COLUMBIA, South Carolina — When Murphy Holloway reflects on that crazy 2012-13 Ole Miss season, his mind tries to stop in Nashville.

That’s where the Rebels won the Southeastern Conference Tournament, beating Missouri, Vanderbilt and Florida on consecutive days to go from the wrong side of the bubble to completely secure in the NCAA Tournament.

Of course, Holloway doesn’t have total mind control. Invariably, his mind floats a week forward to a third-round loss to LaSalle in Kansas City, Missouri, one that Holloway believes cost that Rebel team a chance at greatness.

“I want to curl up in a ball,” Holloway said. "That LaSalle game hurt. I don’t think about (a second-round win over) Wisconsin, but LaSalle was crazy. The SEC Tournament is where my mind almost kind of stops.

“I don’t think Wichita (State) could’ve beat us. That press probably could’ve bothered us. Other than Jarvis (Summers), we didn’t have another ball-handler, really.”

Of course, that’s not how basketball works. The record is what the numbers say it is. The bonds formed along the way, however, last a lifetime.

“We were different, man,” Holloway said.

That’s a mouthful, but it’s so true. That Ole Miss team featured Holloway, an Irmo, South Carolina, product who started at Ole Miss, transferred to South Carolina and then transferred back to Ole Miss. It included explosive guard Marshall Henderson, whose on-court antics infuriated opposing fans and whose off-court antics drove coach Andy Kennedy and his staff crazy. It also included enigmatic center Reginald Buckner, inconsistent scorer Ladarius “Snoop” White, Summers and steady swingman Nick Williams, now a graduate assistant on Kermit Davis’ staff in Oxford.

“It’s like life, man,” said Holloway, who averaged 14.5 points and 9.7 rebounds per game for that Ole Miss team. “It’s not going to be consistent the whole way through the ride. That makes the journey better when you get to the ultimate prize.

“Reggie and (former Ole Miss assistant) Coach (Al) Pinkins were about to damn fight. I got kicked out of practice and then Marshall, there was so much going on. (Former Ole Miss assistant) Coach (Bill) Armstrong kept everything in order. He made it easy for AK, I can tell you that.”

Years later, all of those memories make for good laughs. Holloway and Williams had a few on Wednesday night after Ole Miss arrived in Columbia for Friday’s second-round NCAA Tournament game against Oklahoma.

“We try to stay close,” Holloway said. “It’s the run we had together.”

Holloway will be in attendance at Colonial Life Arena Friday. Ironically, an offseason ankle surgery has Holloway in Columbia for another month, giving him the opportunity to see another Irmo product, guard Devontae Shuler, lead the Rebels back into the NCAA Tournament.

“It’s real neat,” Holloway said. “I had a big impact on Shuler going to Ole Miss and to see him doing as well as he is and to see him be able to come back and play in front of his people and with me being home at this time, it’s crazy.”

Holloway played professionally last season in South Korea. He has also played in Italy, Israel, Turkey, France, Spain and The Philippines.

The extra time at home has also given Holloway a chance to get to know Davis and the new Ole Miss staff. Davis won SEC Coach of the Year honors this season, leading the Rebels to a 20-12 mark and the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth since 2015.

Holloway spent some quality time around the Rebels’ program last week in Nashville and liked what he saw.

“He’s reached out to me, man,” Holloway said. “We definitely had a great conversation. We talked about the logistics of Ole Miss and recruiting and having guys like me back around. He’s been nothing but welcoming to me. I think he’s a great coach. He’s about business and making you buy in to what he believes in.”

Holloway said if he gets a chance to visit with the Rebels prior to Friday’s game, he’d make a beeline for Ole Miss senior guard Terence Davis, who earned second-team All-SEC honors before struggling mightily in an SEC Tournament loss to Alabama a week ago.

“I’d tell them, ‘Do what you do. Ain’t nothing going to change. It’s just another phase of the season. Stay true to yourself and don’t change what you’re doing,’” Holloway said. “You might want to play a littler harder if you’re T.D., because it’s going to be your last one if you don’t play hard and you lose. Lay it all on the line. (Breein) Tyree and Shuler and them, I’m sure they’ll be there next year, but my main message to T.D. is go hard. He’s got to have a sense of urgency.”