Busting Brackets
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ACC Basketball: Ranking all 18 programs after additions of Stanford, Cal, and SMU

By Tristan Freeman

Feb 5, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Stanford Cardinal head coach Jerod Haase during the second half against the Colorado Buffaloes at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 5, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Stanford Cardinal head coach Jerod Haase during the second half against the Colorado Buffaloes at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
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SMU Mustangs guard Michael Weathers Jrca7108
SMU Mustangs guard Michael Weathers Jrca7108 /

17. SMU Mustangs

It’s an interesting time for the Mustangs to make the move, as the basketball program is in the midst of a rebuild. First-year head coach Rob Lanier went 10-22 last season, the worst for SMU Basketball in 15 years. Before that though, the program was consistently in the top tier of the American Athletic Conference, even rivaling Memphis and Houston for a while.

Time will tell if Lanier is the man for the job long-term. There are not too many expectations for them this upcoming year in the last season of the American, though they can take advantage of what looks to be a weak conference overall outside of Memphis and Florida Atlantic.

Still, this has been a good program overall on the basketball side since the start of the century, dating back to the Conference USA days. Going to the ACC, where Duke and UNC reside, is a tougher challenge altogether. And if the Mustangs roster were in the ACC this year, they’d be fighting with Notre Dame as the worst roster overall.

Being from the state of Texas and the rich recruiting area gives SMU hope long-term. However, there’s going to be an adjustment period for the program in the years to come. So right now, I have to have them in a lower spot overall.