The Kansas basketball team has put together one of the most impressive resumes through the first few weeks of the 2024-25 season. Bill Self's Jayhawks hold a 6-0 record and have maintained the country's top AP Poll ranking since the preseason.
Despite the voters' confidence in KU, KenPom rankings did not favor the Jayhawks coming into the year. The advanced metric system awarded Kansas the No. 6 national ranking in October. Even after a massive win over Duke in the Vegas Showdown, the metrics still prefer multiple teams over KU.
Kansas basketball maintains No. 8 spot in KenPom rankings
A handful of top-ranked schools across the country lost this week, including reigning champions UConn, who were defeated in each of the three Maui Invitational games. Three of the country's top-five teams will inevitably slip in the rankings once the next AP Poll comes out. Meanwhile, Kansas strengthed its resume in a tough nonconference game.
Regardless, seven teams remain ahead of the Jayhawks in KenPom, one of the most trusted analytic websites in college basketball. Auburn, Tennessee, Houston, Duke, Gonzaga, Iowa State, and recently Florida following their victory on Friday lead KU in the rankings.
Coach Self's squad has a 119.0 offensive rating, the 11th-best mark in the country, and the 14th-best defensive rating at 93.9. However, they only have a +25.07 net rating, whereas the highest in the nation is Auburn with +32.32.
Many fans argue Auburn should acquire the top spot given their recent schedule. The Tigers picked up hard-fought wins over No. 5 Iowa State and No. 6 Houston and a convincing victory against No. 12 North Carolina. Even after Kansas defeated fellow blue-blood Duke, Bruce Pearl and Co. could jump KU in the rankings and drop them to No. 2.
Although they've squandered big leads and have more to prove, Kansas will remain among the nation’s best all season if they sustain this level of play.