ACC-affiliated SMU fires coach Rob Lanier after 2 seasons

DALLAS (AP) – Southern Methodist University fired Rob Lanier after two seasons as coach on Thursday, a day after the Mustangs finished their final season before moving to the basketball-rich Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Mustangs (20-13) lost at Indiana State Stadium on Wednesday night, 101-92, in the primary round of the National Invitation Tournament. In two seasons under Lanier, they were 30-35 overall, including a 16-20 record in American Athletic Conference play.

“We are now focused on finding new leadership as we prepare for the next era of SMU athletics in the ACC,” said Rick Hart, the varsity’s athletic director.

With SMU, Cal and Stanford moving to the ACC next season, the league could have 18 basketball teams.

The Mustangs have not competed within the NCAA Tournament since 2017. It was only their third appearance since last winning the tournament in 1988.

(*2*) Hart said.

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Hart thanked Lanier and his staff for his or her positive contributions to SMU and said they act with integrity and in the very best interest of the university and its athletes.

Lanier coached Georgia State for 3 seasons and was coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2022, 20 years after he took Siena to the tournament when SMU hired him. He replaced Tim Jankowicz, who retired after six seasons because the Mustangs’ head coach and an almost four-decade coaching profession that included stints as an assistant to Hall of Fame coaches Larry Brown and Bill Self.

Jankovich was promoted to succeed Brown, who took the Mustangs to their first NCAA Tournament since 1993 in 2015.