Since long before Kermit Davis arrived in Oxford, Ole Miss basketball fan expectations have always been modest, which makes it a pleasant surprise when things do actually mesh. This season’s 11-2 start captures that feeling pretty well.
After beating Vanderbilt by 10 as a road underdog on Saturday, Ole Miss ranks 41st nationally in the KenPom ratings, having finished 108th in 2018. That’s the seventh best rating in the SEC, a stark difference from some’s preseason projection of a last-place conference finish for the Rebels.
The early success comes with a caveat, though.