Just a couple weeks ago, the rumors began to swirl that Sean Sutton was on the hot seat and that filthy rich Oklahoma State booster Boone Pickens wanted to bring in a big-name coach.

Sutton won 22 games a year ago. He did it despite getting rid of Torre Johnson, Roderick Fleming and Jamal Brown for disciplinary reasons. Oklahoma State was 11-0 before an injury to guard Obi Muonelo left them too thin to compete.

After the season, he watched JamesOn Curry made a terrible decision and leave early for the NBA - where he's basically been shuttled to and from the NBDL this season. Then Kenneth Cooper, the team's lone experienced big man, transferred a couple days before school started.

The Cowboys were 10-11 overall and 1-6 in Big 12 play when the chatter about Sutton's future began to gain some steam. Since, they have won five straight games and put themselves in a tie with Texas A&M and Oklahoma for fifth place in the Big 12.

"I've been hearing things, that Coach Sean is out at the end of the season, and I don't want that to happen," Oklahoma State junior point guard Byron Eaton told The Oklahoman after last month's upset against Kansas.

It's tough to judge someone on their first two years.

Jim Calhoun was 29-33. Billy Donovan was 27-32.

I'm not saying Sutton is Calhoun or Donovan, but any head coach should get four years to prove what they can do. It's only fair.

ARIZONA HOPING TO GET WISE

Arizona interim coach Kevin O'Neill said that starting point guard Nic Wise went through a full practice on Tuesday. O'Neill is hopeful Wise, who had knee surgery on Feb. 6, will be able to play Thursday at Oregon State.

"I would think he's got a good chance to play Thursday," O'Neill said. "But I won't know for sure until tonight."

O'Neill said he's also optimistic Bret Brielmaier (shoulder) will also return for the road trip to the Oregon schools.

Arizona has lost six of its last eight and needs, at the very least, to split at Oregon.

CARTER'S INJURY HELPS SEAHAWKS

A year ago, UNC Wilmington first-year head coach Benny Moss wouldn't have believed it if you had told him that T.J. Carter's season-ending sports hernia injury would be a blessing down the road.

The Seahawks went 7-22 overall and won just four CAA games in his rookie campaign.

However, Carter has come back in his senior campaign and is pain-free for the first time in three years. He leads the team in scoring (16.2) and assists (4.2) as UNC Wilmington finished 19-12 overall and earned the No. 2 seed in this week's conference tournament.

"It really was a blessing in disguise," Moss said. "We were able to throw other guys into bigger roles."

Now Carter has a supporting cast that features Todd Hendley, Daniel Fountain and Vladimir Kuljanin all averaging nearly 13 points per game. Freshman Chad Tomko has also stepped up in big games.

But Carter has been the difference-maker.

"He's a great mid-range player," Moss said. "He may not be a great shooter, but he makes shots when the game's on the line."

RANDOM NOTES: Kansas State guard Clent Stewart had a memorable Senior Day last night, proposing to his girlfriend, Stephanie Harwell, just prior to the win against Colorado. Stewart's mother died of cancer last month. ... Texas picked up a commitment from one of Scout.com's elite sophomores - 6-foot-8 Canadian power forward Tristan Thompson - who is playing at St. Benedict's in New Jersey.