AD: Rick Majerus can talk to SMU

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Saint Louis men's basketball coach Rick Majerus has been given permission to interview for SMU's head coaching job, Billikens athletic director Chris May told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Wednesday.

"He asked for and was granted permission to speak (to them)," May told the newspaper.

May told the Post-Dispatch that Majerus was granted permission "recently."

Majerus told ESPN.com's Andy Katz on Tuesday that he was currently working on next season's schedule as well as planning a personal trip to Europe. He also said he was looking forward to next season.

SMU fired Matt Doherty on March 13 after six seasons in which the high-profile former North Carolina coach failed to take the Mustangs to the NCAA tournament.

SMU athletic director Steve Orsini said at the time of Doherty's firing that he thought the school had the potential to reach the national rankings and compete for championships. A source told The Dallas Morning News on Tuesday that SMU is willing to pay Majerus up to $2 million a year to lure him away.

The 64-year-old Majerus was hired by Saint Louis five years ago to elevate the school's national profile, and his work is finally bearing fruit. This past season, the Billikens reached the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2000 and beat Memphis to reach the round of 32.

"The big picture," May told the Post-Dispatch, "is we're coming off a big year, he's under contract and we're looking forward to next season."

SMU -- which hasn't made the NCAA tournament since 1993 -- will move from Conference USA to the much tougher Big East in 2013.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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