Road trip helps TSU learn to handle adversity

 SWAC Championship, Dec. 11-Texas Southern vs. Ala. State 

Texas Southern men's basketball coach Tony Harvey was understandably fatigued when he and the team returned to Houston on Saturday. The Tigers had completed a six-game road trip to open the season, ending it with Friday's 84-60 loss at No. 4 Kansas State. They made stops in four states. And they did so with three key players out.

Senior forward Travele Jones and senior guards Harrison Smith and Justin Ray are ineligible because of compliance issues. The loss of Jones, the preseason Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year, is especially painful, as he was the team's leading returning scorer (13.7 points per game).

TSU Cole Talking Contract

After leading TSU to an 8-3 regular-season record and its first berth in the SWAC championship game, football coach Johnnie Cole stands to receive a raise and an extension of the four-year contract he signed after being hired in December 2007.

Athletic director Charles McClelland said Friday that the two sides would sit down after the Dec. 11 SWAC championship game to discuss the situation.

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