What KenPom rankings are (and how people use them)
KenPom (Ken Pomeroy) rankings are a tempo-adjusted rating system for men’s college basketball that compares teams by how efficiently they score and defend per 100 possessions (so slow teams and fast teams can be evaluated on the same scale).
The core pieces you’ll see:
- AdjO (Adjusted Offensive Efficiency): points scored per 100 possessions, adjusted for opponent quality
- AdjD (Adjusted Defensive Efficiency): points allowed per 100 possessions, adjusted for opponent quality
- AdjEM (Adjusted Efficiency Margin): AdjO − AdjD (the “overall power” number that drives the main ranking)
How they’re used:
- Power-rating teams beyond win/loss record (especially for “who’s actually good?” arguments)
- Projecting game outcomes (point spreads / win probabilities)
- Bracket + seeding context (committee talk, résumé vs. underlying strength)
- Matchup handicapping (elite offense vs. elite defense, imbalance red flags, etc.)
Latest Rankings – Updated Monday, March 9
| Rk | Team | Off. | Def. |
| 1 | Duke | 5 | 1 |
| 2 | Michigan | 4 | 2 |
| 3 | Arizona | 7 | 3 |
| 4 | Florida | 8 | 4 |
| 5 | Illinois | 1 | 26 |
| 6 | Houston | 17 | 6 |
| 7 | Iowa St. | 26 | 7 |
| 8 | Purdue | 2 | 39 |
| 9 | Michigan St. | 27 | 8 |
| 10 | Gonzaga | 29 | 9 |
| 11 | Connecticut | 28 | 11 |
| 12 | Nebraska | 54 | 5 |
| 13 | Vanderbilt | 15 | 27 |
| 14 | Tennessee | 36 | 15 |
| 15 | Alabama | 3 | 67 |
| 16 | Louisville | 14 | 30 |
| 17 | Texas Tech | 10 | 33 |
| 18 | Arkansas | 6 | 44 |
| 19 | Kansas | 53 | 10 |
| 20 | Virginia | 34 | 16 |
| 21 | St. John’s | 51 | 14 |
| 22 | Saint Mary’s | 43 | 17 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | 16 | 53 |
| 24 | Iowa | 32 | 28 |
| 25 | BYU | 11 | 68 |
| 26 | Ohio St. | 18 | 52 |
| 27 | Kentucky | 38 | 31 |
| 28 | UCLA | 19 | 51 |
| 29 | Miami FL | 33 | 35 |
| 30 | North Carolina | 35 | 34 |
| 31 | Georgia | 12 | 87 |
| 32 | Villanova | 40 | 32 |
| 33 | Texas | 9 | 111 |
| 34 | Texas A&M | 44 | 37 |
| 35 | Utah St. | 25 | 63 |
| 36 | N.C. State | 23 | 71 |
| 37 | Santa Clara | 24 | 73 |
| 38 | Clemson | 76 | 21 |
| 39 | Auburn | 13 | 124 |
| 40 | Saint Louis | 47 | 41 |
| 41 | Indiana | 39 | 59 |
| 42 | Cincinnati | 117 | 12 |
| 43 | SMU | 20 | 109 |
| 44 | TCU | 92 | 20 |
| 45 | VCU | 46 | 64 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | 21 | 116 |
| 47 | San Diego St. | 90 | 23 |
| 48 | Baylor | 22 | 122 |
| 49 | New Mexico | 64 | 40 |
| 50 | Missouri | 49 | 78 |
| 51 | South Florida | 61 | 50 |
| 52 | Seton Hall | 153 | 13 |
| 53 | UCF | 31 | 118 |
| 54 | Washington | 66 | 49 |
| 55 | Boise St. | 59 | 65 |
| 56 | Virginia Tech | 62 | 61 |
| 57 | West Virginia | 135 | 19 |
| 58 | Tulsa | 30 | 145 |
| 59 | Stanford | 60 | 75 |
| 60 | Grand Canyon | 147 | 18 |
| 61 | Akron | 42 | 128 |
| 62 | LSU | 52 | 112 |
| 63 | Arizona St. | 72 | 66 |
| 64 | Colorado | 55 | 115 |
| 65 | Florida St. | 67 | 81 |
| 66 | Northwestern | 65 | 88 |
| 67 | Belmont | 41 | 154 |
| 68 | McNeese | 86 | 56 |
| 69 | Oklahoma St. | 56 | 117 |
| 70 | Northern Iowa | 157 | 25 |
| 71 | California | 107 | 43 |
| 72 | Minnesota | 85 | 69 |
| 73 | Providence | 37 | 188 |
| 74 | Wake Forest | 69 | 96 |
| 75 | Creighton | 68 | 100 |
| 76 | Nevada | 78 | 92 |
| 77 | USC | 99 | 62 |
| 78 | Yale | 45 | 182 |
| 79 | Dayton | 133 | 36 |
| 80 | Syracuse | 84 | 91 |
| 81 | Mississippi | 96 | 74 |
| 82 | Butler | 75 | 114 |
| 83 | George Washington | 58 | 148 |
| 84 | Hofstra | 91 | 93 |
| 85 | Colorado St. | 48 | 194 |
| 86 | Marquette | 130 | 46 |
| 87 | Georgetown | 89 | 94 |
| 88 | Wichita St. | 108 | 72 |
| 89 | Stephen F. Austin | 103 | 80 |
| 90 | Utah Valley | 106 | 77 |
| 91 | Miami OH | 70 | 139 |
| 92 | Notre Dame | 81 | 121 |
| 93 | High Point | 63 | 160 |
| 94 | George Mason | 100 | 107 |
| 95 | South Carolina | 116 | 82 |
| 96 | Oregon | 120 | 83 |
| 97 | Xavier | 73 | 161 |
| 98 | Wyoming | 82 | 136 |
| 99 | Pittsburgh | 109 | 99 |
| 100 | Mississippi St. | 105 | 110 |
| 101 | Kansas St. | 110 | 105 |
| 102 | DePaul | 200 | 38 |
| 103 | Illinois St. | 146 | 76 |
| 104 | UNLV | 80 | 179 |
| 105 | Illinois Chicago | 150 | 84 |
| 106 | UC Irvine | 269 | 24 |
| 107 | Davidson | 148 | 89 |
| 108 | St. Thomas | 97 | 146 |
| 109 | Sam Houston St. | 87 | 164 |
| 110 | UNC Wilmington | 122 | 108 |
| 111 | Pacific | 142 | 98 |
| 112 | Cal Baptist | 190 | 54 |
| 113 | UC San Diego | 178 | 70 |
| 114 | North Dakota St. | 125 | 119 |
| 115 | Hawaii | 213 | 48 |
| 116 | Liberty | 57 | 260 |
| 117 | Southern Illinois | 272 | 29 |
| 118 | Seattle | 297 | 22 |
| 119 | San Francisco | 101 | 177 |
| 120 | Murray St. | 74 | 235 |
| 121 | Saint Joseph’s | 220 | 57 |
| 122 | UAB | 163 | 104 |
| 123 | Bradley | 127 | 140 |
| 124 | UT Rio Grande Valley | 139 | 127 |
| 125 | Florida Atlantic | 152 | 123 |
| 126 | UC Santa Barbara | 95 | 207 |
| 127 | Utah | 93 | 213 |
| 128 | Maryland | 137 | 138 |
| 129 | Rutgers | 141 | 133 |
| 130 | Memphis | 204 | 79 |
| 131 | Fresno St. | 197 | 86 |
| 132 | Montana St. | 138 | 142 |
| 133 | Duquesne | 149 | 135 |
| 134 | Rhode Island | 232 | 60 |
| 135 | Toledo | 88 | 236 |
| 136 | Northern Colorado | 123 | 186 |
| 137 | Washington St. | 98 | 221 |
| 138 | Penn St. | 94 | 232 |
| 139 | Robert Morris | 134 | 168 |
| 140 | North Texas | 275 | 42 |
| 141 | Portland St. | 273 | 47 |
| 142 | Navy | 207 | 101 |
| 143 | Richmond | 131 | 192 |
| 144 | Wright St. | 118 | 204 |
| 145 | William & Mary | 136 | 184 |
| 146 | Bowling Green | 211 | 102 |
| 147 | East Tennessee St. | 155 | 162 |
| 148 | Arkansas St. | 144 | 174 |
| 149 | Harvard | 203 | 113 |
| 150 | Central Arkansas | 154 | 166 |
| 151 | Winthrop | 128 | 201 |
| 152 | Boston College | 270 | 58 |
| 153 | Troy | 145 | 185 |
| 154 | Kent St. | 121 | 210 |
| 155 | UC Davis | 175 | 144 |
| 156 | UT Arlington | 288 | 45 |
| 157 | Towson | 237 | 90 |
| 158 | Cornell | 50 | 336 |
| 159 | Valparaiso | 185 | 130 |
| 160 | St. Bonaventure | 104 | 246 |
| 161 | Loyola Marymount | 221 | 106 |
| 162 | Temple | 114 | 228 |
| 163 | Penn | 199 | 125 |
| 164 | Georgia Tech | 193 | 131 |
| 165 | Idaho | 176 | 155 |
| 166 | Eastern Washington | 102 | 256 |
| 167 | Western Kentucky | 183 | 141 |
| 168 | Fordham | 255 | 85 |
| 169 | Cal St. Fullerton | 151 | 195 |
| 170 | Oakland | 83 | 294 |
| 171 | Middle Tennessee | 174 | 171 |
| 172 | Northern Kentucky | 168 | 175 |
| 173 | Charleston | 186 | 150 |
| 174 | Merrimack | 206 | 137 |
| 175 | Austin Peay | 191 | 152 |
| 176 | CSUN | 188 | 158 |
| 177 | Campbell | 126 | 249 |
| 178 | Kennesaw St. | 162 | 206 |
| 179 | Oregon St. | 166 | 199 |
| 180 | Texas A&M Corpus Chris | 262 | 103 |
| 181 | Monmouth | 228 | 134 |
| 182 | New Orleans | 161 | 214 |
| 183 | Queens | 79 | 324 |
| 184 | Utah Tech | 140 | 242 |
| 185 | New Mexico St. | 159 | 224 |
| 186 | Tennessee St. | 173 | 211 |
| 187 | Montana | 222 | 153 |
| 188 | Mercer | 124 | 266 |
| 189 | Columbia | 181 | 203 |
| 190 | FIU | 202 | 180 |
| 191 | Charlotte | 113 | 287 |
| 192 | Appalachian St. | 230 | 151 |
| 193 | Weber St. | 129 | 274 |
| 194 | Drake | 158 | 247 |
| 195 | Siena | 208 | 193 |
| 196 | Portland | 227 | 165 |
| 197 | Lipscomb | 215 | 187 |
| 198 | UMBC | 205 | 198 |
| 199 | Furman | 217 | 191 |
| 200 | Indiana St. | 225 | 173 |
| 201 | Massachusetts | 180 | 222 |
| 202 | Howard | 276 | 120 |
| 203 | Marist | 332 | 55 |
| 204 | Jacksonville St. | 241 | 159 |
| 205 | Marshall | 119 | 298 |
| 206 | South Alabama | 214 | 196 |
| 207 | Buffalo | 111 | 308 |
| 208 | Louisiana Tech | 303 | 95 |
| 209 | Green Bay | 112 | 307 |
| 210 | Tulane | 194 | 217 |
| 211 | Cal Poly | 160 | 263 |
| 212 | James Madison | 172 | 252 |
| 213 | Samford | 164 | 262 |
| 214 | Youngstown St. | 240 | 181 |
| 215 | Missouri St. | 189 | 234 |
| 216 | Tarleton St. | 267 | 147 |
| 217 | LIU | 248 | 178 |
| 218 | Quinnipiac | 265 | 156 |
| 219 | South Dakota St. | 187 | 243 |
| 220 | Southern Miss | 254 | 183 |
| 221 | Drexel | 295 | 126 |
| 222 | Detroit Mercy | 179 | 261 |
| 223 | Tennessee Martin | 321 | 97 |
| 224 | San Diego | 184 | 254 |
| 225 | La Salle | 245 | 205 |
| 226 | Rice | 182 | 265 |
| 227 | Ohio | 192 | 255 |
| 228 | Western Carolina | 169 | 286 |
| 229 | Stony Brook | 252 | 209 |
| 230 | Georgia Southern | 143 | 311 |
| 231 | Elon | 156 | 303 |
| 232 | Nicholls | 235 | 220 |
| 233 | Southeast Missouri | 298 | 143 |
| 234 | Long Beach St. | 243 | 215 |
| 235 | Vermont | 210 | 251 |
| 236 | Denver | 77 | 358 |
| 237 | San Jose St. | 132 | 325 |
| 238 | Bethune Cookman | 277 | 189 |
| 239 | Lamar | 283 | 176 |
| 240 | American | 239 | 233 |
| 241 | Eastern Michigan | 305 | 149 |
| 242 | Charleston Southern | 234 | 240 |
| 243 | Florida Gulf Coast | 238 | 237 |
| 244 | UNC Asheville | 256 | 218 |
| 245 | Texas St. | 268 | 208 |
| 246 | Abilene Christian | 319 | 132 |
| 247 | Coastal Carolina | 304 | 157 |
| 248 | Old Dominion | 229 | 250 |
| 249 | Idaho St. | 165 | 315 |
| 250 | Colgate | 198 | 288 |
| 251 | Princeton | 249 | 244 |
| 252 | Southern Utah | 212 | 280 |
| 253 | Wofford | 171 | 313 |
| 254 | Boston University | 115 | 345 |
| 255 | East Carolina | 278 | 212 |
| 256 | SIUE | 329 | 129 |
| 257 | Saint Peter’s | 286 | 202 |
| 258 | Radford | 224 | 272 |
| 259 | Iona | 271 | 226 |
| 260 | UC Riverside | 274 | 225 |
| 261 | Purdue Fort Wayne | 246 | 253 |
| 262 | Nebraska Omaha | 226 | 279 |
| 263 | Pepperdine | 247 | 258 |
| 264 | Fairfield | 236 | 269 |
| 265 | Sacramento St. | 233 | 277 |
| 266 | Incarnate Word | 177 | 323 |
| 267 | Lindenwood | 320 | 169 |
| 268 | Milwaukee | 223 | 297 |
| 269 | Presbyterian | 281 | 241 |
| 270 | Central Michigan | 231 | 292 |
| 271 | Longwood | 279 | 248 |
| 272 | Hampton | 294 | 227 |
| 273 | Western Michigan | 195 | 318 |
| 274 | Dartmouth | 257 | 275 |
| 275 | Southern | 264 | 264 |
| 276 | North Dakota | 219 | 312 |
| 277 | UTEP | 311 | 200 |
| 278 | Bellarmine | 71 | 365 |
| 279 | Mount St. Mary’s | 334 | 170 |
| 280 | Northwestern St. | 296 | 245 |
| 281 | South Dakota | 263 | 285 |
| 282 | Morehead St. | 216 | 321 |
| 283 | Northeastern | 201 | 330 |
| 284 | Mercyhurst | 310 | 223 |
| 285 | Southeastern Louisiana | 326 | 197 |
| 286 | East Texas A&M | 317 | 219 |
| 287 | Brown | 342 | 163 |
| 288 | North Carolina A&T | 251 | 310 |
| 289 | Houston Christian | 287 | 273 |
| 290 | Lehigh | 293 | 267 |
| 291 | Ball St. | 339 | 190 |
| 292 | Delaware | 260 | 301 |
| 293 | Loyola Chicago | 282 | 282 |
| 294 | Jacksonville | 284 | 283 |
| 295 | Sacred Heart | 209 | 337 |
| 296 | Eastern Kentucky | 170 | 350 |
| 297 | Le Moyne | 301 | 268 |
| 298 | Grambling St. | 345 | 167 |
| 299 | UNC Greensboro | 196 | 348 |
| 300 | Chattanooga | 244 | 327 |
| 301 | Alabama A&M | 258 | 317 |
| 302 | USC Upstate | 337 | 216 |
| 303 | Stetson | 250 | 329 |
| 304 | West Georgia | 307 | 276 |
| 305 | Central Connecticut | 259 | 326 |
| 306 | Wagner | 292 | 299 |
| 307 | Evansville | 302 | 289 |
| 308 | Texas Southern | 299 | 293 |
| 309 | Little Rock | 289 | 300 |
| 310 | Georgia St. | 336 | 238 |
| 311 | Oral Roberts | 300 | 295 |
| 312 | Prairie View A&M | 312 | 271 |
| 313 | Louisiana | 322 | 259 |
| 314 | Tennessee Tech | 291 | 304 |
| 315 | Florida A&M | 340 | 230 |
| 316 | Arkansas Pine Bluff | 285 | 314 |
| 317 | Alabama St. | 325 | 257 |
| 318 | IU Indy | 242 | 342 |
| 319 | UMass Lowell | 290 | 316 |
| 320 | Northern Arizona | 253 | 344 |
| 321 | Norfolk St. | 308 | 309 |
| 322 | Cleveland St. | 167 | 362 |
| 323 | Loyola MD | 266 | 339 |
| 324 | Eastern Illinois | 347 | 229 |
| 325 | Albany | 280 | 332 |
| 326 | Lafayette | 316 | 306 |
| 327 | Cal St. Bakersfield | 306 | 319 |
| 328 | New Haven | 351 | 239 |
| 329 | Manhattan | 261 | 351 |
| 330 | Holy Cross | 315 | 322 |
| 331 | Bucknell | 341 | 291 |
| 332 | NJIT | 344 | 270 |
| 333 | Northern Illinois | 346 | 281 |
| 334 | Stonehill | 362 | 172 |
| 335 | North Florida | 218 | 363 |
| 336 | Fairleigh Dickinson | 313 | 334 |
| 337 | Army | 323 | 335 |
| 338 | Niagara | 330 | 331 |
| 339 | Southern Indiana | 354 | 278 |
| 340 | UTSA | 327 | 333 |
| 341 | North Alabama | 328 | 338 |
| 342 | Jackson St. | 318 | 347 |
| 343 | Canisius | 355 | 284 |
| 344 | Air Force | 350 | 302 |
| 345 | Chicago St. | 333 | 340 |
| 346 | The Citadel | 314 | 352 |
| 347 | Maine | 363 | 231 |
| 348 | Maryland Eastern Shore | 358 | 290 |
| 349 | New Hampshire | 356 | 305 |
| 350 | Louisiana Monroe | 309 | 360 |
| 351 | Alcorn St. | 349 | 328 |
| 352 | Morgan St. | 324 | 353 |
| 353 | North Carolina Central | 335 | 354 |
| 354 | Saint Francis | 331 | 357 |
| 355 | Bryant | 348 | 343 |
| 356 | South Carolina St. | 357 | 341 |
| 357 | Rider | 352 | 349 |
| 358 | Kansas City | 360 | 320 |
| 359 | Binghamton | 343 | 361 |
| 360 | VMI | 338 | 364 |
| 361 | Gardner Webb | 353 | 359 |
| 362 | Delaware St. | 365 | 296 |
| 363 | Coppin St. | 361 | 346 |
| 364 | Western Illinois | 359 | 355 |
| 365 | Mississippi Valley St. | 364 | 356 |
KenPom Top 20 – March 9
Duke and Michigan Still Lead the Pack
Duke (5 Off / 1 Def) remains the most complete team in the country. The Blue Devils pair the nation’s best defense with a top-five offense, the exact efficiency profile KenPom tends to reward deep in March.
Michigan (4 / 2) sits right behind with almost the same formula. A top-five offense and top-two defense gives the Wolverines one of the cleanest statistical resumes in college basketball.
Arizona (7 / 3) and Florida (8 / 4) round out the top tier. Both teams are strong on both ends of the floor and lack a glaring weakness, making them among the most stable contenders in the field.
The Elite Offense Tier
A few teams near the top rely heavily on scoring efficiency:
Illinois (1 / 26) still owns the best offense in the country. The defense has improved slightly but remains outside the elite tier.
Purdue (2 / 39) continues to be powered by an explosive offense, though the defense has slipped further outside the top 30.
Alabama (3 / 67) remains the most extreme statistical split in the Top 20. The Crimson Tide can score with anyone but struggle defensively.
Arkansas (6 / 44) follows a similar pattern — high-level offense paired with defensive volatility.
These teams can overwhelm opponents offensively but tend to carry more variance.
Defense-Driven Programs
Several teams in the Top 20 are anchored primarily by defensive efficiency:
- Houston (17 / 6)
- Iowa State (26 / 7)
- Michigan State (27 / 8)
- Nebraska (54 / 5)
- Kansas (53 / 10)
- Tennessee (36 / 15)
These programs rely on suppressing scoring and controlling tempo rather than winning shootouts.
Balanced but Not Elite
A handful of teams sit in the middle with relatively balanced profiles:
- Gonzaga (29 / 9)
- Connecticut (28 / 11)
- Vanderbilt (15 / 27)
- Louisville (14 / 30)
- Texas Tech (10 / 33)
- Virginia (34 / 16)
These teams remain competitive across both ends but lack a top-five unit anchoring their statistical profile.
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Visit KenPom.com for full ratings.