TULSA, Okla. - The Tulsa men's basketball team is less than a month away from officially beginning the 2012-13 season, its first under new head coach Danny Manning, when they host LSU Shreveport on Nov. 11. Preparations began Friday morning with the first practice.

The Golden Hurricane returns just three players that have seen regular season action in a Tulsa uniform - sophomore forward Rashad Smith, junior guard Tim Peete and senior guard Scottie Haralson. Tulsa's only other returning scholarship player, freshman Brandon Swannegan, redshirted last season.

Haralson has poured in 172 three-pointers during his two seasons at TU, while shooting 82 percent from the free throw line. Peete averaged 5.3 points and 3.2 rebounds in approximately 27 minutes per game last season. Smith only played 4.9 minutes per game last year, averaging just 0.8 points and 0.7 rebounds, but he led the Hurricane with 16.3 points and 5.5 rebounds on its recent Canadian tour.

The TU roster features seven newcomers, including fifth-year graduate student transfer Kauri Black. He played in 81 career games and started 33 contests for Northeastern University of the Colonial Athletic Association.

Coach Manning will rely on Black and Haralson, the team's two seniors, as well as Tim Peete for leadership.

"Scottie and Kauri have the most experience under their belts in college basketball, because they're seniors," said Manning. "We lean on them a lot to make sure that the pulse of the team is positive and that they have the right mindset to work...

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