This much is known about the ultra-secretive Naismith election process: There are 24 voters, and a finalist must get a minimum of 18 votes to gain entry into the Hall of Fame.

The Class of 2019 is announced April 6, during the Final Four weekend in Minneapolis. The September induction ceremony happens at the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Another reason for the belief Sutton gets at least 18 votes: It would be beautiful to see him inducted with Sidney Moncrief, the most prominent of Sutton’s former Arkansas stars.

Moncrief also is a Hall of Fame finalist. He was great as one of Sutton’s Razorback Triplets in 1975-79, and he followed with an 11-season run in the NBA.

“When you add the intangibles to what coach Sutton did on the court, it’s a no-brainer,” Moncrief told the Tulsa World. “He belongs in the Hall of Fame.”

Kentucky got into NCAA trouble while Sutton was the Wildcat coach. His 16-season OSU run ended with a driving-under-the-influence accident in Stillwater. Just for the record, Sutton himself was not implicated in what happened at Kentucky.

Has Sutton been blocked from Hall of Fame membership because of NCAA problems or a personal misstep? Several Hall of Fame coaches have blemishes.