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Florida ranked inside KenPom top 10 after perfect November

Florida’s dominant run at the ESPN Events Invitational has the Gators inside the top 10, according to KenPom.

The Florida Gators have cracked the top 10 in the KenPom College Basketball Ratings after an 8-0 start to the college basketball season. The Orange and Blue check-in at No. 8 to open December.

A net rating of plus-25.33 is 3.5 points higher than a week ago, and the Gators have passed by several elite programs, including Alabama and Kentucky. Florida is now the third highest-rated SEC team, according to KenPom.

Auburn (plus-32.08, 1st) leads all SEC programs followed by Tennessee (plus-30.97, 2nd), Florida (plus-25.33, 8th), Alabama (plus-24.25, 10th) and Kentucky (plus-23.50, 12th).

Thirteen of the 16 SEC programs are ranked inside the top 50.

Texas A&M (plus-19.81, 27th) and Mississippi State (plus 19.64, 28th) have fallen out of the top 25, followed by Texas (plus-18.46, 35th), Oklahoma (plus-16.77, 40th), Ole Miss (plus-16.67, 41st), Arkansas (plus-16.37, 42nd), Georgia (plus-15.66, 46th) and LSU (plus-14.90, 50th).

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 (Week 1)	Nov. 20 (Week 2)	Nov. 26 (Week 3)	Dec. 2 (Week 4)
W-L	3-0	5-0	6-0	8-0
NetRtg	+19.83 (20)	+20.74 (22)	+21.86 (18)	+25.33 (8)
ORtg	117.2 (13)	118.1 (11)	119.5 (8)	120.2 (9)
DRtg	97.4 (49)	97.4 (51)	97.6 (49)	94.9 (22)
AdjT	73.2 (47)	71.7 (72)	70.4 (93)	69.2 (125)
Luck	+.000 (117)	+.000 (182)	+.000 (188)	+.003 (181)
SOS Net	-4.16 (237)	-4.27 (239)	-3.79 (252)	-0.55 (189)
SOS ORtg	100.8 (265)	100.0 (293)	101.4 (303)	103.2 (269)
SOS DRtg	105.0 (198)	104.3 (167)	105.2 (164)	103.8 (62)
NCSOS Net	-4.16 (237)	-4.27 (239)	-3.79 (252)	-0.55 (189)

Since we last checked in with KenPom, Florida’s adjusted offensive efficiency rating has improved by 0.7 points (per 100 possessions) and the defense has allowed 2.7 fewer points. Thoes numbers translate to a one-spot dip in the offensive ratings and a 27-spot increase on defense brings Florida inside the top 50.

Florida won the ESPN Events Invitational over Thanksgiving week, defeating Wake Forest and Wichita State. The Gators held the Demon Deacons to 58 points, and the Shockers scored just 51 in the championship game. Florida outscored its opponents this week by a combined 54 points.

The Orange and Blue play only one game this week, a home matchup against Virginia.

Florida’s adjusted tempo continues to drop, now at 69.2 possession per 40 minutes 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 of the top 100.

Florida has been expected to win most of its games, but the two neutral site matchups mean that the Gator finally have a luck rating other than triple zeroes. Still, at plus-.003, the number is almost insignificant, which is a good thing. High luck can mean a lower rating and negative luck can mean underperforming.

Strength of Schedule according to KenPom

KenPom’s strength of schedule ratings only considers the games played, and Florida hasn’t played the toughest non-conference slate by any means. Still, Wake Forest and Wichita State are much better programs than the first six the Gators faced, so the ranking jumped significantly from 252nd to 189th.

The rest of the non-conference schedule isn’t too daunting, but Arizona State (57th), North Carolina (16th) and Virginia (103rd) are all decently rated. North Florida (180th) and Stetson (341st) give the Gators an easy finish to the calendar year.

Looking back at Florida’s eight wins: three have come against top 100 opponents, Florida State (59th), Wake Forest (98th), and Wichita State (90th); three have come against opponents rated in the next 100, Jacksonville (186th), South Florida (138th) and Southern Illinois (148th); and two have come against opponents rated outside of the top 200, Florida A&M (353rd) and Grambling State (223rd).

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Wisconsin basketball finds steady position in KenPom, ESPN BPI after win over Chicago State

Wisconsin basketball improved to 8-0 on the 2024-25 season with a decisive 74-53 win over Chicago State on Saturday.

The Badgers didn’t have much trouble vanquishing the winless Cougars squad (No. 360 in KenPom). Greg Gard’s team led by seven at the half-time break before building a 13-point lead at the 15:00-minute mark of the second half. It then extended the lead to 21 points with 10 minutes remaining, sealing the victory.

The Badgers are 8-0 for the first time since 2013-14. Their record includes some strong wins: 103-88 over Arizona (No. 30 in KenPom) and 81-75 over Pittsburgh (No. 13).

As more results are added, rating metrics are developing a consensus about where the team stands.

Wisconsin is now No. 29 in KenPom (No. 19 offense, No. 67 defense) and No. 31 in ESPN BPI after the Chicago State win. Those marks are both good for seventh in the expanded Big Ten Conference.

The Badgers were No. 15 in the AP Poll entering the week. That ranking is sure to rise when the updated poll is released, as numerous highly-ranked teams fell during a busy Feast Week.

Wisconsin may need further decisive efforts in upcoming games against Michigan (Dec. 3) and No. 10 Marquette (Dec. 7) to rise further in KenPom and BPI. For now, the only thing that matters are the tallies in the win-loss columns. Wisconsin is off to a perfect start to the season in that regard.

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Duke basketball slightly favored against the Auburn Tigers, per KenPom

The undefeated Auburn Tigers come to Cameron Indoor Stadium on Wednesday, but KenPom still favors the home team.

The Duke Blue Devils play their fourth top-25 opponent in six games on Wednesday when the undefeated Auburn Tigers come to town. Despite the SEC school defeating the Houston Cougars, Iowa State Cyclones, and North Carolina Tar Heels already this season, popular analytics website KenPom still gives the Blue Devils a 55% chance to win.

Duke held each of its last two home opponents under 50 points. Seattle managed just 48 points in the most recent game at Cameron Indoor Stadium after the Redhawks made 10 of their 47 shots from the floor, and the Blue Devils limited Wofford to 35 points back on November 16.

Duke hasn’t given up more than 77 points in any of its first seven games, and its 87.3 adjusted points allowed per 100 possessions leads the KenPom defensive efficiency rankings.

Despite any promising underlying metrics for the Blue Devils, the Tigers currently occupy the No. 1 overall spot in the site’s national rankings thanks to their scorching start. Something will have to give with Auburn’s offense averaging 86.7 points per game, currently occupying the top spot in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency rankings.

The game tips off at 9:15 p.m. Eastern time on ESPN this Wednesday.

Where are the Duke Blue Devils in the KenPom rankings after their loss to Kansas?

Check out where the Duke Blue Devils ended up in the KenPom rankings after their 75-72 loss to Kansas in Las Vegas.

After their 75-72 loss to the Kansas Jayhawks on Tuesday night, the Duke Blue Devils slipped down to fifth in the Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings produced by KenPom.

Despite two losses in three ranked games, the adjusted efficiency margin still believes in Jon Scheyer’s team. The Duke offense slipped from the top 10 as the Blue Devils are now averaging 118.1 adjusted points per 100 possessions, but they still measure out as the best defense in the country.

Coincidentally, the Jayhawks and Kentucky Wildcats, the two teams that beat Duke already this season, remain below the Blue Devils. Kansas only rose to seventh while the Wildcats remain 12th.

The Auburn Tigers, who come to Cameron Indoor Stadium for a December 4 game, now sit atop the perch as KenPom’s top team in the country. The Tigers took down the Houston Cougars, who started the season in first, before beating the Iowa State Cyclones and North Carolina Tar Heels in Maui.

Gonzaga, Houston, and the Tennessee Volunteers are the only other teams above Duke. UNC, also with two losses already this year, now sits 13th.

Florida basketball up to No. 18 in KenPom ratings after Week 3

Three weeks of undefeated basketball has the Florida Gators rated No. 18 in the country by KenPom.

After taking as small dip in the KenPom ratings last week, the Florida Gators are up to a season-high No. 18 after a 6-0 start to the college basketball season.

A net rating of plus-21.86 is more than a full point higher than a week ago, and the Gators have passed by several teams, including Texas A&M by fewer than three-tenths of a point.

Auburn (plus-30.35, 3rd) leads all SEC programs followed by Tennessee (plus-29.71, 5th), Alabama (plus-24.36, 10th), Kentucky (plus-22.78, 13th), Florida, Texas A&M (plus-21.57, 19th) and Mississippi State (plus 19.79, 25th).

Texas (plus-19.87, 28th) is just outside the top 25, and Arkansas (plus-17.42, 37th), Oklahoma (plus-15.27, 47th), Ole Miss (plus 15.03, 48th) and Missouri (plus-14.79, 50th) are all inside the top 50.

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.

Breaking down the KenPom ratings

Date	Nov. 12 (Week 1)	Nov. 20 (Week 2)	Nov. 26 (Week 3)
W-L	3-0	5-0	6-0
NetRtg	+19.83 (20)	+20.74 (22)	+21.86 (18)
ORtg	117.2 (13)	118.1 (11)	119.5 (8)
DRtg	97.4 (49)	97.4 (51)	97.6 (49)
AdjT	73.2 (47)	71.7 (72)	70.4 (93)
Luck	+.000 (117)	+.000 (182)	+.000 (188)
SOS Net	-4.16 (237)	-4.27 (239)	-3.79 (252)
SOS ORtg	100.8 (265)	100.0 (293)	101.4 (303)
SOS DRtg	105.0 (198)	104.3 (167)	105.2 (164)
NCSOS Net	-4.16 (237)	-4.27 (239)	-3.79 (252)

Since we last checked in with KenPom, Florida’s offensive rating has improved by 1.3 points (per 100 possessions) and the defense has gained 0.2 points. A three-spot jump in the offensive ratings moves the Gators inside the top 10, and a two-spot increase on defense brings Florida inside the top 50.

Florida defeated Southern Illinois behind a dominant performance from Alijah Martin (32 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists) and a career-high scoring night from Thomas Haugh (19 points). The Gators play two games this week on Thursday and Friday as part of the ESPN Events Invitational Thanksgiving week tournament.

Florida’s adjusted tempo continues to drop, now at 70.4 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 trending toward a dip outside of the top 100. With SEC play still ahead, the number figures to drop more.

Because Florida was expected to win all six 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 252nd ranking isn’t as concerning as it may seem on paper. Golden has the group playing lesser opponents early on, and the rating climbed for the first time this year.

Still, the Gators have only faced one program inside the top 100 so far (Florida State, 60th). South Florida (146th) and Jacksonville (155th) have both climbed since playing Florida, while Grambling State (221nd) and Florida A&M (353rd) have both dipped, according to KenPom. Southern Illinois (153rd) is a middle-of-the-pack program right now, but more losses could hurt its rating.

Florida’s upcoming opponents — No. 99 Wake Forest and either No. 88 Minnesota or No. 76 Wichita State — give the Gators a chance to add two more top-100 wins to its tally.

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Wisconsin surges in KenPom and ESPN BPI after win over Pittsburgh, Greenbrier Tip-Off title

Wisconsin basketball continued its early season emergence over the weekend, defeating UCF, 86-70, and Pittsburgh, 81-75, to capture the 2024 Greenbrier Tip-Off title.

The wins came in an entirely different fashion. Wisconsin dominated UCF from the opening tip and was never tested in the second half. The Pittsburgh game was a significant test. The Badgers trailed by as many as 14 in the first half, then needed a 54-point second frame and sheer dominance from wing John Tonje to exit with the victory.

That resilience against a good Pittsburgh team is another notch in the belt for Greg Gard’s group. It continues to emerge as a surprise contender in both the Big Ten and nationally. The team is off to a 7-0 start for the third time in program history (2014-15 and 1973-74).

Ratings metrics have been somewhat hesitant to crown Gard’s team as a true contender, however. Wisconsin entered the Greenbrier Tip-Off ranked No. 40 KenPom and No. 30 in ESPN BPI.

Those marks both rose significantly after the pair of wins.

The Badgers are up 14 spots in KenPom to No. 26 overall, with the No. 12-rated offense and No. 72 defense. That mark is good for fourth-best in the Big Ten behind only Purdue (No. 15), Ohio State (No. 18) and UCLA (No. 22).

The team also rose to No. 27 in BPI. The metric has its projected final record at 21.8-9.2 and gives it an 14.2% chance to win the Big Ten.

Wisconsin faced an uphill battle in those metrics to begin the season. Each likely put significant weight into the departures of Tyler Wahl, A.J. Storr and Chucky Hepburn.

The on-court product has eliminated that narrative. Tonje looks to be an upgrade over Storr in the early going, averaging 23 points and 5.4 rebounds through the first seven games. The team as a whole looks to be improved over the 2023-24 group. Part of that can be attributed to the development of Nolan Winter, Kamari McGee, John Blackwell and others. It also should be credited to fantastic coaching from Gard and his staff. His new system is allowing the team to flourish, and it is playing its best basketball since the team made a run to the national title game in 2015.

Wisconsin is back on the court on Saturday against Chicago State. It begins Big Ten play with a home game against Michigan on Dec. 3.

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Duke basketball firmly favored against No. 1 Kansas, according to KenPom

The Blue Devils face the No. 1 team in the country on Tuesday night, but KenPom smells an upset brewing in Las Vegas.

The Duke Blue Devils will face their third top-25 opponent of the season on Tuesday night, and their trip to Las Vegas will be their most challenging yet.

Duke will play No. 1 Kansas, still undefeated through five games, as part of the 2024 Vegas Showdown. However, despite the Jayhawks’ ranking and record, one popular college basketball analytics site thinks the wrong team will start the week as the favorite.

KenPom gives Duke a 64% chance to upset Kansas in Vegas, a triumph that would give the Blue Devils two ranked wins in five days. They beat the Arizona Wildcats, 69-55, in Tucson on Friday night after superstar freshman [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] scored 24 points.

Despite Duke’s early loss to the Kentucky Wildcats last week, KenPom still considers the Blue Devils the fourth-best team in the nation. Even with a home victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels on their resume, the Jayhawks are just eighth in the site’s rankings.

The more fans look at the numbers, it becomes clear why the Blue Devils are favored when rankings get stripped away. Duke has scored 84.6 points per game and allowed just 57.4 while Kansas scored 83.6 and allowed 67.6. That disparity comes despite head coach [autotag]Jon Scheyer[/autotag] and his team playing two ranked teams already, one at a neutral site and the other in a true road game. The Jayhawks’ home game against UNC is their only top-25 matchup thus far.

Where is Duke basketball in the KenPom rankings after Friday’s win over Arizona?

After Friday night’s win over the Arizona Wildcats, here’s an update on where Duke basketball stands in the KenPom rankings.

The Duke Blue Devils picked up their first top-25 victory of the 2024-25 season on Friday night, a 69-55 road triumph over Caleb Love and the Arizona Wildcats, and they stuck within the top five of the KenPom rankings as a result.

As of Sunday morning, the popular analytics site ranked Duke as the fourth-best team in the country. While the Blue Devils have fallen outside of the top 10 in offensive efficiency, they took over the top spot in defensive efficiency thanks to their last two suffocating performances.

Duke held Wofford to 35 points, a program record in the shot-clock era, last Saturday, and the Blue Devils are allowing 87.3 adjusted points per 100 defensive possessions.

The KenPom metrics actually have Duke above No. 1 Kansas, its next opponent. Despite sitting atop every national ranking, the Jayhawks are just eighth in the adjusted efficiency margin. Only the Houston Cougars, Auburn Tigers, and Gonzaga Bulldogs remain ahead of the Blue Devils.

Gators hoops dips in KenPom ratings despite 5-0 start

A pair of lackluster second halves against Florida State and Florida A&M have the Florida Gators down two spots in the KenPom ratings.

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.

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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Where Wisconsin basketball stands in KenPom and ESPN BPI after win over UT Rio Grande

This story was updated to add new information.

Wisconsin basketball improved to 5-0 on the 2024-25 season with an 87-84 win over UT Rio Grande on Monday.

The Badgers struggled defensively for much of the contest, allowing the Vaqueros to shoot 49% from the floor and nearly 40% from 3. The team was somewhat on the ropes midway through the second half before John Blackwell and John Tonje led a scoring surge that tipped the scales, eventually leading to the three-point win.

One big stat that continues to matter: Wisconsin shot 84.4% (27-of-32) from the free-throw line in the victory. The team’s final 11 points came from the charity stripe. The Badgers are No. 2 in the nation in team free throw percentage at 88.6%; the stat has been a driving force behind the team’s 5-0 start.

That undefeated start led to national recognition, even before the win over UT Rio Grande. Wisconsin entered the AP Poll at No. 19 and USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll at No. 25 on Monday.

While the Badgers’ resume is building with each passing performance, their win on Monday didn’t impress some rating metrics. Wisconsin dropped 11 spots in KenPom from No. 29 to No. 40 after the win. Greg Gard’s team possesses the 18th-ranked offense and 83rd-ranked defense in the metric.

Allowing 84 points to a UT Rio Grande team that is No. 199 in KenPom assuredly led to the ratings downgrade, specifically defensively.

The Badgers also dropped from No. 22 in ESPN BPI to No. 30, reflecting the same general trend. BPI has the team’s projected final record at 19.6-10.4 and gives it an 8.2% chance to win the Big Ten.

Minus the needed defensive improvements, it’s hard to not be impressed by Wisconsin’s start to the season. This early season stage figured to see significant growing pains with new faces in the rotation. Instead, the Badgers are flashing top form and entering the conversation atop the Big Ten.

Wisconsin is back on the court on Friday against UCF at the Greenbrier Tip-Off.

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