This was the Worst Kentucky Defense of the KenPom Era

The best three-point shooting team in college basketball struggled to find the bottom of the rim in postseason play, hitting only 9 of 28 (32.1%) attempts in the Wildcats’ season-ending loss to Oakland. In the aftermath of another disappointing Kentucky NCAA Tournament loss, folks aren’t talking about the offense. It’s all about the defense.

Sure, Kentucky’s high-flying offense under-performed in Pittsburgh. They only mustered 76 points on 42.6% shooting from the field, below their respective averages of 89 points and 49.5%, the second-highest for a Kentucky team in the shot clock era.

Those are just a few of the numbers that make one thing clear. This historic Kentucky offense was let down by a historically bad Kentucky defense.

In 2023-24 Kentucky opponents scored 85+ points 12 times. The Wildcats ranked No. 340 out of 362 Division I teams, allowing an average of 79.7 points per game.

Kentucky’s defense wasn’t a disaster 100% of the time. There were a few exceptional individual efforts. Reed Sheppard led the SEC in steals and finished his first season at Kentucky six away from breaking Rajon Rondo’s single-season record. The Cats also had some pretty darn good shot-blockers. Kentucky ranked third nationally in blocked shots per game. Frankly, it wasn’t good enough.

KenPom has been tracking tempo-adjusted college basketball efficiency ratings since 1999. This is the worst Kentucky defense in 26 years and only one team is even close to reaching similar depths of depravity.

There are still games to be played, but as of March 24, Kentucky ranks No. 111 in defensive efficiency. In the history of KenPom, only one other Kentucky defense finished outside of the top 100: Billy Gillispie’s first season in the Bluegrass when he was named SEC Coach of the Year (people forget that).

This is just the fourth time in the John Calipari era the Cas have not had a Top 40 defense. They have one NCAA Tournament victory in those four seasons, last year’s opening round victory over Providence.

Kentucky Defensive Efficiency Since 1999

2024: 111
2023: 68
2022: 36
2021: 35
2020: 52
2019: 8
2018: 22
2017: 7
2016: 39
2015: 1
2014: 32
2013: 88
2012: 7
2011: 16
2010: 6
2009: 27
2008: 104
2007: 34
2006: 75
2005: 3
2004: 7
2003: 4
2002: 9
2001: 39
2000: 13
1999: 11

Great Defense Leads to NCAA Tournament Success

Entering the NCAA Tournament, we all were asking the same question: “Is Kentucky’s defense good enough to go on a run through the NCAA Tournament?” That question was quickly answered by Jack Gohlke.

Kentucky has been to 10 Elite Eights in the KenPom era. Only one of those teams finished outside of the Top 20 of KenPom’s defensive rankings. You can thank Aaron Harrison‘s clutch shots for being an outlier.

It has not been proven that defense wins championships. However, it’s clear that it takes exceptional defense to raise the floor high enough for a team to rattle off consecutive wins in the NCAA Tournament.

When examining the why behind Kentucky’s postseason droughts, it’s abundantly clear that John Calipari’s defense just isn’t good enough to win in March. The only two top 20 defensive teams in the last nine years lost heartbreakers in the Elite Eight. Since that overtime loss to Auburn in 2019, the best defensive finish was 35th.

The offense received a significant facelift during the last offseason. To get out of this horrible postseason funk, the Kentucky defense must undergo a similarly drastic transformation this offseason.