In a way, Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis was the beneficiary of low expectations during his first season.
Barring a total calamity in Nashville at the SEC tournament, the Rebels will pop up in the NCAA tournament bracket on Sunday afternoon, the program’s first foray into the 68-team field since 2015. That’s a far cry from its moribund state just a year ago following a tumble to the bottom of the SEC standings — punctuated losing 11 of 12 games to close the season — and the resignation of long-time coach Andy Kennedy.