(University, Miss.), OMSI – Ole Miss and head men’s basketball coach Kermit Davis have mutually agreed to part ways effective immediately, it was announced Friday by Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter.
“We thank Coach Davis for his dedication to the Ole Miss basketball program and our student-athletes,” 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.”
“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. “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.”
Rebel Assistant Coach Win Case will serve as acting head coach for the remainder of the 2023 season.
“This team has fought hard all season, and we expect that to continue over these final games,” said Carter. “We appreciate Coach Case stepping in during a time of transition, and he will have the full support of our administration as we close out this season.”
Carter announced a national search for the Rebels’ next head coach is underway.
“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,” he said. “Over the last 15 years, we have invested in the sport as much as any school in the country. That commitment, the passion of Rebel Nation and the opportunity to be a part of this great university makes our head coaching position a job that will attract top candidates. We look forward to welcoming that new coach that will help our student-athletes grow as both players and men and build a winning team that will make the Ole Miss family proud.”
Davis spent five seasons at the helm of the Ole Miss Basketball team, compiling a 74-79 overall record. The Rebels posted a 10-18 mark and 2-13 in conference play this year.
Announced as the 22nd head coach in program history in March 2018, Davis began his Ole Miss tenure with a 20-13 record and an NCAA Tournament berth, earning 2019 SEC Coach of the Year honors. He also reached the postseason in 2021 with an NIT appearance.
Joining Ole Miss after a successful stint at Middle Tennessee State, where he is the program’s all-time winningest coach, Davis boasts a career record of 477-316 as a Division-I head coach and led three different programs to the NCAA Tournament, including Ole Miss, MTSU and Idaho.
