FAYETTEVILLE — Dickey Nutt finally is getting to coach a basketball game against Arkansas.
All he had to do was leave the state.
In his second season as Southeast Missouri State’s coach, Nutt will lead the Redhawks (0-4) against the Razorbacks (2-0) at 7 tonight in Walton Arena.
Nutt had a 189-187 record in 13 seasons as Arkansas State’s coach and led ASU to its only NCAA Tournament appearance in 1999. But Nutt, a Little Rock native, never got a shot at the Razorbacks because of Arkansas’ longstanding policy to not play in-state schools in any sport unless dictated by postseason matchups.
“I think that’s something that would have been so good for the state, probably more so for us at Arkansas State than it would be for Arkansas,” Nutt said. “But I didn’t really worry too much about that. I tried to focus on our program.” Nutt said tonight’s game is the result of Southeast Missouri receiving a $140,000 guarantee to take part in the four-team tournament dubbed the “Razorback Showcase,”which allowed Arkansas, Grambling State, Florida Gulf Coast and the Redhawks to play extra games, including atleast one at home. Arkansas got three home games out of the arrangement.
“This was a matter of the money because we’re trying to build a program from scratch right now,” Nutt said. “It hasn’t been in the back my mind all these years that if I were to ever get to another place, the first thing I wanted to do was play Arkansas. It’s not that way at all.
“We needed this guarantee, and it just so happens one of the teams we’re playing is Arkansas.”
Nutt was out of coaching for a year after resigning under pressure at Arkansas State on Feb. 18, 2008. He was hired at Southeast Missouri State on March 12, 2009, and took over a program that had just finished a 3-27 season with a 19-game losing streak.
“It was as rock bottom as it could get, but it’s also a great opportunity,” Nutt said. “I want to turn around this program, and I think we’re off to a good start.”
The Redhawks were 7-23 last season and are 7-27 overall under Nutt. They lost to Grambling State 77-76 in overtime at home in Cape Girardeau, Mo., on Monday night.
“Our record doesn’t show it, but we’re making some improvement,” Nutt said. “We’ve got our hands full with Arkansas. We know that.
“We’ve got to do a good job of protecting the ball and trying to defend them.”
Southeast Missouri State has five players from Arkansas on its roster, but the only three who will play tonight are senior guard Anthony Allison (Marianna), sophomore guard Marland Smith (Little Rock Hall) and redshirt freshman guard Lucas Nutt (Jonesboro).
Senior forward Cameron Butler (Malvern) is sidelined because of broken toes on each foot, and senior guard Logan Nutt (Jonesboro) won’t be eligible until December after transferring from Ole Miss.
Logan and Lucas Nutt are Dickey Nutt’s sons.
“It’s going to be a big deal to them,” Arkansas Coach John Pelphrey said of the instate players facing the Razorbacks. “They’ll probably have a chance to play in front of a lot family and friends.”
Nutt said the players from Arkansas are a major part of the foundation being put in place at Southeast Missouri State.
“We’ve got a long way to go, but I’ve got a great group of kids to work with and I’m working at a fantastic institution,” Nutt said. “We have a lot of potential here, and I’m glad to be a part of it.
“It’s certainly very rewarding to be back in coaching after sitting out a year.”
Nutt’s Arkansas State teams went 3-3 against Pelphrey’s South Alabama teams in the Sun Belt Conference.
“I know Dickey and have had a chance to compete against his teams in the past,” Pelphrey said. “He’ll have his guys fired up and ready to go.”
Nutt said he’ll never forget his days at Arkansas State,but he doesn’t dwell on them, either.
“We had some good times and some good years, but it’s a new day,” Nutt said. “Life is short, and you need to move forward.”
Sports, Pages 21 on 11/24/2010