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SMU Mustangs men's basketball, also known as SMU, is the basketball team of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. SMU competes in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as part of the Atlantic Coast Conference. SMU has a rich basketball history, with notable alumni including Jalen Jones, Ike Ofoegbu, and Isiaha Mike. The team has appeared in 12 NCAA tournaments and has a combined record of 10-14. In recent years, SMU has experienced a resurgence, with Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown leading the team to multiple successful seasons and conference championships.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Division | I |
| Conference | Atlantic Coast |
| Nickname | Mustangs |
| Colors | Red & Blue |
| Website | smumustangs.com |
| @SMUMustangs | |
| NCAA Tournament Appearances | 12 |
| NIT Appearances | 7 |
| CIT Appearances | 1 |
| National Commissioners Invitational Tournaments Appearances | 1 |
| Notable Players | Jalen Jones, Ike Ofoegbu, Isiaha Mike |
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What You'll Learn
SMU Mustangs play in Division I
SMU Mustangs have a rich history in basketball, with notable figures such as Jon Koncak, Ira Terrell, and Gene Phillips contributing to the team's success. The team experienced a period of decline from 1994 to 2012, with only seven winning seasons and no conference titles or NCAA tournament appearances. However, the program experienced a resurgence when Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown took over in 2012. Under his guidance, SMU returned to the NCAA tournament in the 2014-15 season and achieved a remarkable 18-0 start in the 2015-16 season, despite being banned from postseason play due to NCAA violations.
SMU Mustangs' success continued under the leadership of Tim Jankovich, who took over as head coach in 2016. In his first full season, SMU achieved a 30-4 overall record and won the American Athletic Conference regular season and conference tournament titles. The team received a bid to the NCAA tournament, showcasing their dominance in Division I basketball.
SMU Mustangs have appeared in 12 NCAA Tournaments, showcasing their prowess in Division I basketball. They have also made appearances in seven National Invitation Tournaments (NIT), one CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT), and one National Commissioners Invitational Tournament. The team's notable alumni include Jalen Jones, Ike Ofoegbu, and Isiaha Mike, who have gone on to play in various prestigious basketball leagues around the world.
SMU Mustangs' success in Division I basketball can be attributed to their talented players, dedicated coaching staff, and the support of their vibrant campus community. The team's achievements have brought recognition to the university and continue to inspire and unite students, faculty, and fans alike.
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They compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference
SMU Mustangs basketball, also known as SMU basketball, competes in Division I sports in the Atlantic Coast Conference. SMU basketball left 'The American' in July 2024 to join the Atlantic Coast Conference, marking a return to the power-conference ranks for the team.
SMU Mustangs basketball has a rich history, with notable figures such as Doc Hayes, Jon Koncak, Ira Terrell, and Gene Phillips contributing to its success. The team experienced a period of mediocrity, but the appointment of Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown in the 2012 season marked a turning point. Under Brown's leadership, SMU basketball achieved significant victories and returned to the NCAA tournament.
The SMU Mustangs have made 12 appearances in the NCAA Tournaments, with a combined record of 10-14. They have also competed in seven National Invitation Tournaments (NIT), with a combined record of 6-7, and one CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT), where they achieved a 3-1 record.
The SMU Mustangs basketball team calls the Moody Coliseum their home. The coliseum underwent a $48 million renovation, coinciding with the team's resurgence under Coach Brown. SMU Mustangs compete in 17 NCAA Division I sports, showcasing their athletic and academic excellence.
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SMU basketball suffered a period of decline from 1994 to 2012
The SMU Mustangs men's basketball team represents Southern Methodist University (SMU) and competes in NCAA Division I college basketball. SMU basketball suffered a period of decline from 1994 to 2012, often referred to as the "Dark Ages" of SMU basketball. During these nineteen years, the team had only seven winning seasons and failed to win any conference titles or advance to the NCAA tournament. The Mustangs managed only one appearance each in the NIT and CIT tournaments during this period.
The decline began after the 1993 season, when SMU won the SWC Championship and reached the NCAA tournament under coach John Shumate. From 1994 to 2012, SMU basketball struggled to find consistent success, with only a few standout players and coaches during this time. The Bob Prewitt and Sonny Allen eras, for example, were largely unsuccessful, with only one Southwest Conference Championship between 1968 and 1980.
However, there were brief periods of improvement during this decline. The Dave Bliss era, for instance, saw SMU reach three NCAA tournaments and one NIT appearance. SMU's final season under Bliss in 1987 was particularly successful, with the team winning the SWC regular season and tournament championships and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The low point of SMU basketball's decline came in the 2011-12 season, when the team had a losing record and failed to qualify for any postseason tournaments. This prompted a change in leadership, with Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown taking over the Mustangs in 2012. Brown's arrival marked the beginning of SMU basketball's resurgence, coinciding with a $48 million renovation of Moody Coliseum.
In his second season, Brown led SMU to a 27–10 record and a championship appearance in the NIT. The 2014–15 season was even more successful, with SMU winning its first conference title in 22 years and returning to the NCAA tournament. Despite a controversial loss to UCLA, SMU's basketball program was clearly on the rise again, emerging from its period of decline.
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SMU has appeared in 12 NCAA tournaments
SMU Mustangs, the men's basketball team of Southern Methodist University, have appeared in 12 NCAA tournaments. SMU has had a rich history in basketball, with a period of success from 1955 to 1958, where they won four consecutive Southwest Conference championships and reached three Sweet Sixteens. They even made it to the Final Four in the 1955-56 season, led by All-American Jim Krebs.
During the Doc Hayes era, SMU won 8 SWC championships and reached the NCAA tournament six times, including Final Four and Elite Eight appearances. However, after Doc Hayes retired, SMU basketball entered a period of mediocrity, with only a few standout players like Jon Koncak, Ira Terrell, and Gene Phillips. The program showed signs of improvement during the Dave Bliss era, where SMU made three NCAA tournament appearances and won the SWC regular-season and tournament championships in his final season.
SMU won the SWC Championship again and reached the NCAA tournament in the 1993 season under John Shumate. Unfortunately, this marked the beginning of a long dry spell for SMU basketball, as they failed to win any conference titles or reach the NCAA tournament from 1994 to 2012. Their luck began to turn around when Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown took over in 2012, coinciding with a $48 million renovation of Moody Coliseum. By his third season, SMU won its first conference title in 22 years and returned to the NCAA tournament, although they lost to UCLA in a controversial game.
In the 2015-16 season, SMU basketball was banned from postseason play due to NCAA violations but still managed an impressive 18-0 start to the season and finished with a 25-5 record. The following season, SMU, led by new head coach Tim Jankovich, won the American Athletic Conference regular season and conference tournament titles. They received a bid to the NCAA tournament as a 6 seed but were upset by 11th-seeded USC in the opening round.
SMU has a combined record of 10-14 in their 12 NCAA tournament appearances. They have also appeared in seven National Invitation Tournaments (NIT) and various other postseason tournaments. SMU currently competes in NCAA Division I, having joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2024.
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SMU basketball returned to success under coach Larry Brown
SMU Mustangs men's basketball, representing Southern Methodist University in University Park, Dallas, Texas, competes in the Division I college basketball league. The team has had a long history in basketball, dating back to 1916, with a record of 1,377–1,237 over 104 years.
After a period of success under coach Doc Hayes, SMU basketball entered a ""dark age", lasting from 1994 to 2012, during which the team had only seven winning seasons and failed to win any conference titles or reach the NCAA tournament. However, the program experienced a resurgence when Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown took over in 2012.
Brown brought a wealth of experience to SMU, having previously coached in the ABA and the NBA. He had a highly successful career, with a cumulative coaching record of 177–61 in seven collegiate seasons, including five at Kansas, where he won an NCAA Championship in 1988. Brown also led the Detroit Pistons to an NBA title in 2004, making him the only coach to win both an NCAA and NBA championship.
In his first season at SMU, Brown oversaw a rebuilding year with a 15–17 record. However, by his second season, he had already made a significant impact, leading SMU to a 27–10 record and a championship appearance in the NIT. In his third season (2014–15), SMU won its first conference title in 22 years and returned to the NCAA tournament. Despite being banned from postseason play in the 2015–16 season due to NCAA violations, SMU still managed to start the season with an 18–0 record and finished with a 25–5 record.
Brown's tenure at SMU was not without controversy, as he was suspended by the NCAA in 2015 for failing to report violations. Despite this, Brown's overall impact on SMU basketball was positive, as he led the team back to success and national prominence, laying the foundation for the team's continued success after his departure in 2016.
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Frequently asked questions
SMU basketball, also known as the SMU Mustangs, plays in Division I of the NCAA.
SMU basketball is in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
SMU basketball has won several championships, including the SWC Championship in 1993, the American Athletic Conference regular-season title in 2016-17, and the American Athletic Conference tournament title in 2017.
