Ole Miss basketball coach Kermit Davis tests positive for COVID-19

Davis retested and was awaiting results as of late Tuesday afternoon. If that test confirms his positive case, he will be unavailable for at least the Rebels' Nov. 25 game against the Central Arkansas Bears and the Nov. 26 showdown with the Jackson State Tigers. 

Davis might be available for the Nov. 27 matchup versus the Arkansas State Red Wolves. Ole Miss will host all three of those games.

Assistant Ronnie Hamilton will serve as interim coach as Davis isolates away from all team activities.

As Jeff Borzello noted for ESPN, Davis becomes the third coach of a major conference team to test positive for the coronavirus over the past 10 days. Michigan State's Tom Izzo and Jim Boeheim of Syracuse, two legends of college basketball, also returned positive tests. 

Rising COVID-19 cases around the country continue to threaten the starts of college basketball seasons at multiple levels. According to Borzello, more than 20 men's programs have paused activities because of coronavirus-related issues. 

NCAA basketball guidelines recommend 14-day quarantines for all Tier 1 personnel associated with a team if any Tier 1 individual tests positive.