The computers don’t seem to respect us, unfortunately. Guess we’ll figure out where the media will see us in the SEC with media day coming up this week.
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Kentucky checks in at 26th in preseason Kenpom rankings
- Thread starter Catastic5
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The computers don’t seem to respect us, unfortunately. Guess we’ll figure out where the media will see us in the SEC with media day coming up this week.
These preseason data ranks are moronic and mean absolutely zero.
Explain to me how Houston is 3? They lost 4 starters and replaced them with two transfers and 2 sophomore 4 stars that were on the bench last year with limited minutes and their center is out of Kent St and 6'8".
Weren’t we in the top 10 last year’s preseason Kenpom? I vaguely remember.
Hey, no offense OP but let's not ruin the mood by remembering we have a basketball team
9 in offense, 50 in defense.....i mean who is really going to argue with that? i'm sure it will all work out though....
If anything the success of the football team ticks me off even more about basketball. I’m constantly having my good day soured by the reminder that SEC basketball media day and the first exhibition game is this week.
Looking at that list, I think coaches matter. Kelvin Sampson is a dog, one of the elite defensive coaches in the game. I don’t know how KenPom factors that in but I would imagine the rankings are more than just personnel rankings.
I think KenPom’s ranking doesn’t get dialed in until conference play begins anyway.
This. What an after thought they are.
I may be a "bad" fan but generally at this point I am done with FB and ready for BB. This year I don't want BB to even start.
If coaches mattered, Hurley wouldn't be 11.
I don't think KenPom registers coaching in this ranking, it's player driven. Somehow Kansas with a freshman centerpiece there is no data on, is 8.
If this were paper, I'd wipe my @SS with it it's so irrelvant.
Me too man,
I hate to say it but this year it is opposite, I dont want to say im not looking forward to basketball, but I just have no confidence in pope magically becoming a good defensive coach and us being a top ten team when he has never been that in his over a decade gead coaching career.
When we gave up on mark Mitchell all hope I had sunk.
Let’s panic over a preseason computer model.
We may need to panic at some point but not before even playing a game.
We may need to panic at some point but not before even playing a game.
Says the UL fan
Maybe the electricity from Wills team transfer over to Mark and the guys. Basketball needs that juice back and let this stuff take flight. Saturday night looked amazing and that might not be the high points of the season. Happy to see Will rewarded so fast. Marks turn maybe...GoCats!!
Btw it's the UK Wildcats, not the UK Cowboys. I don't know if you're new around here or something.
Quick AI search says last 4 teams who were ranked 26th in KenPom Preseason finished with an average 17.5-15.75 record. Hopefully that's not a bad sign for us.
A lot of it has to be based on faith in coaching. Kenpom’s formula loves Kelvin Sampson. His last 6 teams have finished 5, 2, 2, 2, 2, and 4.
But then, like you said, theres Hurley at 11 which seems pretty low given his recent track record and roster makeup. Weird
We finished #12 in 2025 with a high of #4 that year. We didn't really give up on Mitchell so much as S kankey blew it up.
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I don't believe we gave up on Mark Mitchell. I think he gave up on us a didn't he?
How can ranking can know or even guess the quality of offense or defense at this point is beyond me.
I dont know where you are getting those numbers... but what I could find said we finished 28th over all in kenpom and 27th in defensive efficiency...which was far and away Popes best defensive team ever. 39th in offensive efficiency.
I say we gave up on Mitchell because I feel like we could have basically told him you are getting this bag of money regardless and I still find it hard to believe these players will actually not be eligible.
How is it some players in some states are good to go and some aren't... it's preposterous!! The reasoning behind aberdeen being eligible and allowed to transfer in conference is absurd if Mitchell is a No go. No way this can hold up in court but I guess the season is about to start.
I know i would keep fighting with a lawyer if I was Mitchell and these players with millions of dollars on the line
#12 in the final AP poll with a high of #4 that season. Here is a link to the numbers.
www.sports-reference.com
S kankey ruled him ineligible at UK and it was right on top of the enrollment deadline. Mitchell chose to return to Missouri where he felt confident of his eligibility. There was not anything more UK could have really done about it.
Kentucky Wildcats Men's Basketball Index | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com
Check out the Kentucky Wildcats College Basketball History, Stats, Records, Polls, Leaders and More College Basketball Stats at Sports-Reference.com
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S kankey ruled him ineligible at UK and it was right on top of the enrollment deadline. Mitchell chose to return to Missouri where he felt confident of his eligibility. There was not anything more UK could have really done about it.
Preseason 7th in the SEC. Not just a computer problem.
I cannot wait until these Cats prove many of the fans that they belong at UK and win!
We are gonna be tough.
We are gonna be tough.
Lets just cry and give up. No possible way someone could have a good season without a top 10 preseason ranking. Florida was ranked 21st in the 2024-2025 AP preseason poll.
You should really not be looking at Kenpom for preseason rankings. His methodology is simply not good in this landscape. The one you want is Evan Miyakawa who models everything for all players. He has Kentucky at #18 preseason with a chance to move to #12 depending on how eligibility for the teams in front of them play out.
Kelsey #3
Ahead of Few, Pitino, and Hurley just to name 3 obvious ones that are on an entirely different level above him?
Indiana here we come! Kentucky is inching closer to Indiana status. Thanks Mark Pope great job bro.
I think we all know that polls aren't everything based on the way the football season has gone, however Stein was an unknown for football. I think we know Pope. I wish nothing but the best for Pope. I was in the basketball band during his time as a player at UK. I just dont have faith that the team he has assembled has what is takes to be better than his first team at UK.
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