UNIVERSITY PARK -- SMU remained undefeated at home in American Athletic Conference play Saturday night with a win over Tulane. The Mustangs improved to 5-0 in AAC play at Moody Coliseum this season.

Not completely lost in Saturday's effort was what the Moody crowd noticed during SMU's pre-game warmups. Every player for the Mustangs wore a black top. Each top featured a gold-outlined Mustang on the front and, also in gold, either the No. 24 or the No. 8 on the back.

As of today, it's been exactly one week since Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. The news of his untimely passing hit the basketball world hard, and, as with many college basketball teams, it ended up being a lengthy discussion piece within the SMU locker room.

Head coach Tim Jankovich said many on his team were distraught with the news -- so distraught that it affected practice last week. Jankovich understood why, but part of last week was getting his young players to understand their feelings, as well.

"Why were we all so upset about Kobe's passing? None of us know Kobe; we just know who he is," Jankovich explained during Saturday's post-game press conference. "He's a famous guy we all watched, and particularly with our players, he's a player of their era.

"Why are you guys so upset last Sunday? Why could we not even practice? I think they had a little better idea in that he's such an amazing competitor and kind of represents what we would hope to be -- somebody's who just tenacious and outworks people and is so important and so passionate."

Jankovich then said he proposed a direct question to his team.

"Well, why don't you be like that?" he said. "You can be like that. You may not be as talented as Kobe, but you can certainly put that much of your heart and soul into something."

Bryant's drive and insane passion to be the greatest basketball player on the planet was what many basketball fans and purists admired about him. It was that drive that ultimately earned him five NBA world titles, two NBA Finals MVP awards, 18 appearances at the NBA All-Star Game and the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 2008. He had a 20-year stretch with the Los Angeles Lakers.

To add, Bryant was an 11-time All-NBA first-team selection, a nine-team NBA all-defensive first-team selection and a two-time NBA scoring champion. He finished with 33,643 points -- LeBron James literally passed him for third place on the all-time scoring list the night before his passing -- and his No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys were retired by the Lakers.

The world will never forget the type of player Bryant was. And Jankovich was happy to see the pre-game tribute in warmup-top fashion on Saturday. He admitted that the idea of wearing the tops wasn't his idea, he was "happy and proud" that the team did it.

Jankovich now wants all of his players to perform like Bryant on the basketball court. Having that "Mamba mentality" could be the key to a strong finish in a very competitive AAC, one where the top six teams -- SMU included -- are separated by only 1 1/2 games.

"As a coach," Jankovich said, "I think that's what we're in search of all the time."