Andy Kennedy got a warm return to Oxford on Tuesday night, but Ole Miss made sure the homecoming ended with a loss.
The Rebels handled UAB 92-78 in an exhibition at the Pavilion, with the larger spotlight falling on Kennedy, the former Ole Miss coach who now leads the Blazers. Kennedy’s name still carries real weight in Oxford for a reason: he won 245 games in 12 seasons, reached the NCAA Tournament twice, and piled up nine 20-win seasons during a stretch when Ole Miss men’s basketball was trying to climb out of a stale, losing run.
That success is easier to appreciate now than it was in the moment. Kennedy had his share of restless nights in Oxford, but no men’s basketball coach in school history won more games. On Tuesday, he brought a UAB team that came out swinging.
The Blazers and Rebels traded the lead nine times in the first half, and UAB went into halftime up one. Ole Miss took over from there, stretching the game out in the second half and pulling away with a much cleaner finish.
Budd Clark paced the Rebels with 18 points and seven assists. The Seton Hall transfer, now in his senior season, gave Ole Miss steady production in a game that also featured a strong outing from Santiago Trouet, who recorded a double double.
Ole Miss had six players finish in double figures, including Patton Pinkins, who scored 15 points and was perfect at the free-throw line.
The exhibition loss to Alabama earlier this month was the Rebels’ first preseason test. Now they turn toward the real thing, with the regular season set to open Monday, Nov. 2 against Alcorn State at SJB Pavilion.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT, with the game streaming on SEC Network+.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Could Get A Timely Boost Up Front Vs Auburn
Ole Miss got through a bruising night against Texas with one of its biggest concerns at least eased for the moment. Right tackle Terez Davis left the game because of an injury and was held out as a precaution, but the expectation now is that he should be back when the Rebels line up against Auburn. For an offense that wants to stay balanced and keep pressure off the quarterback, getting a veteran piece back on the edge would be a welcome development.
The line held up well enough without Davis to keep Texas off the sack sheet, which gave Ole Miss a chance to survive a physical matchup up front. The run game, though, never quite found the same rhythm, and that is where his return could matter most heading into Auburn. If Davis is indeed ready to go, it gives the Rebels a better shot at shoring up the front and finding a little more consistency where it counts. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Is Still Feeling The Cost Of Its Kiffin Upheaval
The ripple effects of Lane Kiffins departure are still being felt in Oxford, and not just in the coaching search that followed. Ole Miss had to remake a major part of its roster in the aftermath, bringing in 29 players while 25 others entered the transfer portal, and the exodus has been visible across the SEC as former Rebels have settled in with new programs.
Several of those familiar names have already carved out roles elsewhere, with varying levels of impact. Umanmielen, Simmons, Dottery, Lee and Womack have each shown what they can do for teams like LSU, Missouri and Auburn, a reminder that the Rebels did not just lose depth, they lost proven talent that is now helping other contenders this season. [Read more 🡒]
Joel Klatt Just Framed LSUs Real Playoff Pressure Point
The latest College Football Playoff projections are another reminder that the SEC logjam could shape the entire bracket, and Ole Miss is right in the middle of it. Fox analyst Joel Klatts projected 12-team field included four league teams, with Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss and LSU all in position to get in, while he pegged Georgia to win the conference and the Rebels to land an at-large berth.
What makes the projection stand out from an Ole Miss perspective is how crowded the race already feels, even before November sorts out the final pecking order. Klatt had LSU finishing 9-3 and still making the playoff, while leaving out Alabama and Kentucky despite what ESPNs Football Power Index says about their odds, which only underscores how thin the margin is for the teams battling around the cutoff line. [Read more 🡒]