Ole Miss basketball parts ways with head coach amid SEC-worst 2-13 record

Ole Miss basketball will have a new leader after the Rebels and head coach Kermit Davis mutually agreed to part ways on Friday. 

In his fifth year as head coach in Oxford, the Rebels have struggled, going 2-13 in SEC play and 10-18 overall. 

Mississippi Rebels head Coach Kermit Davis yells at the officials during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena on Jan. 21, 2023 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Rebels 69-57.  (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

The two wins in conference play are tied with LSU for the least amount of wins this season in the Southeastern Conference. 

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“My family and I are extremely thankful for the opportunity to lead the Ole Miss men’s basketball program the past five years,” Davis said in a statement. 

“We appreciate Chancellor Boyce, Keith Carter, the staff and players for their support and work ethic on behalf of our program, and I wish Ole Miss the best going forward. Oxford is a special place to live and work.”

Ole Miss Rebels head coach Kermit Davis, left, talks with referee Doug Shows during the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Ole Miss Rebels on Jan. 7, 2023 at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, Mississippi. (Chris McDill/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Since Davis took over as head coach in 2018, Ole Miss has struggled, going to the NCAA tournament just once. 

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“We thank Coach Davis for his dedication to the Ole Miss basketball program and our student-athletes,” Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter said. “No one wanted to bring a title home to Mississippi more than him, and we appreciate the passion for that goal that he shared with our team every day. As he has throughout his career, Coach Davis worked tirelessly to produce a winner, and we wish him, Betty and his family the very best in the future.”

Mississippi Rebels head coach Kermit Davis watches play from the sideline during a game between the Vanderbilt Commodores and Mississippi Rebels, Jan. 4, 2023 at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tennessee. (Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Ole Miss said it will conduct a national search for the 23rd head coach in program history. 

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“As we have seen in the past, Ole Miss Basketball is capable of competing for and winning championships, and we are determined to find the right leader to help us reach our greatest potential,” Carter said. 

Davis compiled a record of 74-79 at Ole Miss after 17 years as head coach at Middle Tennessee.