Kentucky ranked No. 1 in debut of 2022-23 KenPom rankings

“I’m really liking this team,” John Calipari told the crowd at Big Blue Madness late Friday evening. “So why don’t we stop talking and go have some fun.”

*Mic drop*

It was a nod to his Big Blue Madness speech to open the 2014-15 season, the famous “enough talking, let’s ball” quote before dropping the mic. That squad, as you remember, would start the year 38-0 and go down as one of the most dominant college basketball teams of all time.

Calipari has similar confidence in this 2022-23 group. And advanced analytics back that confidence up, as Kentucky has opened as the No. 1 team in college basketball in the initial KenPom rankings.

The Wildcats came in at No. 1 overall in the 2023 Pomeroy Ratings, leading the way with a +29.77 adjusted efficiency margin to go with the No. 2 adjusted offense (114.4) and No. 3 adjusted defense (84.7).

Texas came in at No. 2 overall, followed by Gonzaga at No. 3, Tennessee at No. 4, Virginia at No. 5, Baylor at No. 6, Houston at No. 7, Kansas at No. 8, North Carolina at No. 9 and Arizona at No. 10.

Why is this important for the Wildcats?

“Historically in the last 15 years, the teams that have been in the top 15 in defense have made it to the Final Four,” UK assistant coach Chin Coleman said last season. It’s a magic formula that also includes offensive production, with 18 of the last 20 national champions finishing in the top 20 for both offensive and defensive efficiency.

Kentucky is starting the year in the top three in both.

Check out KenPom’s initial top 25 below:

1. Kentucky (No. 2 offense, No. 3 defense)
2. Texas (No. 9 offense, No. 1 defense)
3. Gonzaga (No. 1 offense, No. 26 defense)
4. Tennessee (No. 10 offense, No. 2 defense)
5. Virginia (No. 14 offense, No. 4 defense)
6. Baylor (No. 4 offense, No. 12 defense)
7. Houston (No. 17 offense, No. 8 defense)
8. Kansas (No. 16 offense, No. 10 defense)
9. North Carolina (No. 8 offense, No. 13 defense)
10. Arizona (No. 6 offense, No. 20 defense)
11. UCLA (No. 7 offense, No. 18 defense)
12. Indiana (No. 22 offense, No. 9 defense)
13. Auburn (No. 11 offense, No. 14 defense)
14. Arkansas (No. 25 offense, No. 6 defense)
15. Duke (No. 3 offense, No. 43 defense)
16. TCU (No. 27 offense, No. 11 defense)
17. Texas Tech (No. 42 offense, No. 7 defense)
18. Alabama (No. 13 offense, No. 34 defense)
19. San Diego State (No. 51 offense, No. 5 defense)
20. Villanova (No. 21 offense, No. 24 defense)
21. Virginia Tech (No. 19 offense, No. 29 defense)
22. Creighton (No. 29 offense, No. 21 defense)
23. Iowa (No. 5 offense, No. 76 defense)
24. Dayton (No. 28 offense, No. 28 defense)
25. Purdue (No. 12 offense, No. 58 defense)

Check out the complete 2023 KenPom Ratings here.

What do you think, BBN? Do you agree with the early analytics?