Ole Miss AD Keith Carter releases statement officially announcing Kermit Davis' firing

Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter announced Friday the program has mutually parted with head coach Kermit Davis.

Assistant coach Win Case will serve as the interim head coach.

“We thank Coach Davis for his dedication to the Ole Miss basketball program and our student-athletes,” Carter said in a statement. “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.”

The Rebels are 10-18 this year and 2-13 in conference play, which has Ole Miss tied with LSU for the worst record in the SEC.

Davis was in his fifth season in Oxford, Mississippi, after being in hired in 2018. He went 74-79 in 153 games coaching the Rebels, leading them to one NCAA Tournament his first year on the job during the 2018-19 season.

He was previously the head coach at Middle Tennessee for 16 seasons. Davis was also the head coach at Idaho from 1988-1990 and 1996-1997, Chipola Junior College from 1993-1994 and at Texas A&M for the 1990-1991 season.

“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.”

Case has head coaching experience at the NAIA and Juco level in the state of Oklahoma. He was the head coach at Oklahoma City University, Eastern Oklahoma State College and Redlands College over the span of 15 seasons for a record of 392-169.

With Oklahoma City University, Case won two NAIA national championships and was named to the NAIA 75th Anniversary Team in 2012. He was one of 15 coaches to make the list.

He has served as an assistant coach for Davis since 2008, first at Middle Tennessee and then the past nearly five years at Ole Miss.

“This team has fought hard all season, and we expect that to continue over these final games,” Carter said. “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.”

The news was first reported earlier in the day by college basketball insider Jon Rothstein.