Now that nearly half the season is complete, we wanted to take a capsized look at how the Kansas Jayhawks have performed. Now, we can be here all day arguing about whether this has been a successful season so far or not, and there are valid points to either side in all honesty, so we have decided to leave it to the analytics. Specifically, the KenPom, with a second volume of this analyzing the NET Rankings coming shortly after.
What is the KenPom?
Good question. A very dimmed-down explanation of Ken Pom’s most notable stat, the Net Rating, is this. If Kansas scores 1,500 points on 1,230 possessions, then you divide the two, multiply it by 100, and you get the offensive rating. The same thing goes for the defense. To get the overall Net Rating, you just subtract the two and voila, (we hope this translates well). Now there are numbers which skew things significantly, for example, the strength of schedule for both opposing offenses and defenses, and even one stat called luck. As the season goes on and these stats gain data, a more accurate foundation will be built, but for now, we have a decently developed benchmark heading into conference play.
Kansas’ current overall rating sits at +25.12, which sits 17th in the country, the same place where the AP most recently assigned the Jayhawks.
In the stature of the name that Kansas possesses, yet 17th is probably a little lower than you would like; however, considering the offensive inefficiencies, the injury-ridden Darryn Peterson, and the hard strength of schedule through the first 13 games of the season, things quickly become a lot more understandable.
The Jayhawks’ strength of schedule rating currently ranks as the 12th hardest in the nation, continuing to add context to why the Jayhawks sit lower than the norm in most rankings.
The most outstanding numbers for Kansas this season have been their defensive numbers. The Jayhawks’ defense ranks fifth-best in the nation. Further stats prove that Kansas only allows 63.3 points per game, 11th-best in the country.
The offensive ranking sits 54th-best in the country, which, to be honest, is higher than expected. It was only as recently as Kansas’ 90-61 win over the Davidson Wildcats where Kansas really flexed its offensive muscles with a fantastic 51 points in the first half alone.
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