DALLAS – The feeling inside the SMU men's basketball locker room following its loss at Memphis last week was different from anything coach Rob Lanier had felt in his time with the program. 
 
The Mustangs led for much of the game, putting themselves in position to pick up a significant American Athletic Conference victory and top-25 upset on the road. Jahvon Quinerly's 3-pointer with just three seconds left in regulation ultimately decided the outcome, leaving SMU heartbroken.
 
For Lanier, the postgame air in the locker room showed just how far the Mustangs have come during his two years with the program. In the midst of devastation, he saw the culture change he has been hoping for since arriving two years ago. 
 
"In a unique kind of way, I was proud of them and how disappointed they were because they've worked so hard that they've created a different set of expectations for where we are and where we can be. It was palpable while you were sitting there. You could cut it," Lanier said during Monday's coaches show, noting the team hadn't suffered a loss in more than a month with four straight wins. "Now, this is an important week for us not to wallow in that but to use that as an opportunity to learn and grow and continue to improve."
 
The Mustangs (10-5 overall, 1-1 AAC) got the chance to stew on the loss a little longer than usual this week as the schedule featured no mid-week opponents. SMU returns to action during Saturday's visit to East Carolina (9-7, 2-1). Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. CT in Greenville, North Carolina.
 
Moving forward and learning has been the message all week from Lanier and his staff. SMU proved it has the pieces to contend with the AAC's best – now it's just a matter of putting it all together at the right time. 
 
Lanier knew the nine returners from his first year with the program had the foundational insight to establish the culture and mentality he wanted. That group has worked tirelessly with the new faces to get everyone on the same page. 
 
The results so far have been a strong start to the season with some quality wins and close calls. Of SMU's five losses only one has been by double digits and three have been by a single possession. 
 
Lanier's hope is that some of these early disappointments will serve as teaching moments the team can look back on and draw from down the stretch. 
 
"Now, we're starting the process to reap the fruits of some of that, even though we're not out of the woods and we've got a long way to go," Lanier said. "But for people that care about the program and watch it, they can see the direction and they can see the fight. I think we've got a group of young men that you can get behind and be proud of."