With six games left in the season, here's how UK compares to its usual rivals (along with a few other teams of interest) in the KenPom rankings:
2. Duke: 23-2
6. Florida: 19-6 (beat UK 92-83 in Gainesville)
12. Vanderbilt: 21-4 (beat UK 80-55 in Nashville)
14. Louisville: 19-6 (beat UK 96-88 in Louisville)
15. Kansas: 19-6
17. Arkansas: 19-6 (lost to UK 85-77 in Fayetteville)
18. Alabama: 18-7 (beat UK 89-74 in Tuscaloosa)
19. Tennessee: 18-7 (lost to UK twice: 80-78 in Knoxville; 74-71 in Lexington)
21. St. John's: 20-5 (lost to UK 78-66 in Atlanta)
22. Brigham Young: 19-6
27. Kentucky: 17-8 (has a record of 5-5 against the teams on this list)
28. N. Carolina: 20-5 (beat UK 67-64 in Lexington)
36. Indiana: 17-9 (lost to UK 72-60 in Lexington)
42. U.C.L.A.: 17-8
Here's Kentucky's record through 25 games in each of the last five seasons:
2022: 10-2 in the SEC; 21-4 overall; 3 on Ken Pom (lost in first round of NCAAs)
2023: 7-5 in the SEC; 16-9 overall; 44 on Ken Pom (lost in second round)
2024: 8-4 in the SEC; 18-7 overall; 22 on Ken Pom (lost in first round)
2025: 6-6 in the SEC; 17-8 overall; 18 on Ken Pom (lost in regional semifinals)
2026: 8-4 in the SEC; 17-8 overall; 27 on Ken Pom
The 2022 team was the last UK team to reach the semifinals of the SEC tournament; the Cats have been eliminated in the quarterfinals of the SEC in each of the last three seasons.
Here's the top of the SEC standings:
Florida: 10-2
Arkansas: 9-3
Vanderbilt: 8-4
Alabama: 8-4
Tennessee: 8-4
Kentucky: 8-4
Texas: 7-5
Texas A & M: 7-5
Missouri: 7-5
One thing to keep an eye on: LSU will probably hire a new coach in the offseason, and I expect the Tigers to soon be competitive again.
ReplyDeleteAlso, this is only Sean Miller's first year in Texas; the Longhorns will probably be better next year.
ReplyDeleteOklahoma will also hire a new coach, but I don't have as much faith in them as I do in LSU.
ReplyDeleteOdds to win this year's National Title:
ReplyDeleteMichigan: +450
Arizona: +600
Duke: +700
Houston: +750
Florida: +1200
You can have UConn for +1700, which strikes me as generous.
DeleteUNC leads the all-time series with NCSU by 168 to 81. But NCSU is off to an early 25-16 lead in Raleigh tonight.
ReplyDeleteUK leads the all-time series with Tennessee by 165 to 79. The UNC/NCSU series is very similar to the UK/UT series -- it's an amazing rivalry when NCSU is competitive.
ReplyDeleteWolfpack lead 42-26 at the half.
ReplyDeleteWill Wade is the perfect coach for NCSU. They should keep him for the rest of his career.
ReplyDeleteMichigan goes to West Lafayette and pounds Purdue, 91 to 80. Once again, this won't be Purdue's year. But it could be Michigan's.
ReplyDeleteThis Michigan team is the best team from the Big 10 since Michigan State won it all in 2000.
ReplyDeleteIn Dallas, SMU beats U of L 95 to 85, thus ending the Ville's five-game winning streak. U of L is now 8-5 in the ACC, and 19-7 overall.
ReplyDeleteThe Ville falls from 14 to 16 on Ken Pom.
DeleteWithout Caleb Wilson, the Tar Heels have no offense. NCSU crushes them, 82 to 58. It's the Wolfpack's biggest win over the Heels since 1962.
ReplyDeleteKen Pom has UK beating Georgia tonight, 85 to 78.
ReplyDeleteUK starts with a turnover, and the game is on.
ReplyDeleteMichigan St. leads UCLA 40-20 with 2:31 left in the first half, and I have a feeling that Mick Cronin will not be coaching the UClan next year.
ReplyDeleteWith 3:23 left in the first half, Georgia leads 34-31.
ReplyDeleteThe last time Georgia won in Rupp Arena, UK fired its coach after the season.
ReplyDeleteFlorida crushed South Carolina 76-62 to move to 11-2 in the SEC.
ReplyDeleteKentucky 34 - 39 Georgia (Halftime) The Cats haven't made the Tournament yet.
ReplyDeletePope is a better coach than I thought -- you'd have to be a pretty good coach to win eight SEC games with these players.
ReplyDeleteMichigan St. hammers UCLA 82-59. Expect a new coach at UCLA next year.
ReplyDeleteGeorgia leads 66-55 with 10:55 left, and the Bulldogs have convinced me that they are the better team.
ReplyDeleteTexas beats LSU 88-85 to go 8-5 in the SEC.
ReplyDelete