Jalen Jones scored 21 points, including four 3-pointers, and SMU improved to 2-0 under coach Larry Brown with a 64-61 victory at TCU on Thursday night.
Ryan Manuel added 16 points and Nick Russell 12 for the Mustangs, who held on despite missing five free throws in the last 15 seconds.
Brown, the only coach to win both an NBA and an NCAA title, hadn't coached on the college level in 25 years until SMU won its season opener 73-58 over Loyola Marymount on Sunday.
TCU (2-1) played without junior forward Amric Fields, who was hurt only 12 seconds into the game when his right knee buckled awkwardly and he fell to the floor after taking a pass in the lane.
After Fields was helped off the court and to the locker room without putting any weight on his right leg, SMU scored the first five points and never trailed.
