The Texas Southern University Men’s Basketball Program is coached by Tony Harvey.  Coach Harvey began his first season at Texas Southern University in April 2008. Harvey was one of five new head coaches in the SWAC that year.

In 2009-10, Harvey guided the Tigers to the SWAC Championship game and the program’s first winning season in seven years. His tenacious attacking defense was fourth in the nation in steals per game at 10.3, a shade below national leader Missouri’s 10.9. Harvey spent time as an assistant at Missouri.

Texas Southern University men’s basketball team had the 12th best turnaround in the country in 2009-10 under Coach Harvey.  Coming off a 7-25 season in 2008-09, the Tigers went 17-16 in 2009-10. TSU’s 9.5-game turnaround was tied with Murray State as the 12th most improved team in the nation.  It was TSU’s first winning season since 2002-03.

Harvey has 12 years experience as an assistant coach on the collegiate level. During those 11 years, Harvey has become one of the premier and most respected recruiters in college basketball.

Harvey’s first Division I job was at Southern University, where he helped guide the team to its 1993 NCAA tournament appearance. A basketball journeyman, Harvey has seen the game from more angles than most head coaches in college basketball. He has seen the game as a college head coach, college associate head coach, college assistant coach, high school assistant coach, NBA player work-out specialist, professional sports agent and college and high school player. It is his rich basketball background that contributed to HoopInsider.com’s decision to name Harvey one of the top five recruiting assistants for three consecutive years. Harvey also owns a custom-made clothing business which caters to high-profile athletes and entertainers such as Dwight Howard, Damon Stoudamire, Steve Francis and many others.

Harvey established himself as one of the top recruiters in the country at the University of Missouri. He was the chief engineer who implemented a recruiting system that, in that first summer of 1999, enabled Missouri to sign NBA first round pick Kareem Rush. In 2000, Harvey produced the No. 6 recruiting class in the country, followed by the third-best recruiting class in 2001. This foundation at Mizzou produced five consecutive postseason berths, including four NCAA tournament bids, while winning 100 games during that five-year period. That five-year period also included three second round appearances, with an “Elite Eight” run and two “Sweet Sixteen” appearances. By the time Harvey left Missouri, he had acquired one top 50, three top 25 and two top five recruiting classes.

Harvey helped recruit and develop Josh Kroenke, Clarence Gilbert and Jimmy McKinney, McDonald’s All-American Travon Bryant, and seven NBA players: Derrick Dials, Arthur Johnson, Rickey Paulding, Thomas Gardner, first round picks Kareem Rush and Linas Kleiza, and lottery pick Keon Dooling.

Prior to Missouri, Harvey was at Eastern Michigan University, where he helped guide the Eagles to two consecutive 20-win campaigns. In 1996-97, the Eagles went 22-10 and finished runner-up for the Mid-American Conference championship. They followed that season in championship style by winning the Mid-American Conference tournament title, and earning an NCAA tournament berth in 1997-98. Harvey was also instrumental in the development of James Head and NBA standouts Earl Boykins and Derrick Dowell.

Before heading to the Midwest, Harvey paid his dues and sharpened his coaching skills at McNeese State and Southern University. He coached at McNeese State from 1994-96. There Harvey signed NBA All-star Ben Wallace. Harvey also coached at Southern for two seasons. He coached JaVaughn Scales, who led the NCAA Division I in scoring and rebounding, and 1992 Newcomer of the Year Johnny Conic from 1992-94. Southern won the SWAC tournament and earned an NCAA bid in his first year in college basketball.

Harvey got his coaching start in 1989 at the storied Benton Harbor High School in Benton Harbor, Mich. There he helped restore Benton Harbor to its former glory. Harvey helped build Benton Harbor into a dynasty, reaching the state championship game three straight years. In that three-year span, he helped coach and develop seven Divison I players with three going to major college schools.

A native of South Bend, Ind., Harvey grew up in Benton Harbor, and graduated from Benton Harbor High School in 1983. He played on district and regional basketball championship teams for the Tigers. He then moved onto Louisiana Tech for one year before earning an associate’s degree from North Dakota State College of Science, where he led the men’s basketball team in scoring and rebounding, while earning all-region honors.