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.
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.
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