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Danny Manning completes his recruiting class at Tulsa

Danny Manning

New Tulsa basketball coach Danny Manning smiles during an introductory news conference, Wednesday, April 4, 2012, in Tulsa, Okla. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

AP

Tulsa’s new head coach Danny Manning has made a couple of late additions to his roster heading into the 2012-2013 season.

It started yesterday, as Rashad Ray -- a 5-foot-11 point guard from New Orleans that was first-team all-state in Louisiana -- committed to the school for this upcoming year. Ray didn’t receive a star-ranking from Rivals and had offers from schools like Arkansas-Little Rock and Tulane, but he is a point guard. With the injuries that Donte Medder has had to deal with throughout his career with the Golden Hurricane, depth at the point guard spot has been an issue for the program.

Manning followed up Ray’s commitment by landing Northeastern graduate transfer Kauri Black. Black averaged just 4.6 points and 3.2 rebounds last season for the Huskies, but he will provide some experience and depth in the front court for Tulsa as Manning tries to build a program.

Neither player will be a difference maker for the program, but with the Golden Hurricane losing Jordan Clarkson, Steven Idley and DJ Magley and a new regime coming in, Manning needs bodies. In addition to returnees Kodi Maduka, Scottie Haralson and Eric McClellan, Manning brings in a now-seven man recruiting class, headlined by St. Joseph’s transfer Patrick Swilling.

Manning has a long way to go to get Tulsa back to being one of the best mid-major programs in the country -- particularly with Conference USA becoming less and less relevant with each passing cycle of realignment -- but you can see him starting to build the framework.

Rob Dauster is the editor of the college basketball website Ballin’ is a Habit. You can find him on twitter @robdauster.