Men’s Hoops and Ole Miss Community Raise $10,157 to Sink Cancer

Ole Miss students and faculty, along with citizens of Oxford, showed up to the Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss Tuesday evening to Make Kermit Pay. At the conclusion of the second annual Coaches vs. Cancer event, head men’s basketball coach Kermit Davis wrote a check for $10,157 to the American Cancer Society.
 
Davis agreed to pay $1 for every person that attended, $10 for every made free throw and $500 for every made half-court shot. With 757 people, primarily Ole Miss students, in attendance making 140 free throws and 16 half-court shots, the amount on the check totaled $10,157 at the end of the evening. That eclipsed the mark from the inaugural event in 2019, which raised $10,043, bringing the two-year total to $20,200.
 
Beginning at 4 p.m., everyone was able to watch the end of the Rebels’ practice while enjoying complimentary popcorn and soft drinks. From 5-7 p.m., attendees lined up to take their shots to make Kermit pay. Members of the Ole Miss men’s basketball team interacted with those in attendance throughout the event, cheering them on as they stepped up to the lines to help sink cancer.
 
Make Kermit Pay is part of a busy week for the Rebels as they get ready for the 2021-22 season. Square Jam, presented by Oxford Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, is set for Friday evening (Oct. 22) on the historic Oxford Square. The seventh annual tipoff event showcasing the Rebel basketball teams starts at 6:30 p.m. CT.

Staff Report