what type of teammate he is. His teammates love him and there hasn't been any chemistry problems. It goes back to what kind of young man Cade is."
While the Cowboys have just announced preseason All-American and Big 12 Freshman of the Year in Cunningham along with a talented roster, Texas Southern and their head coach Johnny Jones are picked as the favorites to win the Southwest Athletic Conference. Jones team returns three starters and adds former Oklahoma State player and one-time MAC Freshman of the Year in Michael Weathers. The native of Kansas City transferred from Miami of Ohio to Oklahoma State following OSU assistant John Cooper, who had recruited him to Miami of Ohio as the head coach there.
At Oklahoma State, Weathers was arrested in the summer and charges were filed for grand larceny and concealing stolen property. He was then let go from the team after off the court issues and more charges stemming from an incident after a party.
Last season Texas Southern was 16-16 overall and 12-6 in the SWAC to finish third.
