COLUMBIA, Mo. - When Andy Kennedy agreed a week ago to step down as head coach of Mississippi's men's basketball team at the end of the season, it was a surprise to many.
But Sunday he resigned effective immediately, bringing to an unfortunate end to the Kennedy era, one of the most successful coaches the Rebels have ever had in any sport.
"It has become readily apparent to me that my continued presence as the Head Coach is proving detrimental to these players finishing this season in a fashion that is representative of The Standard (sic) that has been clearly established & maintained for over a decade; therefore, I believe it is in everyone's best interest that I exit my role as head coach effective immediately," the statement read in part. "We all know that 'clean breaks' are Always (sic) best, and I should have realized this last Monday. My apologies."
Mississippi was 11-14, 4-8 in the Southeastern Conference when Kennedy first announced his intention to resign at the end of the season, and the Rebels lost 75-64 at home Tuesday to Arkansas and 79-62 to Mississippi State on Saturday in Starkville, Miss. They currently sit at the bottom of the conference standings, a game back of South Carolina and Vanderbilt at 11-16 overall and 4-10 in the SEC.
Missouri (18-9, 8-6 SEC) will get the first look at Kennedy-less Mississippi at 8 p.m. today (ESPN2).
The move was not just surprising to media and fans. The SEC's official reminder of Monday's coaches teleconference went out 10 minutes before Kennedy stepped down with his name in the 11:03 a.m. time slot, and the conference's web page with the teleconference audio also mentions Kennedy and not Tony Madlock, acting head coach, who answered questions in his spot.
"Of course it's tough, just because you've got a different voice, and they've been hearing one voice all year and now you've got another voice," Madlock said of the challenge of stepping in with four regular-season games left.
"But I've been around these guys for a while, I've been here my fourth year, now. I think the guys will respond. We just want to make these guys play hard and play with some pride, and I think they'll do that."
Kennedy stepped down in part because he couldn't get the players to play hard. Kennedy admitted after the Arkansas loss he couldn't reach his players, according to the Jackson Clarion Ledger, and Breein Tyree told media Monday there wasn't enough trust between the coaches and players. It will be a big ask for the Rebels and Madlock to win in Columbia, where Missouri is 12-2 this season. Mississippi's last win came Jan. 23 against Alabama, and the team does not have an SEC road win this season.
Missouri head coach Cuonzo Martin, who called Kennedy a friend in the business, said he didn't think the Rebels would have any problem getting up for today's game.
The Tigers will try to recover from a disappointing performance and a loss against LSU in a game that was easily winnable. Jeremiah Tilmon, who Martin said was "dehydrated" for Saturday's game, missed six shots from the floor, five of them in the paint, and went 1-of-4 at the foul line in a game Missouri shot 7-for-17 on foul shots and lost by one.
Missouri's M.O. all season has been efficiency and making the most of its offensive possessions. The Tigers outshot one SEC opponent all season, Mississippi State on the road, and lost, shot the same number of shots against Arkansas on the road and lost, and shot one fewer than Georgia and Alabama on the road in wins.
Missouri's perimeter ball movement creates open shots on the perimeter and interior, and the defense usually does a good job of contesting opponents' shots.
That fell apart Saturday afternoon, even though Missouri out-shot LSU 46-39 percent from the floor and 57-33 percent from 3. Shooting 41 percent from the foul line will do that, especially when your opponent shoots 85 percent.