Ole Miss began life without Davis on Saturday when they faced the LSU Tigers as interim head coach Win Case led the squad. They come out on top with a solid 82-69 win for their 11th of the season and third SEC victory.
Ole Miss Rebels head coach Kermit Davis yells instructions to his team during the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Ole Miss Rebels on January 7, 2023 at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, MS. (Chris McDill/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Following the game, Davis's Twitter account retweeted a post from Ole Miss's basketball page that said "Saturday night DUBS!!!"
But an even greater show of character from Davis came when Case spoke with the media after the game and said that Davis was still selling potential recruits on the Rebels program.
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Case noted that Davis preached Ole Miss's values and how special the program is while hoping the recruits keep the Rebels in mind when making their decision for the next step in their basketball future.
Most coaches want nothing to do with the university or school they were leading once terminated, but Davis took the high road and remained positive even after having to leave his post.
Ole Miss Rebels head coach Kermit Davis talks with referee Doug Shows during the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Ole Miss Rebels on January 7, 2023 at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, MS. (Chris McDill/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
"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 following the announcement that he was parting ways with the school.
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Davis made his mark as Middle Tennessee State's had coach from 2002-2018. He reached the NCAA Tournament three times during his tenure there, including the team's first-round upset of Michigan State in the 2016 dance.
Mississippi Rebels head coach Kermit Davis watches play from the sideline during a game between the Vanderbilt Commodores and Mississippi Rebels, January 4, 2023 at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tennessee. (Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Davis moved on to Ole Miss before the 2018-2019 season. In 154 career games, he owned a 75-79 record with the Rebels. He also coached at Idaho and Texas A&M.