Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball

Ole Miss Rebels
2024–25 Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball team
UniversityUniversity of Mississippi
First season1909
All-time record1,389–1,396 (.499)
Athletic directorKeith Carter
Head coachChris Beard (2nd season)
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
LocationUniversity, Mississippi
ArenaThe Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss
(capacity: 9,500)
NicknameRebels
Student sectionClub Red
ColorsCardinal red and navy blue[1]
   
Uniforms
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away
Alternate jersey
Team colours
Alternate
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
2001
NCAA tournament round of 32
1999, 2001, 2013
NCAA tournament appearances
1981, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2013, 2015, 2019
Conference tournament champions
1928, 1981, 2013
The Ole Miss Basketball Court inside the Pavilion

The Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball team represents the University of Mississippi in the sport of basketball. The Rebels compete in the NCAA Division I and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They started the 2015–16 season playing home games at Tad Smith Coliseum on the university's Oxford campus, but played their final game in that facility on December 22, 2015.[2] The Rebels opened a new on-campus arena, The Pavilion at Ole Miss, on January 7, 2016.[3] The Rebels were led by 12-year head coach Andy Kennedy until his resignation on February 18, 2018.[4] Tony Madlock, an assistant under Kennedy, served as the interim head coach for the remainder of the 2017–18 season. On March 15, 2018, the school hired former Middle Tennessee head coach Kermit Davis as the new head coach and was formally introduced on March 19.[5] Davis was fired in his sixth season on February 24, 2023, after posting a 2–13 conference record with two games remaining on the schedule. Assistant coach Win Case took over as interim coach for the remainder of the season.[6]

Ole Miss has made the NCAA tournament on eight occasions and reached the Sweet Sixteen in 2001. The Rebels have participated in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 11 times. In 2008 and 2010, they made it to the NIT Semifinals at Madison Square Garden. The Rebels have won the SEC Western Division five times.

History

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Recent history

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Rob Evans arrived in Oxford in 1992 as the school's first black coach in a revenue sport. He led the Rebels to only their second and third NCAA Tournament appearances in school history, in 1997 and 1998. These were also the first 20-win seasons in school history; the Rebels had been one of the few longstanding members of a "power conference" to have never tallied a 20-win season

Evans left for Arizona State in 1998. His top assistant, Rod Barnes, took over at Ole Miss and compiled a record of 141–109 during his eight-year tenure.[7] During his tenure, the Rebels reached the 1999, 2001, and 2002 NCAA Tournaments. The 1998–99 team notched the school's first-ever NCAA Tournament win, while the 2001 team advanced all the way to the Sweet 16. His tenure crested at that point, however, and he would not have another winning season after 2002.

Following the 2005–06 season, Ole Miss hired Andy Kennedy, and the Rebels tied for first place in the SEC West during the 2006–07 season.[8] Led by the senior trio of Clarence Sanders, Bam Doyne, and Todd Abernethy, the Ole Miss men finished the year with a 21–13 record, including a 16–1 record at home inside Tad Smith Coliseum. They advanced to the second round of the NIT, before falling at Clemson. In his debut season with the Rebels, Kennedy was named the 2007 SEC Coach of the Year by the Associated Press after guiding Ole Miss, a preseason last-place pick in the SEC West, to its first division title and most wins since 2001.[9]

In the 2012–13 season, Ole Miss won just their second SEC tournament title and made the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2002. Ole Miss also set a school record for most SEC wins in a season. Kennedy was again named SEC Coach of the Year.[10] On February 23, 2013, Kennedy became the all-time winningest coach at Ole Miss.[11]

Active NBA players

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Active international players

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Postseason

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NCAA tournament results

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The Rebels have appeared in the NCAA tournament nine times. Their combined record is 5–9.

Year Seed Round Opponent Result
1981 No. 10 First Round No. 7 Kansas L 66–69
1997 No. 8 First Round No. 9 Temple L 40–62
1998 No. 4 First Round No. 13 Valparaiso L 69–70
1999 No. 9 First Round
Second Round
No. 8 Villanova
No. 1 Michigan State
W 72–70
L 66–74
2001 No. 3 First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen
No. 14 Iona
No. 6 Notre Dame
No. 2 Arizona
W 72–70
W 59–56
L 56–66
2002 No. 9 First Round No. 8 UCLA L 58–80
2013 No. 12 First Round
Second Round
No. 5 Wisconsin
No. 13 La Salle
W 57–46
L 74–76
2015 No. 11 First Four
First Round
No. 11 BYU
No. 6 Xavier
W 94–90
L 57–76
2019 No. 8 First Round No. 9 Oklahoma L 72–95

NIT results

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The Rebels have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 13 times. Their combined record is 15–13.

Year Round Opponent Result
1980 First Round
Second Round
Grambling State
Minnesota
W 76–74
L 56–58
1982 First Round
Second Round
Clemson
Virginia Tech
W 53–49
L 59–61
1983 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Alabama State
South Florida
DePaul
W 87–75
W 65–57
L 67–75
1987 First Round Southern Miss L 75–93
1989 First Round St. John's L 67–70
2000 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Charlotte
SW Missouri State
NC State
W 62–45
W 70–48
L 54–77
2007 First Round
Second Round
Appalachian State
Clemson
W 73–59
L 68–89
2008 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
UC Santa Barbara
Nebraska
Virginia Tech
Ohio State
W 83–68
W 85–75 OT
W 81–72
L 69–81
2010 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Troy
Memphis
Texas Tech
Dayton
W 84–65
W 90–81
W 90–87 2OT
L 63–68
2011 First Round California L 74–77
2012 First Round Illinois State L 93–96 OT
2017 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Monmouth
Syracuse
Georgia Tech
W 91–83
W 85–80
L 66–74
2021 First Round Louisiana Tech L 61–70

All-Americans

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Player Position Year(s) Selectors
Ary Phillips Guard 1928 Associated Press
B.L. "Country" Graham Center 1938 Helms Athletic Foundation
Denver Brackeen Center 1955 Helms Athletic Foundation, Associated Press
Joe Gibbon Forward 1957 Helms Athletic Foundation, Associated Press, UPI
Don Kessinger Guard 1964 Associated Press
Jack Waters (2) Guard/Forward 1969, 1971 UPI
Johnny Neumann Forward 1971 Helms Athletic Foundation, Associated Press, UPI, United States Basketball Writers Association, National Association of Basketball Coaches
John Stroud (2) Forward 1979 & 1980 Associated Press
Carlos Clark Forward 1982 Associated Press
Rod Barnes Guard 1988 The Sporting News
Gerald Glass (2) Forward 1989, 1990
Ansu Sesay Forward 1998 Associated Press, United States Basketball Writers Association, National Association of Basketball Coaches
Keith Carter Guard 1999 Associated Press
Rahim Lockhart Forward 2001 Basketball Times
Source:"Ole Miss All-Americas" (PDF). Ole Miss. Retrieved January 9, 2015.

References

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  1. ^ Ole Miss Athletics Style Guide. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  2. ^ "Rebels Close Out Tad Pad With Overtime Win Over Troy" (Press release). Ole Miss Rebels. December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  3. ^ "Saiz, Rebels Rule Opening Night at The Pavilion" (Press release). Ole Miss Rebels. January 7, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
  4. ^ "Andy Kennedy Steps Down After 12 Seasons, Effective Immediately" (Press release). February 18, 2018. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
  5. ^ "Ole Miss announces Kermit Davis as Rebels' next coach". ESPN.com. March 15, 2018. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
  6. ^ "Ole Miss fires men's basketball coach Kermit Davis". ESPN.com. February 24, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  7. ^ "Rod Barnes Coaching Record | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  8. ^ "Ole Miss hires Cincinnati interim coach Andy Kennedy". ESPN.com. March 24, 2006. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  9. ^ "Andy Kennedy named SEC Coach of the Year". OMSpirit.com. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  10. ^ "Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy has been named SEC Coach of The Year. Photo by Nathan Latil, University Communications". Ole Miss News. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  11. ^ Anderson, Seph. "Andy Kennedy Becomes Winningest Ole Miss Basketball Coach". Bleacher Report. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
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