SMU's month-long search for a men's basketball coach has targeted Saint Louis' Rick Majerus, who led Utah to the Final Four in 1998.
Saint Louis athletics director Chris May said Wednesday he gave Majerus permission to speak to SMU, according to a report in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
SMU is willing to pay Majerus $2 million a year, a source told The Dallas Morning News, which would more than double his current salary.
Majerus, 64, just led Saint Louis to the NCAA tournament, reaching the third round after beating Memphis. It was the Billikens' first NCAA appearance since 2000.
Majerus is 95-69 in five seasons at Saint Louis, including 26-8 this past season. Of course, he is most known for coaching Utah to the 1998 NCAA title game, where he lost to Kentucky and Tubby Smith. He also guided Ball State to the NCAA tournament in 1989.
SMU athletic director Steve Orsini has not commented on the coaching search, which began when Matt Doherty was fired March 13. They also pursued Marquette's Buzz Williams and Long Beach State's Dan Monson.
The Mustangs, 13-19 last season and just 4-12 in Conference USA play, will join the Big East in 2013.
Follow Keith Whitmire on Twitter: @Keith_Whitmire
