Andrew Pace
SMU, or Southern Methodist University, has a proud history of athletic achievement, with numerous facilities and spaces dedicated to sports. SMU Mustangs compete in 17 NCAA Division I sports in the Atlantic Coast Conference. SMU basketball has experienced both highs and lows, with notable figures such as Doc Hayes, Jon Koncak, and Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown, who led the team to a championship appearance in the NIT in 2012. SMU basketball has produced NBA draft picks such as Semi Ojeleye and Sterling Brown. The team has appeared in 12 NCAA Tournaments and 7 National Invitation Tournaments, showcasing their dedication to athletic excellence.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| SMU Basketball Team Name | SMU Mustangs |
| SMU Location | Dallas-Fort Worth |
| SMU Conference | Atlantic Coast Conference |
| Number of NCAA Division I Sports | 17 |
| SMU Athletes Graduation Rate | 78% |
| National Division I Athletes Graduation Rate | 58% |
| Number of Appearances in NCAA Tournaments | 12 |
| Number of Appearances in National Invitation Tournaments (NIT) | 7 |
| Number of Appearances in CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) | 1 |
| Number of Appearances in National Commissioners Invitational Tournaments | 1 |
| SMU Basketball Coaches | Larry Brown, Tim Jankovich |
| SMU Basketball Facilities | Moody Coliseum, Crum Basketball Center |
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What You'll Learn
SMU Mustangs compete in 17 NCAA Division I sports
The SMU Mustangs are the athletic teams representing Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas. SMU Mustangs compete in 17 NCAA Division I sports in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). SMU has won three National Championships from NCAA-designated major selectors and twelve conference championships, winning ten outright and two shared. The football team has participated in various bowl games, from the Dixie Classic in 1924 to the Fenway Bowl in 2023.
SMU men's swimming and diving was founded in 1932 in the former Southwest Conference. The men's and women's teams have acquired 57 conference titles combined and have a total of 91 NCAA National Championship appearances. SMU's men's golf team won the 1954 NCAA Championship, and in 2015, Bryson DeChambeau won the NCAA individual championship. SMU's men's soccer team finished the 2010 season with an overall record of 16–2–2. The Mustangs finished the season with a trip to the quarterfinals, where they lost to North Carolina in a penalty shootout.
SMU has a rich history in track and field, having competed in the sport since 1918 and winning three national championships. The SMU Mustangs football team represents Southern Methodist University in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the ACC. The team has participated in 21 bowl games and has a record of 7-11-1 in these games. In 2009, the Mustangs made a remarkable turnaround, with a regular-season record of 7-5, and were invited to their first bowl game in 25 years, defeating the Nevada Wolf Pack. SMU has also claimed two division championships and participated in various other sports, including basketball, baseball, and tennis.
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SMU basketball's 'Dark Ages'
SMU, or the SMU Mustangs, is the men's basketball team representing Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas. SMU basketball has had its ups and downs over the years, with a particularly challenging period known as its "dark age".
From 1994 to 2012, SMU basketball endured a significant slump. During these 19 years, the team managed just seven winning seasons and failed to secure any conference titles or qualify for the NCAA tournament. This period stands in stark contrast to SMU's overall basketball record, which includes 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, 16 Conference Championships, and one Final Four.
The SMU Mustangs' dark age in basketball finally came to an end when Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown took the helm in 2012. This turning point also coincided with a $48 million renovation of Moody Coliseum, providing a much-needed boost to the team's infrastructure. By Brown's second season, the Mustangs had achieved a 27–10 record and made it to the NIT championship.
However, SMU basketball faced another setback in 2015 due to NCAA violations, which resulted in the team being banned from postseason play for the 2015-2016 season. Despite this, the Mustangs started the season strongly with an 18–0 record and finished with an impressive 25–5 standing. The following season, SMU basketball continued its resurgence, setting a school record for single-season wins and returning to the NCAA Tournament.
In summary, SMU basketball's dark ages can be characterised by a lack of winning seasons, conference titles, and NCAA tournament appearances from 1994 to 2012. The arrival of coach Larry Brown and improved facilities marked a turning point, but NCAA violations and postseason bans presented further challenges. Nonetheless, the Mustangs persevered, and their resilience eventually paid off with improved records and a return to tournament play.
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SMU's Crum Basketball Center
SMU—short for Southern Methodist University—has invested almost $200 million in athletics facilities since 2001. SMU's Crum Basketball Center is one of these facilities, alongside the Moody Coliseum, which has been home to athletic events, academic ceremonies, concerts, and performances since it opened in 1956.
SMU's approach to integrating rigorous learning with hands-on experience prepares students to achieve their educational goals and expand their worlds in ways they never imagined. SMU's basketball facilities are just one example of the university's commitment to providing top-notch athletic resources for its students and the wider Dallas community.
The university has also constructed and renovated numerous other facilities to support its athletics programs, including the Gerald J. Ford Stadium, the Loyd All-Sports Center, the SMU Tennis Complex, the Miller Event Center, and the Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center/Barr-McMillion Natatorium. In addition to these on-campus facilities, SMU has partnered with AT&T and the city of Dallas to develop the Trinity Forest Golf Club, an 18-hole championship golf course with a world-class training center.
These investments in athletics infrastructure reflect SMU's dedication to creating a well-rounded educational experience that extends beyond the classroom and empowers students to forge their own paths.
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Mustangs' star players
The SMU Mustangs men's basketball team represents Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas, and competes in the NCAA Division I. The Mustangs have had several notable players over the years, including star players like Jon Koncak, who led SMU to three NCAA tournament appearances and an NIT appearance during the Dave Bliss era.
Another standout player was Nic Moore, who helped SMU win its first conference title in 22 years during the 2014-15 season. In the following season, SMU started with an 18-0 record and finished with a 25-5 record, marking their third straight season with 25+ wins.
Other notable Mustang players include Yor Anei, Sedrick Barefield, Sterling Brown, Ben Moore, Isiaha Mike, and Semi Ojeleye. Sterling Brown and Ben Moore were selected in the NBA draft, marking a significant achievement for SMU players.
The Mustangs have had their fair share of success, with 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, 16 Conference Championships, and 11 All-Americans. The team's overall record stands at an impressive 1,377–1,237, showcasing the talent and dedication of the Mustang players throughout the team's history.
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Mustangs' coach Larry Brown
Lawrence Harvey Brown, known as Larry Brown, is an American basketball coach and former player. Brown was born in Brooklyn, New York, on September 14, 1940, and played basketball at the University of North Carolina under coaches Frank McGuire and Dean Smith. After college, he played for the Akron Wingfoots and led the team to the 1964 AAU National Championship. He also played for the Oakland Oaks, with whom he won an ABA championship in the 1968–69 season.
Brown began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater, the University of North Carolina, in 1965. He then took on his first head coaching role at Davidson College in 1969 but resigned after less than two months. In 1972, he became the coach of the Carolina Cougars and led them to 57 wins in his first year. Brown went on to coach several other teams in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA), including the Denver Rockets, the Detroit Pistons, and the Charlotte Bobcats.
In 2012, Brown was named the new head coach of the SMU Mustangs, replacing Matt Doherty. In his four seasons with the Mustangs, Brown achieved a 94-39 record. During his tenure, SMU made its first appearance in the Associated Press Top 25 rankings since 1985 and won the American Athletic Conference tournament in the 2014–2015 season, securing their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1993. However, Brown's time at SMU was not without controversy, as the program faced an NCAA investigation for academic improprieties involving a former player, Keith Frazier.
In 2016, Brown stepped down as coach of the SMU Mustangs, citing his desire to discuss his decision with his players and their parents before sharing any details. He had one season left on his contract, and his reasons for leaving remained undisclosed. Brown's overall coaching record in the ABA and the NBA stands at 1,275–965, and he is the only coach to win both an NCAA national championship (with Kansas in 1988) and an NBA title (with the Detroit Pistons in 2004). He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach in 2002 and received the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Basketball Coaches Association in 2021.
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Frequently asked questions
SMU Mustangs compete in 17 NCAA Division I sports. SMU basketball has had periods of success, such as during the Dave Bliss era, where SMU went 28–7, winning the SWC regular-season and tournament championships. However, there have also been periods of mediocrity, like from 1994 to 2012, when SMU had just seven winning seasons and did not win any conference titles.
Notable SMU basketball players include Jalen Jones, Ike Ofoegbu, Isiaha Mike, Jon Koncak, Ira Terrell, and Gene Phillips.
The current SMU basketball coach is Tim Jankovich, who took over in the summer of 2016. He led SMU to a 30–4 overall record in his first full season as head coach.
