USF, Sutton haven't helped each other much

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A casual East Coast basketball fan probably could name the University of San Francisco's current basketball head coach, a publicity bonus that did not exist before the Dons hired Eddie Sutton on Dec. 26.The benefits seem to end there, though, because the Sutton Era has not brought many rewards. USF has a 3-12 record under Sutton -- and does not seem to be improving. Sutton admitted that the Dons' most recent game, an 87-55 loss to Santa Clara on Monday, "was the worst we've played since I've been here."It was the Dons' most lopsided loss in three years, and unless the Dons win the NCAA Tournament -- then we'd have a story -- USF (7-20) will at least tie the school record for most losses in a season. The Dons lost all four games to their Bay Area conference rivals St. Mary's and Santa Clara and none of those games was closer than 18 points.Asked if he was glad he took the USF job, Sutton said after Monday's loss, "At times I am," which is hardly a ringing endorsement for his decision.He often has said this is the least talented team he has coached, an unusual thing to say about a coach's current team, but he also said he was not aware of the talent deficiency when he took the job.And though the nation started paying attention to USF when Sutton was hired to replace Jessie Evans, those around here did not. The average home attendance of 1,829 is the lowest in many years, and though the attendance average of 2,342 since Sutton arrived is a slight improvement, that includes the three most attractive games on the schedule: Gonzaga, St. Mary's and Santa Clara. Crowd size in USF's games against Loyola Marymount on Saturday and Pepperdine on Monday might barely exceed triple digits even though they will be Sutton's final home games at USF.Sutton, who turns 72 next month, has accomplished his stated goal of getting 800 career wins, and with 801 victories, he has the most of any active Division I coach. That distinction could disappear before he is done at San Francisco, though, because Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has 798 career wins.THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: If St. Mary's loses on Saturday at Gonzaga, which is 50-2 all-time on its current home court, the McCarthey Athletic Center, and if San Diego wins the WCC tournament on its home court, where the Toreros beat St. Mary's and lost to Gonzaga by four points during the regular season, what happens to St. Mary's NCAA Tournament chances?San Diego would get the conference's automatic berth, and Gonzaga, by finishing first in the standings and probably higher than the Gaels in the national rankings, would be first in line for an at-large berth. Would the NCAA take three WCC teams, even though it has not done so before? We think so, but the Gaels would be advised to beat Gonzaga on Saturday or win the conference tourney to ease the anxiety.STAT OF THE WEEK: When Quentin Thomas became North Carolina's starting point guard after Ty Lawson got hurt, the Tar Heels were in second place in the Atlantic Coast Conference and ranked No. 3 in the coaches' Top 25 poll. After Thomas' six starts, North Carolina is first in the ACC and No. 2 in the coaches' poll. In his past four games, all wins, Thomas had 24 assists against 10 turnovers and hit 11 of 15 shots. The crowd at the Smith Center now chants "Q, Q, Q," when he scores. It's uncertain whether Lawson (ankle) will be ready for Saturday's game against Boston College, so Thomas could get his seventh start.TEAM OF THE WEEK: Cornell. The Big Red probably will be the first team to clinch a berth in the NCAA Tournament, and they would do so by beating Ivy League also-rans Dartmouth and Harvard at home this weekend.QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "High school was fun. This is completely the opposite. I'm just hoping to forget about it in a month or two."-- New Jersey Institute of Technology point guard Jeryl Wilson, to the Associated Press, after his team finished the season 0-29, setting an Division I record for most losses in a season without a win. Wilson is thinking about transferring.(E-mail Jake Curtis at jcurtis@sfchronicle.com.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)