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The SMU Mustangs men's basketball team represents Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas. The team has a rich history in college basketball, with 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, 16 Conference Championships, and 23 NBA Draft selections. In recent years, SMU has experienced a resurgence in their basketball program, with Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown leading the Mustangs to multiple successful seasons and breaking a 22-year conference title drought. However, as of 2025, SMU has a 0-5 Quad I record and is in the ACC conference.
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What You'll Learn
SMU Mustangs' basketball history
The SMU Mustangs men's basketball team represents Southern Methodist University (SMU) in University Park, Texas. They compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I college basketball. In over a century of basketball, SMU has a record of 1,377–1,237. They have reached one Final Four, made 12 NCAA Tournament Appearances, won 16 Conference Championships, had 11 All-Americans, and 23 NBA Draft selections.
SMU's basketball history can be divided into several eras, each with its own successes and challenges. The first era is the Doc Hayes era, which lasted from 1947 to 1967. During this time, SMU won eight SWC championships and reached the NCAA tournament six times, including a Final Four appearance in the 1955-56 season. This era was followed by a period of mediocrity, with some highlights provided by SMU greats like Jon Koncak, Ira Terrell, and Gene Phillips.
The Dave Bliss era, which lasted from 1968 to 1980, produced one Southwest Conference Championship and three NCAA tournament appearances. The John Shumate era in the 1993 season saw SMU win the SWC Championship and reach the NCAA tournament again. However, this was also the start of the "Dark Ages" of SMU basketball. From 1994 to 2012, SMU had only seven winning seasons and did not win any conference titles or reach the NCAA tournament.
The reemergence of SMU basketball came with the arrival of Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown in the 2012 season. By his third season, SMU won its first conference title in 22 years and returned to the NCAA tournament. In the 2015-16 season, SMU was banned from postseason play due to NCAA violations but still managed to start the season with an 18–0 record. In the summer of 2016, Brown stepped down as SMU's basketball coach, and Tim Jankovich took over. In his first full season, SMU achieved a 30–4 overall record and finished ranked #11 in the AP Poll.
In July 2024, SMU left The American for the Atlantic Coast Conference, returning to the power-conference ranks. As of 2025, SMU has a 0-5 Quad I record, a 6-5 Quad II record, a 12-0 Quad III record, and a 5-0 Quad IV record in the ACC.
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SMU's basketball rankings in the 2010s
The SMU Mustangs men's basketball team underwent a resurgence in the 2010s, coinciding with the arrival of coach Larry Brown and a $48 million renovation of Moody Coliseum. From 1994 to 2012, the Mustangs had experienced a "dark age", with only seven winning seasons and no conference titles or NCAA tournament appearances.
In his second season as coach, Brown led SMU to a 27-10 record and a championship appearance in the NIT. The following season (2014-15), SMU won its first conference title in 22 years and returned to the NCAA tournament, losing to UCLA in a controversial game. In the 2015-16 season, SMU was banned from postseason play due to NCAA violations but still managed to start the season with an 18-0 record, peaking at #8 in the AP Poll and finishing at 25-5.
In the summer of 2016, Brown stepped down as coach, holding the third-highest W-L percentage in SMU basketball history. He was replaced by Tim Jankovich, who, in his first full season, led SMU to a 30-4 overall record, including a 17-1 in-conference record, and an #11 ranking in the AP Poll. The Mustangs won the 2016-17 American Athletic Conference regular season and conference tournament titles, and received a bid to the NCAA tournament, where they were upset in the opening round.
Overall, the SMU Mustangs experienced a period of renewed success in the 2010s, with multiple conference titles and NCAA tournament appearances, as well as strong performances in the NIT.
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SMU's basketball coaches
SMU, or the Southern Methodist University Mustangs, have had a rich history in NCAA Division I college basketball. The SMU Mustangs men's basketball team has had many coaches over the years, with varying levels of success.
The Mustangs' first head coach was Doc Hayes, who took over in 1947. During his tenure, SMU reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen. Between 1955 and 1958, the Mustangs went 77–28, winning four consecutive Southwest Conference championships and reaching three Sweet Sixteens. In 1955-56, they made it to the Final Four, their best finish to date. Doc Hayes retired after the 1967 season with a final record of 298–191.
Following Doc Hayes, SMU basketball entered a period of decline, with some sporadic success thanks to players like Jon Koncak, Ira Terrell, and Gene Phillips. The Bob Prewitt and Sonny Allen eras were largely unsuccessful, producing only one Southwest Conference Championship between 1968 and 1980. However, the program showed signs of improvement during the Dave Bliss era, with three NCAA tournament appearances and an NIT appearance. In his final season, SMU went 28–7, winning the SWC regular season and tournament championships.
The early 1990s marked another period of success for SMU, as they won the SWC Championship and reached the NCAA tournament in 1993 under coach John Shumate. However, this was followed by a prolonged dry spell, with only seven winning seasons between 1994 and 2012, and no conference titles or NCAA tournament appearances.
The Mustangs' fortunes changed again when Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown took over in 2012. In his second season, he led SMU to a 27–10 record and a championship appearance in the NIT. In the 2014–15 season, SMU won its first conference title in 22 years. In 2015, they were banned from postseason play due to NCAA violations but still managed an 18–0 start and finished 25–5, marking their third consecutive season with 25+ wins. Brown unexpectedly stepped down in 2016, finishing with a record of 85–39.
Tim Jankovich became the new head coach in 2016, and in his first full season, SMU achieved a 30–4 overall record, finishing ranked #11 in the AP Poll. They won the 2016–17 American Athletic Conference regular season and conference tournament titles, earning a bid to the NCAA tournament.
In July 2024, SMU moved from The American to the Atlantic Coast Conference, returning to the power-conference ranks. As of 2025, their overall record in the ACC is 21-10.
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SMU Mustangs' players
The SMU Mustangs men's basketball team represents Southern Methodist University (SMU) in University Park, Texas. The Mustangs compete in the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), having moved from the American Conference in 2024. SMU has a rich basketball history, with 104 years of competition under their belt and a record of 1,377–1,237.
SMU has reached one Final Four, made 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, won 16 Conference Championships, and had 11 All-Americans and 23 players selected in the NBA Draft. Notable players include Jalen Jones, Ike Ofoegbu, Isiaha Mike, Jon Koncak, Ira Terrell, and Gene Phillips.
In recent years, SMU has experienced a resurgence in their basketball program. After a period of decline from 1994 to 2012, where they had only seven winning seasons, SMU hired Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown in 2012. By his third season, Brown had led the Mustangs to their first conference title in 22 years and returned to the NCAA Tournament. Following Brown's departure in 2016, Tim Jankovich took over as head coach and led SMU to a 30–4 overall record, finishing ranked #11 in the AP Poll.
In the 2024-25 season, SMU has struggled in the ACC, with a 0-5 record against Quad I opponents and a 6-5 record against Quad II opponents. However, they remain competitive and are looking to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016.
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SMU Mustangs' basketball games and scores
The SMU Mustangs men's basketball team represents Southern Methodist University (SMU) in University Park, Texas. They compete in the NCAA Division I college basketball Atlantic Coast Conference, having left The American in July 2024.
SMU has a rich basketball history, with 104 years of basketball under their belt. In that time, they have reached one Final Four, made 12 NCAA Tournament Appearances, won 16 Conference Championships, had 11 All-Americans, and 23 NBA Draft selections.
The Mustangs have experienced both highs and lows over the years, with some periods of mediocrity and success. The Dave Bliss era, for example, saw SMU go 28-7, winning the SWC regular season and tournament championships, and reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament. However, from 1994 to 2012, SMU had only seven winning seasons and did not win any conference titles or reach the NCAA tournament.
More recently, the SMU Mustangs have shown a reemergence, with Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown taking over in 2012. By his third season, SMU had won its first conference title in 22 years and returned to the NCAA tournament. In the 2015-16 season, they started with an 18-0 record, finishing at 25-5, and ranking #8 in the AP Poll. The following season, they improved to 30-5, winning their second conference title in three years and setting a school record for single-season wins.
In terms of specific game scores, here are some recent results:
- SMU 73-63 Northern Iowa (NIT)
- Oklahoma State 85-83 SMU (NIT)
- Clemson 57-54 SMU (Atlantic Coast Conference semifinals)
- SMU 73-53 Syracuse (ACC Tournament)
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Frequently asked questions
SMU stands for Southern Methodist University.
The SMU Mustangs men's basketball team competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I college basketball. In 2016-17, SMU finished ranked #11 in the AP Poll.
The Mustangs have appeared in 12 NCAA Tournaments, with a combined record of 10-14.
From 1994 to 2012, SMU had only seven winning seasons and did not win any conference titles or reach the NCAA tournament.
Tim Jankovich is the current head coach of the SMU Mustangs. He took over in 2016 after Larry Brown stepped down.
