Kentucky is the Second-Best Basketball Program in the KenPom Era

It’s rare that a day goes by during the college basketball season that I’m not taking a look at KenPom.com. There are other websites that offer advanced analytical tools, but KenPom is the OG. Now that the season has ended, we can actually look to see where the Kentucky Wildcats rank in the KenPom era.

The website was created in 1997. Kentucky is the second-ranked basketball program over the final 29 seasons. The Wildcats have an aggregate rating of 40.83, one point ahead of Kansas, and almost three points behind Duke. North Carolina and Arizona round out the top five.

Florida made a big move up the rankings after cutting down the nets in Houston this year, up five spots to No. 6 overall. They have three National Titles in the KenPom era and two more Final Four appearances.

Three teams in the Top 60 made double-digit moves thanks to impressive 2025 campaigns. After reaching the Final Four, Auburn moved up 13 spots to No. 29 and Houston climbed 11 spots to No. 35. Ole Miss’ Sweet 16 run was good for an 11-spot jump to No. 59.

KenPom has updated its College Basketball program ratings (from 1997-now) 👀

Thoughts? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/y2qWHdjNYh

— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) June 24, 2025

Kentucky Basketball in the KenPom Era

Kentucky has finished ranked in the Top 25 in 23 of the 29 seasons. The Wildcats’ worst finish was No. 78 during Billy Gillispie’s 2008 campaign. The median final ranking for the Wildcats is No. 10.

We’ve seen Kentucky reach the Final Four six times since 1997, bringing home two National Championship banners during that time. John Calipari snapped a 13-year Final Four drought during his second season in Lexington. It’s been a decade since we saw the Wildcats play in the final weekend of the college basketball season.

Fourteen years elapsed between Tubby Smith’s National Championship and John Calipari’s. This season will mark 14 years since Anthony Davis was the Most Outstanding Player at the Final Four in New Orleans.

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