Despite a 5-0 start to the college basketball season, Florida dropped two spots to No. 20 in the KenPom ratings thanks to a relatively weak non-conference schedule.
A net rating of plus-20.74 is nearly a point higher than a week ago, but other teams have put together a better early-season resume to the Gators, including the Kentucky Wildcats, who leapfrogged Florida after an upset win over Duke. Seven SEC teams are inside the top 25, including the Orange and Blue.
Auburn (plus-30.69) tops the ratings followed by Tennessee (plus-26.18, 6th), Alabama (plus-23.12, 11th), Texas A&M (plus-22.26, 15th), Kentucky (plus-21.55, 19th), Florida and Texas (plus-19.87, 24th).
Many college hoops experts and oddsmakers consider Pomeroy’s ratings the gold standard in the sport, and the reputation has held for more than 20 years.
“His ratings are derived from a proprietary algorithm, with the core centered on the Pythagorean calculation for expected winning percentage, made famous by baseball statistician Bill James,” ESPN explains.
“Pomeroy’s formula is designed to be purely predictive, with an emphasis on margin of victory. He factors in offensive and defensive efficiency, tempo and even luck, but does not, however, take into consideration injuries or emotional factors.”
Breaking down the KenPom ratings
| Date | Nov. 12 | Nov. 20 |
| W-L | 3-0 | 5-0 |
| NetRtg | +19.83 (20) | +20.74 (22) |
| ORtg | 117.2 (13) | 118.1 (11) |
| DRtg | 97.4 (49) | 97.4 (51) |
| AdjT | 73.2 (47) | 71.7 (72) |
| Luck | +.000 (117) | +.000 (182) |
| SOS Net | -4.16 (237) | -4.27 (239) |
| SOS ORtg | 100.8 (265) | 100.0 (293) |
| SOS DRtg | 105.0 (198) | 104.3 (167) |
| NCSOS Net | -4.16 (237) | -4.27 (239) |
Since we last checked in with KenPom, Florida’s offense has improved by almost a point and the defense has held steady. A two-spot jump in the offensive ratings is a positive, especially because Florida hasn’t shot the ball well from three-point range, and a two-spot dip on defense isn’t too concerning since the rating stayed the same.
Florida defeated Florida State, 87-74, on Friday and beat Florida A&M, 84-60, on Tuesday. The Gators dominated both first halves this week but allowed the Seminoles and Rattlers to make the second half competitive. Head coach Todd Golden is looking to get a better effort from his players coming out of the break moving forward.
Florida’s adjusted tempo continues to drop, now at 71.7 after a preseason projection of 73.6. The Gators were one of the fastest-paced programs in the country a year ago but are now outside the top 50. With SEC play still ahead, the number figures to drop more.
Because Florida was expected to win all five games it’s played this year, the luck rating remains at triple zeroes. No movement is a good thing in this statistical category, given the circumstances.
Strength of Schedule according to KenPom
KenPom’s strength of schedule ratings only considers the games played, so Florida’s 239th ranking isn’t as concerning as it may seem on paper. Golden has the group playing lesser opponents early on, and the Florida State game is a staple of the non-conference schedule. Still, the Gators have only faced one program inside the top 100 so far (Florida State, 79th).
South Florida (124th) and Grambling State (229th) have both climbed since playing Florida, while Jacksonville (191st) held steady. Florida A&M (352nd) remains one of the worst teams in college hoops right now.
Many of the non-Power Four programs Florida plays early on have a chance to improve their ratings during conference play.
Florida plays No. 131 Southern Illinois on Friday, but then come matchups against No. 84 Wake Forest and either No. 77 Minnesota or No. 93 Wichita State.
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