Oklahoma State Cowboys men's basketball
Encyclopedia
The Oklahoma State Cowboys
basketball
team represents Oklahoma State University
in Stillwater, Oklahoma
, United States
in NCAA
Division I men's basketball
competition. (All women's teams at the school are known as Cowgirls.) The Cowboys currently compete in the Big 12 Conference
.
Since 1938
, the team has played its home games in Gallagher-Iba Arena
. Prior to 1957, the school was known as Oklahoma A&M College, and the teams were nicknamed the Aggies.
On April 16, 2008, Travis Ford
was hired as the men's basketball head
coach
at Oklahoma State, replacing the outgoing Sean Sutton
.
. The Cowboys (including the predecessor Aggies teams) rank 35th in total victories among all NCAA Division I college basketball
programs, with an all-time win-loss record of 1452–1018 (.588).
The Cowboys (including the predecessor Aggies teams) have made 22 total appearances in the NCAA Tournament
(37–21 overall record), reaching the NCAA Final Four
six times (1945, 1946, 1949, 1951, 1995, 2004) and the NCAA Regional Finals
(Elite Eight
) eleven times. Oklahoma State (then Oklahoma A&M College) won the NCAA Championship
in 1945 and 1946. The Cowboys rank tenth (tied with three other programs) in all-time Final Four appearances and seventh (tied with seven others) in total NCAA Championships.
found very little success, with only six winning seasons. Very little success was found early on and after a six-win fifteen-loss season under first-year coach John Maulbetsch
things were not looking well. However, in the next three seasons Maulbetsch turned around the program, leading the Aggies to a 41–20 record culminating with a first place finish in their last season in the Southwest Conference. The move to the Missouri Valley Conference
would halt the progress under this budding coach. After Maulbetsch resigned from the positions of football, baseball and basketball coach the Aggies would not have another winning season until Henry Iba
took the reins.
This period in Oklahoma State basketball history was marked with mainly football coaches heading the football, baseball and basketball teams.
Henry Iba
came to Oklahoma A&M College in 1934
and remained for 36 years. He retired after the 1969–70 season. For most of his tenure at A&M/OSU, he doubled as athletic director.
Iba's teams were methodical, ball-controlling units that featured weaving patterns and low scoring games. Iba's "swinging gate" defense (a man-to-man with team flow) was applauded by many, and is still effective in today's game. He was known as "the Iron Duke of Defense".
Iba's Aggies became the first to win consecutive NCAA titles (1945 and 1946). His 1945–46 NCAA champions were led by Bob Kurland
, the game's first seven-foot player. They beat NYU
in the 1945 finals and North Carolina
in the 1946 finals. He was voted coach of the year in both seasons. His 1945 champions also defeated National Invitation Tournament
champion, DePaul
, and 6' 9" center George Mikan
in a classic Red Cross Benefit game. Iba's 1949 and 1951 teams also reached the Final Four
of the NCAA Tournament.
Oklahoma A&M/Oklahoma State teams won 655 games, 14 Missouri Valley
Championships, and one Big Eight
Championship, in 36 seasons with Iba as head men's basketball coach.
"Mr. Iba," as he is still popularly known at OSU, remained a fixture on campus until his death in 1993, often giving advice to players during practice. One seat in the southeast concourse level of Gallagher-Iba Arena
(which was renamed in his honor in 1987) remains unused in his honor.
standings only three times, and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament
only once.
–59
, Eddie Sutton
returned to Oklahoma State in 1990
to coach. In the years leading up to his hiring, the team had only made postseason play three times since joining the Big Eight Conference
in 1957
.
The Pokes began to turn around almost immediately with Sutton's presence, and in 1991
, Oklahoma State returned to the NCAA Tournament, ending their NCAA Tournament drought that had lasted since losing 56–53 to Princeton in 1983
. Sutton’s Cowboys advanced all the way to the Sweet Sixteen during his first two seasons. In 1995
, the Pokes, under the leadership of Bryant "Big Country" Reeves
and Randy Rutherford, captured the Big Eight Conference
Tournament and won a bid to the 1995 NCAA Final Four
in Seattle, Washington
.
Led by John Lucas III, Joey Graham
, and 2004 Big 12
Player of the Year Tony Allen
, Sutton's 2003-04 team finished with a school-record 31 wins (31-4), won both the Big 12 regular season and tournament championships, and advanced to the Final Four
as a No. 2 seed in the 2004 NCAA Tournament
. The Cowboys finished the season ranked No. 4 in the final AP
poll and Coaches' Poll.
In his 17 years in Stillwater, the Cowboys reached the postseason 14 times (having declined an NIT
bid in Sutton's sixth season as head coach), including 13 NCAA Tournament bids and two Final Four appearances. They also captured three regular-season conference titles and three conference tournament championships. Sutton finished his career at OSU as the second-winningest coach in school history, behind only his mentor, Henry Iba.
, Colorado
, killing all 10 on board. The plane was on its way back from a loss against the University of Colorado
. Those killed included Nate Fleming, a redshirt freshman guard; Dan Lawson, a junior guard; Bill Teegins, radio sportscaster of OSU basketball and sports anchor on CBS affiliate KWTV
-9 in Oklahoma City
; Kendall Durfey, television and radio engineer; Will Hancock, media relations coordinator; Pat Noyes, director of basketball operations; Brian Luinstra, athletic trainer; Jared Weiberg, student assistant; Denver Mills, pilot; and Bjorn Falistrom, co-pilot.
, also a former Cowboy player, took over head coaching duties in 2006
. Following a record of 39–29 during his first two seasons, Sutton resigned under pressure after a March 31, 2008, meeting with Athletic Director Mike Holder
.
was hired as the eighteenth men's basketball head coach at Oklahoma State. He resigned from the same position with the UMass Minutemen to take the position. He has a Division One coaching record of 123–115. Ford has also coached at Eastern Kentucky
and Campbellsville University
(NAIA). As a player, he was coached by Norm Stewart
at the University of Missouri
as a freshman. He transferred after his freshman season and played for three years (1992–94) at the University of Kentucky
for coach Rick Pitino.
Gallagher-Iba Arena, once dubbed “Madison Square Garden
of the Plains”, is the basketball
and wrestling venue at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma
. Originally completed in 1938 and named the 4-H Club and Student Activities Building, it was soon renamed Gallagher Hall to honor wrestling coach, Ed Gallagher
. After renovations in 1987, the name became Gallagher-Iba Arena, as a tribute to longtime basketball coach and innovator, Henry Iba
. Gallagher-Iba Arena was named the best college gymnasium by CBS SportsLine.com
in August 2001.
The first basketball game was played on December 9, 1938, when Iba's Oklahoma A&M Aggies beat Phog Allen
’s Kansas Jayhawks
, 21-15, in a battle between two of the nation's early basketball powers. In its original configuration, seating was limited to 6,381. Though small by today's standards, it was the largest collegiate facility in the country when completed. The original maple floor, still in use today, was the most expensive of its kind in America when it was installed in 1938.
Oklahoma State completed a $55 million expansion of Gallagher-Iba Arena prior to the 1999-2000 Cowboy basketball season. Rather than build a new, off-campus arena to accommodate the need for additional seating, the decision was made to expand Gallagher-Iba Arena itself to more than double its original capacity (from its 6,381 seat-capacity to its current 13,611 seats). The old sightlines and the original white maple floor were kept (it remains the oldest original basketball court floor still in use).
On January 15, 2005, the court was officially named after Eddie Sutton
as Eddie Sutton Court.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State Cowboys are the athletic teams that represent Oklahoma State University. Their mascot is a cowboy named Pistol Pete. Oklahoma State participates in the NCAA's Division I-A and in the Big 12 Conference's South Division. The university's current athletic director is Mike Holder...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team represents Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater is a land-grant, sun-grant, coeducational public research university located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA. OSU was founded in 1890 under the Morrill Act...
in Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater is a city in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. 177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 45,688. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I men's basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
competition. (All women's teams at the school are known as Cowgirls.) The Cowboys currently compete in the Big 12 Conference
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
.
Since 1938
1938 in sports
-American football:* New York Giants 23–17 Green Bay Packers for the NFL title.* First High School Oil Bowl is played.-Association football:World Cup* 1938 World Cup held in France – Italy retain their title, beating Hungary 4-2 in the final....
, the team has played its home games in Gallagher-Iba Arena
Gallagher-Iba Arena
Gallagher-Iba Arena, also known as "The Rowdiest Arena in the Country" and "The Madison Square Garden of the Plains”, is the basketball and wrestling venue at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States...
. Prior to 1957, the school was known as Oklahoma A&M College, and the teams were nicknamed the Aggies.
On April 16, 2008, Travis Ford
Travis Ford
Travis Ford is an American college basketball coach. He is currently the men's head coach at Oklahoma State University. He was previously the head coach at Campbellsville University, Eastern Kentucky University, and the University of Massachusetts...
was hired as the men's basketball head
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
coach
Coach (basketball)
Basketball coaching is the act of directing and strategizing the behaviour of a basketball team or individual basketball player. Basketball coaching typically encompasses the improvement of individual and team offensive and defensive skills, as well as overall physical conditioning.Coaching is...
at Oklahoma State, replacing the outgoing Sean Sutton
Sean Sutton
Sean Sutton was the head coach of the Oklahoma State University men's basketball program from 2006 until April 1, 2008. He is currently an assistant at Oral Roberts University.-Playing career:...
.
History
Oklahoma State University (then Oklahoma A&M College) began varsity intercollegiate competition in men's basketball in 19081908 in sports
1908 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:College championship* College football national championship – Harvard Crimson, LSU Tigers and Penn Quakers -Association football:England...
. The Cowboys (including the predecessor Aggies teams) rank 35th in total victories among all NCAA Division I college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
programs, with an all-time win-loss record of 1452–1018 (.588).
The Cowboys (including the predecessor Aggies teams) have made 22 total appearances in the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
(37–21 overall record), reaching the NCAA Final Four
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
six times (1945, 1946, 1949, 1951, 1995, 2004) and the NCAA Regional Finals
Elite Eight
The term Elite Eight, or less commonly called "Great Eight", refers to the final eight teams in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship; and, thus, represents the national quarterfinals. In Division I, the Elite Eight consists of the...
(Elite Eight
Elite Eight
The term Elite Eight, or less commonly called "Great Eight", refers to the final eight teams in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship; and, thus, represents the national quarterfinals. In Division I, the Elite Eight consists of the...
) eleven times. Oklahoma State (then Oklahoma A&M College) won the NCAA Championship
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship records
-Champions, runners-up and locations:* Vacated this due to NCAA violations.† denotes overtime games. Multiple †'s indicate number of overtimes.-Single game wins:-Final Four appearances:-Multiple championship coaches:-NCAA Championships:...
in 1945 and 1946. The Cowboys rank tenth (tied with three other programs) in all-time Final Four appearances and seventh (tied with seven others) in total NCAA Championships.
The early years (1907–34)
Under nine head coaches in this period Oklahoma A&MOklahoma State University–Stillwater
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater is a land-grant, sun-grant, coeducational public research university located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA. OSU was founded in 1890 under the Morrill Act...
found very little success, with only six winning seasons. Very little success was found early on and after a six-win fifteen-loss season under first-year coach John Maulbetsch
John Maulbetsch
John F. "Johnny" Maulbetsch was an All-American football halfback at Adrian College in 1911 and for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1914 to 1916...
things were not looking well. However, in the next three seasons Maulbetsch turned around the program, leading the Aggies to a 41–20 record culminating with a first place finish in their last season in the Southwest Conference. The move to the Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
would halt the progress under this budding coach. After Maulbetsch resigned from the positions of football, baseball and basketball coach the Aggies would not have another winning season until Henry Iba
Henry Iba
Henry Payne "Hank" Iba was an American basketball and baseball coach.-Early life:Iba was born and raised in Easton, Missouri...
took the reins.
This period in Oklahoma State basketball history was marked with mainly football coaches heading the football, baseball and basketball teams.
| Coach | Record | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Boyd Hill Boyd Hill -External links:... |
2–3 | 1 |
| William Schrieber | 4–5 | 2 |
| Paul Davis | 15–16 | 3 |
| John Griffith | 18–12 | 2 |
| Earl Pritchard | 11–15 | 2 |
| James Pixlee | 3–21 | 2 |
| John Maulbetsch John Maulbetsch John F. "Johnny" Maulbetsch was an All-American football halfback at Adrian College in 1911 and for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1914 to 1916... |
75–74 | 8 |
| George Rody | 8–24 | 2 |
| Harold James | 13–42 | 3 |
Henry Iba era (1934–70)
Henry Iba
Henry Payne "Hank" Iba was an American basketball and baseball coach.-Early life:Iba was born and raised in Easton, Missouri...
came to Oklahoma A&M College in 1934
1934 in sports
-American football:NFL championship* New York Giants 30–13 Chicago Bears in the NFL championship gameCollege championship* College football national championship – Minnesota Golden Gophers-Association football:International...
and remained for 36 years. He retired after the 1969–70 season. For most of his tenure at A&M/OSU, he doubled as athletic director.
Iba's teams were methodical, ball-controlling units that featured weaving patterns and low scoring games. Iba's "swinging gate" defense (a man-to-man with team flow) was applauded by many, and is still effective in today's game. He was known as "the Iron Duke of Defense".
Iba's Aggies became the first to win consecutive NCAA titles (1945 and 1946). His 1945–46 NCAA champions were led by Bob Kurland
Bob Kurland
Robert Albert "Bob" Kurland was a basketball center, who played for Henry Iba's Oklahoma A & M Aggies basketball team...
, the game's first seven-foot player. They beat NYU
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in the 1945 finals and North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
in the 1946 finals. He was voted coach of the year in both seasons. His 1945 champions also defeated National Invitation Tournament
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
champion, DePaul
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
, and 6' 9" center George Mikan
George Mikan
George Lawrence Mikan, Jr. , nicknamed Mr. Basketball, was an American professional basketball player for the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League and the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBL, the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball Association...
in a classic Red Cross Benefit game. Iba's 1949 and 1951 teams also reached the Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
of the NCAA Tournament.
Oklahoma A&M/Oklahoma State teams won 655 games, 14 Missouri Valley
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
Championships, and one Big Eight
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
Championship, in 36 seasons with Iba as head men's basketball coach.
"Mr. Iba," as he is still popularly known at OSU, remained a fixture on campus until his death in 1993, often giving advice to players during practice. One seat in the southeast concourse level of Gallagher-Iba Arena
Gallagher-Iba Arena
Gallagher-Iba Arena, also known as "The Rowdiest Arena in the Country" and "The Madison Square Garden of the Plains”, is the basketball and wrestling venue at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States...
(which was renamed in his honor in 1987) remains unused in his honor.
1970–90
The poor results of the final five years of Iba's tenure largely remained the status quo for Oklahoma State during the two decades following his retirement. From the 1970–71 to 1989–90 seasons, the Cowboys finished with winning records six times, finished in the top half of the Big Eight ConferenceBig Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
standings only three times, and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
only once.
Eddie Sutton era (1990–2006)
After being an assistant for the Cowboys in 19581958 in sports
1958 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* NFL Championship – December 28 the Baltimore Colts won 23-17 over the New York Giants in overtime. The game is later called the "Greatest game ever played"....
–59
1959 in sports
1959 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* NFL Championship – Baltimore Colts won 31-16 over the New York Giants* August 14 - The American Football League is founded...
, Eddie Sutton
Eddie Sutton
Eddie Sutton is an American former college head coach with 36 years of Division I basketball coaching experience at Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma State , and the University of San Francisco...
returned to Oklahoma State in 1990
1990 in sports
1990 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland-American football:...
to coach. In the years leading up to his hiring, the team had only made postseason play three times since joining the Big Eight Conference
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
in 1957
1957 in sports
1957 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* NFL Championship – Detroit Lions won 59-14 over the Cleveland Browns.*College football champions Auburn University-Association football:...
.
The Pokes began to turn around almost immediately with Sutton's presence, and in 1991
1991 in sports
1991 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Petra Kronberger, Austria-American football:...
, Oklahoma State returned to the NCAA Tournament, ending their NCAA Tournament drought that had lasted since losing 56–53 to Princeton in 1983
1983 in sports
1983 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, United States** Women's overall season champion: Tamara McKinney, United States-American football:...
. Sutton’s Cowboys advanced all the way to the Sweet Sixteen during his first two seasons. In 1995
1995 in sports
1995 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Alberto Tomba, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Vreni Schneider, Switzerland-American football:...
, the Pokes, under the leadership of Bryant "Big Country" Reeves
Bryant Reeves
Bryant Reeves is an American retired professional basketball player for the NBA's Vancouver Grizzlies...
and Randy Rutherford, captured the Big Eight Conference
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
Tournament and won a bid to the 1995 NCAA Final Four
1995 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1995 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 1995, and ended with the championship game on April 3 at the Kingdome in Seattle,...
in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
.
Led by John Lucas III, Joey Graham
Joey Graham
Joseph "Joey" Graham is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers.-College career:Graham played at Central Florida from 2000 to 2002, and at Oklahoma State from 2003 to 2005...
, and 2004 Big 12
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
Player of the Year Tony Allen
Tony Allen (basketball)
Anthony Allen is an American professional basketball player with the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA.-Early career:...
, Sutton's 2003-04 team finished with a school-record 31 wins (31-4), won both the Big 12 regular season and tournament championships, and advanced to the Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
as a No. 2 seed in the 2004 NCAA Tournament
2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2004, and ended with the championship game on April 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,...
. The Cowboys finished the season ranked No. 4 in the final AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
poll and Coaches' Poll.
In his 17 years in Stillwater, the Cowboys reached the postseason 14 times (having declined an NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
bid in Sutton's sixth season as head coach), including 13 NCAA Tournament bids and two Final Four appearances. They also captured three regular-season conference titles and three conference tournament championships. Sutton finished his career at OSU as the second-winningest coach in school history, behind only his mentor, Henry Iba.
2001 plane crash
On January 27, 2001, one of three planes carrying Oklahoma State staff and players crashed in a snow storm near ByersByers, Colorado
Byers is a census-designated place in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. The population was 1,160 at the 2010 census. The Byers Post Office has the ZIP Code 80103.-Geography:Byers is located at ....
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, killing all 10 on board. The plane was on its way back from a loss against the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
. Those killed included Nate Fleming, a redshirt freshman guard; Dan Lawson, a junior guard; Bill Teegins, radio sportscaster of OSU basketball and sports anchor on CBS affiliate KWTV
KWTV
KWTV-DT, virtual channel 9 , is the CBS-affiliated television station in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; it is owned by Griffin Communications of Oklahoma City...
-9 in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
; Kendall Durfey, television and radio engineer; Will Hancock, media relations coordinator; Pat Noyes, director of basketball operations; Brian Luinstra, athletic trainer; Jared Weiberg, student assistant; Denver Mills, pilot; and Bjorn Falistrom, co-pilot.
Sean Sutton era (2006–08)
Eddie Sutton's son, Sean SuttonSean Sutton
Sean Sutton was the head coach of the Oklahoma State University men's basketball program from 2006 until April 1, 2008. He is currently an assistant at Oral Roberts University.-Playing career:...
, also a former Cowboy player, took over head coaching duties in 2006
2006 in sports
2006 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* January 2, Fiesta Bowl – Ohio State 34-20 Notre Dame* January 2, Sugar Bowl – West Virginia 38-35 Georgia...
. Following a record of 39–29 during his first two seasons, Sutton resigned under pressure after a March 31, 2008, meeting with Athletic Director Mike Holder
Mike Holder
Mike Holder is the current athletic director for Oklahoma State University, succeeding Harry Birdwell on September 16, 2005. His previous position was head coach of the men's golf program, where he served for 32 years....
.
Travis Ford era (2008–present)
On April 16, 2008, Travis FordTravis Ford
Travis Ford is an American college basketball coach. He is currently the men's head coach at Oklahoma State University. He was previously the head coach at Campbellsville University, Eastern Kentucky University, and the University of Massachusetts...
was hired as the eighteenth men's basketball head coach at Oklahoma State. He resigned from the same position with the UMass Minutemen to take the position. He has a Division One coaching record of 123–115. Ford has also coached at Eastern Kentucky
East Kentucky Miners
The East Kentucky Miners are a professional basketball team in the American Basketball Association that began play as a member of the Continental Basketball Association in the 2007-2008 season...
and Campbellsville University
Campbellsville University
Campbellsville University, also known as CU, is a private university in Campbellsville, Kentucky, the seat of Taylor County. Founded as Russell Creek Academy, a Baptist institution, the university currently enrolls more than 3,000 students and is open to students of all denominations...
(NAIA). As a player, he was coached by Norm Stewart
Norm Stewart
Norman E. "Norm)" Stewart is a retired American college basketball coach. He coached at the University of Northern Iowa from 1961 to 1967, but is best known for his career with the University of Missouri from 1967 until 1999. He retired with an overall coaching record of 731-375 in 38 seasons...
at the University of Missouri
Missouri Tigers men's basketball
The Missouri Tigers men's basketball team represents the University of Missouri in the Big 12 Conference. The Tigers are located in Columbia, Missouri. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2011. The Missouri Tigers men's basketball team plays its home games at...
as a freshman. He transferred after his freshman season and played for three years (1992–94) at the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
for coach Rick Pitino.
Head coaching record
Gallagher-Iba Arena
Gallagher-Iba Arena, once dubbed “Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
of the Plains”, is the basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and wrestling venue at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater is a city in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. 177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 45,688. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical...
. Originally completed in 1938 and named the 4-H Club and Student Activities Building, it was soon renamed Gallagher Hall to honor wrestling coach, Ed Gallagher
Edward C. Gallagher (wrestling)
Edward Clark Gallagher was the Oklahoma A&M wrestling coach from 1916-1940. With his knowledge of physical principles like leverage and stress along with anatomy he all but invented the modern style of wrestling. He remains one of the most successful coaches in NCAA athletics history...
. After renovations in 1987, the name became Gallagher-Iba Arena, as a tribute to longtime basketball coach and innovator, Henry Iba
Henry Iba
Henry Payne "Hank" Iba was an American basketball and baseball coach.-Early life:Iba was born and raised in Easton, Missouri...
. Gallagher-Iba Arena was named the best college gymnasium by CBS SportsLine.com
CBSSports.com
CBSSports.com was founded in 1994 as SportsLine USA, and today is a CBS-owned website that provides sports scores, news, statistics, live and on-demand video, mobile apps, e-commerce, fantasy sports products, services, and information..Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, CBSSports.com it is...
in August 2001.
The first basketball game was played on December 9, 1938, when Iba's Oklahoma A&M Aggies beat Phog Allen
Phog Allen
Forrest Clare "Phog" Allen was an American basketball and baseball player, coach of American football, basketball, and baseball, college athletics administrator, and osteopathic physician...
’s Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas Jayhawks
The sports teams at the University of Kansas are known as the Jayhawks. They are one of three schools in the state of Kansas that participate in NCAA Division I. The Jayhawks are also a member of the Big 12 Conference...
, 21-15, in a battle between two of the nation's early basketball powers. In its original configuration, seating was limited to 6,381. Though small by today's standards, it was the largest collegiate facility in the country when completed. The original maple floor, still in use today, was the most expensive of its kind in America when it was installed in 1938.
Oklahoma State completed a $55 million expansion of Gallagher-Iba Arena prior to the 1999-2000 Cowboy basketball season. Rather than build a new, off-campus arena to accommodate the need for additional seating, the decision was made to expand Gallagher-Iba Arena itself to more than double its original capacity (from its 6,381 seat-capacity to its current 13,611 seats). The old sightlines and the original white maple floor were kept (it remains the oldest original basketball court floor still in use).
On January 15, 2005, the court was officially named after Eddie Sutton
Eddie Sutton
Eddie Sutton is an American former college head coach with 36 years of Division I basketball coaching experience at Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma State , and the University of San Francisco...
as Eddie Sutton Court.
External Links
- Voices of Oklahoma interview with Eddie Sutton. First person interview conducted with Eddie Sutton on September 30, 2010. Original audio and transcript archived with Voices of Oklahoma oral history project.