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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Rice University hired Rob Lanier to be its next men’s basketball coach, the school announced Sunday night, returning Lanier to a job in the AAC after his unexpected dismissal from SMU last week.
SMU fired Lanier after just two seasons in the wake of a 20-win 2023-24, as the Mustangs are seeking an upgrade as they move to the ACC next season.
Lanier’s squad went 20-13 and finished fifth in the AAC with an 11-7 record. His recent season, combined with a strong track record as a head coach and assistant, were appealing to the Rice brass, sources told ESPN. He also brings strong ties to the state from his time as an assistant coach at Texas.
In Lanier, the Rice brass saw a coach who could assemble a roster to lead the Owls to immediate competitiveness in their second season in the AAC.
The school fired coach Scott Pera after he went 5-13 in league play in Rice’s debut season in the AAC.
New Rice athletic director Tommy McClelland, in announcing Pera’s departure, hinted at the program’s ambitions. He cited the desire for a “championship-caliber program” and said Rice wants to be “among the best in the AAC.”
This will mark Lanier’s fourth head-coaching job. He led both Siena and Georgia State to NCAA tournament bids in prior stints and showed strong improvement from Year 1 at SMU (10-22) to Year 2 (20-13).
Lanier also brings extensive high-end assistant coaching experience, as he worked for Rick Barnes at both Tennessee and Texas, and Billy Donovan at Florida.
Lanier won a regular-season Sun Belt title at Georgia State and will be entering his 10th season as a Division I head coach. While at Siena, his team won a First Four NCAA tournament game against Alcorn State.