Courtland Sutton dreamed of this opportunity.

SMU's freshman All-American receiver talked about it with his teammates while hooping in the Dedman Rec Center. That if Larry Brown called in pursuit of reinforcements, they needed to take advantage.

And then SMU's roster dwindled due to transfers and Sutton was faced with the scenario he hoped would come to fruition.

"It's a thing I've dreamed of. I really couldn't do nothing but accept it," Sutton said of the offer he couldn't refuse from the Godfather. "It's SMU basketball. These guys got something going on over here that it's something that we want in the football locker room. So to be able to come over and experience this winning tradition that they're starting to establish, it's something that I really enjoy a lot.

"They welcomed me with open arms, teaching me the plays. We're shooting around, joking around. It's like I've been here the whole season. If coach Brown would have me back next year I wouldn't mind coming back next year."

The closeness between Sutton and his new teammates was evident Monday. He and Ben Moore held a playful shooting contest after practice. Then as Sutton spoke with media Markus Kennedy put him in a head lock as he walked past in the hallway.

Sutton's journey with the basketball team started when Brown called football head coach Chad Morris asking if any of Morris' players wanted to be a duel-sport athlete. Sutton and a couple of his football teammates arrived to speak with Brown and watch a practice.

Then Sutton and defensive back Kevin Johnson came back to run through some drills with assistant coach Jerry Hobbie.

"I guess they kind of liked what they saw. They said I could come and help a little bit," Sutton said.

Sutton played basketball from the time he was 6 year old through his years at Brenham High School, twice being named runner up district MVP.

"Senior year, runner up MVP of the district to some sorry kid," Sutton said, the competitor in him still upset at the snub. "Was able to enjoy that. Where I was from, being 6-4 that was a post position so I felt like I was pretty dominant in my district."

But it is a large adjustment from high school and rec league games to the Division I level. Sutton spent the past month watching in practice, trying to absorb and learn the plays.

Tuesday was the first time Sutton actually ran some plays with the team.

"It's a slow process. Coach Brown always messes with me about the fact that he says I can remember all these different routes and stuff like that but I'm struggling with the plays with basketball," Sutton said. "I think the main difference is, whenever I learn the football plays I got a big old binder full of plays I can look at and memorize. And out there it's all movement.

"Ben, Markus, (Jordan Tolbert), Nic (Moore), they're all helping me. Everybody's helping me which way to go when I go out there so I don't screw up too much and coach Brown doesn't get on my back."

Sutton finally saw the floor on the road against USF, making a 3-pointer as SMU closed out its win over the Bulls.

"I was shooting it no matter what," Sutton said with a broad smile and laugh. "As soon as I saw the ball rotating around, (David Nelson) had scored, Jake (Brudish) had scored. I was like, 'You know what, I don't care what happens. If the ball gets rotated to me I'm going to shoot.' Supposedly coach Brown was saying no more shots.

"I didn't even hear him say that. All I saw was the ball's coming to me, I released and I saw it go in and everybody went crazy. It was an experience that I won't ever forget."

And then Sunday against East Carolina, Sutton finally got the chance to play at Moody Coliseum.

"To have them welcome me even though I'm not a big time player or anything like that, for them welcome me with a standing ovation when I come up on the court," Sutton began before trailing off. "It was a lot different than scoring a touchdown in a football game. They all were screaming, chanting my name, 'Court-land, Court-land.' I'm loving it."

But not loving it so much that he is forgetting his football priorities. Sutton goes to morning weight lifting with football before going to class and then basketball practice in the afternoon.

The schedule leaves him with little desire to do anything but homework and sleep afterwards.

"It's a strain but I signed up for it so I don't complain about it at all," Sutton said. "The only downfall is I do miss my conditioning with the team. It's supposed to be a team bonding, everybody struggles together. But I am getting really, really good conditioning over here. I'm going to be ready for spring ball for sure."