Starting fast and getting back on defense in transition key to a Duke win vs. Vermont

Three keys to a Duke win over Vermont.

Duke has departed Durham and arrived in Brooklyn as it prepares for its first-round NCAA Tournament game against the Vermont Catamounts.

Duke’s season has been an up-and-down affair, but the Blue Devils can change the entire narrative in six games. They’ll do so without a piece of their depth in freshman guard Caleb Foster, but make no mistake: the Blue Devils have plenty of offensive firepower to make a run in this tournament.

Their opponents are no strangers to the NCAA Tournament. The Catamounts will not be intimidated, considering this will be their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance out of the America East conference.

With tournament experience under their belt, expect the Catamounts and coach John Becker to fight.

With that said, Duke has the talent and size advantage, and barring a nightmarish day, they should advance. However, there are a few keys we wanted to lock in on that should help the Blue Devils push through to the round of 32 and get one win closer to a Sweet 16 appearance.

Dominate the Glass

If it sounds simple, it’s because it is. Duke has no reason not to dominate the glass in this contest. Vermont’s leading rebounder is a 6-foot-4 guard named Shamir Bogues. The Blue Devils have a starting point guard who is 6-foot-5. They start the 6-foot-9 Mark Mitchell, and Kyle Filipowski is a full 7-foot. There’s no reason that Duke should not be +12 or more in rebounding by the end of this game, especially with Sean Stewart and Ryan Young coming off the bench. Eliminating second-chance points is an easy way to shut off the offense for a team that doesn’t need extra opportunities. If Vermont tosses a shot up, that should be their only shot of the possession.

Start Fast

This may be the most essential key to this game. This is the NCAA Tournament, and anything can happen if you play with your food. Duke needs to set the tone early. Race out to an early lead by the under-16 media timeout, or the under-12 at the latest, and keep the foot on the gas. If Vermont is within three possessions by halftime, things could get dicey in that Duke locker room. The doubt would settle in on one side while belief would rise in Vermont’s, and after that, all bets are off. Duke needs a fast start like they had last year against Oral Roberts.

Get back on defense

Jordan Mann, a former collegiate basketball player who breaks down Duke games and their opponents, laid out an interesting stat. Vermont is in the 99th percentile across Division I basketball in points per possession via transition offense.

They shoot 71% from inside the 3-point line in transition and 40% behind it.

Make or miss, Duke needs to get back and set its defense up. While many talk about Duke’s offensive efficiency, they remain in the top 25 defense in adjusted efficiency per KenPom, meaning Duke can play some defense when they are willing and engaged. If they play defense that way come Friday, they will be fine.

Duke is well-positioned to win this game. It ultimately will come down to how well Duke starts this game and if Jon Scheyer’s team can impose its will early and often. Duke should see itself coasting into Sunday with a trip to the Sweet 16 if they can do that.

Where Florida landed in final KenPom rankings before NCAA Tournament

Florida finishes the SEC Tournament among the top 30 teams in the nation according to KenPom.

It was not the ending that the Gator Nation had hoped for, but Florida basketball’s run through the Southeastern Conference Tournament was something to behold. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end — as they did for Todd Golden’s team against the Auburn Tigers on Sunday, who beat them for the title, 86-67.

Following the SEC finals loss, the Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings dropped the Orange and Blue from its No. 24 overall ranking on Sunday to No. 29, putting it between the No. 28 Nebraska Cornhuskers and the No. 30 Mississippi State Bulldogs.

The Pomeroy rankings use adjusted efficiency margin — the difference between adjusted offensive efficiency and adjusted defensive efficiency — to rank all teams.

Golden’s gang finished with a margin of plus-18.19 (down 0.44 points) which means the team is expected to score 18.19 more points than the average opponent. They rank 14th in adjusted offensive efficiency (119.3) while coming in at 83rd (101.1) in defensive efficiency.

KenPom also has Florida’s overall strength of schedule rated at plus-10.72, which is 29th in the nation; its non-conference schedule rating received a score of plus-2.05 which has the Gators at No. 132.

Florida is the No. 7 seed in the South Region this year according to the official NCAA Tournament bracket and will face the winner of the Boise State Broncos-Colorado Buffaloes play-in game.

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Florida leaps in KenPom rankings after Texas A&M win in SEC Tournament

The Gators moved up four spots into the top 25 in KenPom’s updated rankings.

The Florida Gators have won three straight games in this year’s Southeastern Conference Tournament, with the latest triumph coming on Saturday afternoon over the Texas A&M Aggies, 95-90, in the semifinals.

Following the win, the Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings boosted the Orange and Blue from its No. 28 overall ranking on Saturday to No. 24, putting it between the No. 23 New Mexico Lobos and the No. 25 Texas Tech Red Raiders.

The Pomeroy rankings use adjusted efficiency margin — the difference between adjusted offensive efficiency and adjusted defensive efficiency — to rank all teams.

Golden’s gang now has a margin of plus-18.63 (up 0.17 points) which means the team is expected to score 18.63 more points than the average opponent. They are now ranked 13th in adjusted offensive efficiency (119.9) while falling in defensive efficiency, now ranking at 87th (101.3).

KenPom also has Florida’s overall strength of schedule rated at plus-10.14, which is 40th in the nation; its non-conference schedule rating received a score of plus-2.09 which has the Gators at No. 131.

Florida will take on the Auburn Tigers in the SEC Tournament Finals on Sunday, March 17, in Nashville with a tipoff time set for 1 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

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Florida inches up KenPom rankings after Alabama win in SEC Tournament

The Gators gained a spot in KenPom’s rankings after routing the Crimson Tide.

The Gators have two wins in the Southeastern Conference Tournament so far and only two more to go before claiming the title thanks to wins of the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide, respectively. The latter came on late Friday night when Florida throttled ‘Bama in a 102-88 victory.

Following the win, the Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings elevated the Orange and Blue from its No. 29 overall ranking on Friday to No. 28, putting it between the No. 27 Texas Longhorns and the No. 29 Nebraska Cornhuskers.

The Pomeroy rankings use adjusted efficiency margin — the difference between adjusted offensive efficiency and adjusted defensive efficiency — to rank all teams.

Golden’s gang now has a margin of plus-18.46 (up 0.74 points) which means the team is expected to score 18.46 more points than the average opponent. They are now ranked 16th in adjusted offensive efficiency (119.4) while also shooting sharply upward in adjusted defensive efficiency, now ranking at 77th (100.9).

KenPom also has Florida’s overall strength of schedule rated at plus-9.73, which is 44th in the nation; its non-conference schedule rating received a score of plus-1.89 which has the Gators at No. 134.

Florida moves on to the semifinal round on Saturday, March 16, in Nashville where they will face the Texas A&M Aggies, who beat them in College Station by just one point the last time the two teams met. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET and the game can be watched on ESPN.

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Florida inches back up KenPom following SEC Tournament win vs UGA

It was a modest gain but well-earned by the Orange and Blue.

The Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs battled in the second round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament on Thursday night, with Todd Golden’s team emerging victorious for the third time this season against their heated rivals, 85-80.

Following the win, the Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings elevated the Orange and Blue from its No. 30 overall ranking in our previous update to No. 29, putting them between the No. 28 Wake Forest Demon Deacons — who beat Florida back in November in the ACC/SEC Challenge — and the No. 30 Nebraska Cornhuskers.

The Pomeroy rankings use adjusted efficiency margin — the difference between adjusted offensive efficiency and adjusted defensive efficiency — to rank all teams.

Golden’s gang now has a margin of plus-17.72 (down 0.13 points) which means the team is expected to score 17.72 more points than the average opponent. They are now ranked 17th in adjusted offensive efficiency (119.2) while also falling in adjusted defensive efficiency, now ranking at 88th (101.5).

KenPom also has Florida’s overall strength of schedule rated at plus-9.29, which is 53rd in the nation; its non-conference schedule rating received a score of plus-1.97 which has the Gators at No. 132.

The Gators will face the Alabama Crimson Tide in the final game of Friday’s third-round SEC Tournament slate with a tipoff time estimated around 9:30 p.m. ET. The game will once again be broadcast on the SEC Network.

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Florida falls in KenPom following regular-season-ending loss at Vandy

The Gators are still a top-30 team according to KenPom but the Vandy loss put them right at the cusp.

A fantastic second half of the season for Florida basketball came to a close on Saturday afternoon after the Vanderbilt Commodores hung around long enough to seize a 79-78 victory from the visiting Gators. It was not the finish the fans had hoped for, but fortunately, it should not hurt the program’s prospects too much heading into the postseason.

Following the loss, the Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings dropped the Orange and Blue from its No. 25 overall ranking in our previous update to No. 30, putting them between the No. 29 Dayton Flyers and the No. 31 St. John’s Red Storm.

The Pomeroy rankings use adjusted efficiency margin — the difference between adjusted offensive efficiency and adjusted defensive efficiency — to rank all teams.

Golden’s gang now has a margin of plus-17.85 (down 0.74 points) which means the team is expected to score 17.85 more points than the average opponent. They are now ranked 16th in adjusted offensive efficiency (119.4) while also losing a spot in adjusted defensive efficiency, now ranking at 81st (101.6).

KenPom also has Florida’s overall strength of schedule rated at plus-9.34, which is 48th in the nation; its non-conference schedule rating received a score of plus-1.97 which has the Gators at No. 134.

Florida is a No. 6 seed in the Southeastern Conference Tournament, giving it a first-round bye and matching the Gators up with the winner of Game 2 on Thursday, March 14, inside Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Tipoff is slated for a late 9:30 p.m. ET start on the SEC Network.

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Florida gains several spots in KenPom, cracks top 25 after Alabama win

The Gators are a top-25 team in the eyes of the Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings.

The end of the college basketball regular season is nigh and coming into Tuesday evening, the Florida Gators had just two games remaining on its schedule. By the end of the night, Todd Golden’s team was celebrating a blowout victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide for a Senior Night special.

Following the win, the Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings promoted the Orange and Blue from its No. 31 overall ranking in our previous update to No. 25, putting them between the No. 24 Villanova Wildcats and the No. 26 Texas Longhorns.

The Pomeroy rankings use adjusted efficiency margin — the difference between adjusted offensive efficiency and adjusted defensive efficiency — to rank all teams.

Golden’s gang now has a margin of plus-18.59 (up 0.96 points) which means the team is expected to score 18.59 more points than the average opponent. They remain ranked 15th in adjusted offensive efficiency (120.6) while gaining ground in adjusted defensive efficiency, now ranking at 80th (102.0).

KenPom also has Florida’s overall strength of schedule rated at plus-9.25, which is 38th in the nation; its non-conference schedule rating received a score of plus-1.59 which has the Gators at No. 132.

Florida wraps up its regular-season schedule on Saturday, March 9, in Nashville as the Gators travel for a rematch with the Vanderbilt Commodores. Tipoff is slated for 4:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.

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Duke now inside KenPom top 20 both offensively and defensively

After a dominant display against tournament-hopeful Virginia on Saturday, KenPom considered the Duke Blue Devils a top-20 team on both ends of the floor.

Duke basketball is one of the most well-rounded teams in the nation, according to KenPom’s advanced metrics.

After Saturday’s blowout win over Virginia, the Blue Devils are seventh in the country in the site’s adjusted efficiency margin.

Duke is also within the top 20 in both adjusted offensive efficiency and adjusted defensive efficiency, one of just seven teams in the country to clear both thresholds.

The Blue Devils are eighth in offense and climbed up to 20th in the defensive rankings after dominating the Cavaliers.

Only Houston, Connecticut, Arizona, Tennessee, Auburn, and Marquette also qualified as top-20 teams on both ends of the floor.

The victory also moved Duke farther ahead of North Carolina in the overall standings, as the Tar Heels are currently 10th in the site’s overall rankings.

KenPom drops Florida a few spots after South Carolina road loss

The Gators slipped out of the top 30 in the KenPom rankings after the loss at South Carolina.

The dreaded zone bug struck Florida basketball once again, and like several times before, resulted in the Gators seizing defeat from the jaws of victory. After taking a six-point lead into halftime, Todd Golden’s team faltered down the stretch against the South Carolina Gamecocks, losing 82-76 on the road Saturday.

Following the loss, the Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings dropped the Orange and Blue from its No. 28 overall ranking in our previous update to No. 31, putting them between the No. 30 Mississippi State Bulldogs — whom Florida beat in Gainesville earlier this season — and the No. 32 TCU Horned Frogs.

The Pomeroy rankings use adjusted efficiency margin — the difference between adjusted offensive efficiency and adjusted defensive efficiency — to rank all teams.

Golden’s gang now has a margin of plus-17.63 (down 0.30 points) which means the team is expected to score 17.63 more points than the average opponent. They remain ranked 15th in adjusted offensive efficiency (119.4) but fell six spots in adjusted defensive efficiency, now ranking at 87th (101.8).

KenPom also has Florida’s overall strength of schedule rated at plus-8.75, which is 43rd in the nation; its non-conference schedule rating received a score of plus-1.65 which has the Gators remaining at No. 125.

The Gators return home for a rematch against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Tuesday, March 5, inside the O’Connell Center. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.

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Where Kentucky ranks in KenPom efficiency as March begins

Taking a look at Kentucky’s position in KenPom’s efficiency rankings going into March.

March, in the college basketball world, is the biggest month of the year. Conference tournaments take place, then March Madness begins, before a champion is crowned.

As the season winds down, fans pay attention to Top 25 rankings, and Bracketology predictions, but the KenPom rankings, while not as popular with fans, hold a lot of weight with analysts. They have also been a pretty good predictor of NCAA Tournament success.

As the final month of the season begins, Kentucky sits at s18th in the rankings overall after their last second win over Mississippi State. Offensively, they’re among the best in the nation, ranking sixth in the country with 122.7 points per 100 possessions.

Defensively, as has been the case for much of the year, they lag a bit behind. They rank 86th in points allowed per 100 possessions at 101.9. It will be difficult to make a championship run if that number continues.

The Wildcats have time to improve that defensive efficiency number before the season ends, and they’ll need to if they want to make an impact in the NCAA Tournament. If they can’t, March Madness won’t be much fun for Kentucky again this year.