Sutton Won’t Coach

Eddie Sutton was cited with driving under the influence after he was injured in a car accident, and the Oklahoma State coach will take a medical leave for the rest of the season.

Friday’s accident in Stillwater, along with chronic back and hip pain, prompted the 69-year-old coach’s decision, the school said Monday. Sean Sutton, his son and head-coach designate, will finish this season as coach.

The university said no decision has been made on who will coach next season.

Sutton was hospitalized overnight for a head injury and released Saturday after the two-vehicle accident. The occupant of the other SUV received minor injuries and was released at the scene, officers said.

In a statement released by the university, Sutton said that “with my deteriorating physical condition and other issues, I have been under a tremendous amount of stress.”

The coach said he had been close to taking a medical leave after a Feb. 4 trip to Kansas State because “the pain in my back was making it very difficult to coach.”

“After Friday’s events, I know it is best to go on medical leave the remainder of the season to address my future health,” he said.

Stillwater police cited Sutton after the accident but did not jail him on a complaint of driving under the influence because of a lack of physical evidence. Police are awaiting the results of blood tests that will confirm whether the coach was driving under the influence.

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Chris Rodgers was reinstated by Arizona Coach Lute Olson after the senior guard was kicked off the team three weeks ago for undisclosed disciplinary reasons.

Olson did not give specifics of what Rodgers did to get back on the team.

“He has fulfilled the various responsibilities that had been set up for him to get back,” Olson said.

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Tennessee point guard Alexis Hornbuckle is out for the season after breaking her right wrist against Vanderbilt on Sunday.