KenPom Adjusted Defensive Efficiency

[KA4Prez]

Now at 60th. It has fallen more than 15 spots since the start of SEC play.
MUST improve, especially against these bad offensive teams we face in the next 3.
In fact, our next three opponents are all bottom SIX offensive teams in the SEC.

Georgia's offense is 107th
Arkansas' offense is 84th
South Carolina's offense is 72nd
Mississippi State's offense is 69th

 

[KA4Prez]

Of course, next week UK faces South Carolina and Arkansas, on the road.

Guessing they both play one of their best offensive games of the season.

 

[MdWIldcat55]

On Selection Sunday 2021 Baylor's KenPom adjusted defensive ranking was 44.
In 2015, on Selection Sunday Duke's KenPom adjusted defensive ranking was 37.
That's exactly where North Carolina's KenPom adjusted defensive ranking was in 2009 on Selection Sunday: 37.

Remember those teams? They were all pretty good.

The myth that teams have to be Top 25 or even Top 15 in BOTH KenPom rankings to win it all comes from looking at the stats AFTER the season - when SIX STRAIGHT QUALITY WINS can boost rankings by 20-25 slots.

Kentucky's defense needs to improve, and I believe it will. College basketball is different today with 18-year-old freshmen two months into their careers playing against 24-year old, six year seniors. I can see why it would take longer to excel, especially on defense which is more of an adjustment for talented freshmen than offense.

Given the Cats' slow defensive start, and very good offensive efficiency, a KenPom adjusted Defensive rating for the season on Selection Sunday of, say, 35 would put them in the same company of past champions.

 

[$Z71$]

Mississippi States Defense was ranked 9th. We hung 47 on them the first half and 90 overall. Kenpom is definitely not the answer. Everyone knows our defense needs to improve , but where we rank on Kenpom doesn't matter.

 

[KA4Prez]

Mississippi States Defense was ranked 9th. We hung 47 on them the first half and 90 overall. Kenpom is definitely not the answer. Everyone knows our defense needs to improve , but where we rank on Kenpom doesn't matter.

This has nothing to do with my point.

Kentucky's offense is elite. It can perform against anyone.

However, can they stop teams like Tennessee, Alabama and Auburn from putting up 90+?

 

[Smashcat]

The myth that teams have to be Top 25 or even Top 15 in BOTH KenPom rankings to win it all comes from looking at the stats AFTER the season - when SIX STRAIGHT QUALITY WINS can boost rankings by 20-25 slots.

This!
That said, if we keep emphasizing D and add Theiro and Big Z, don't see any reason we won't be very, very tough at both ends come March.

 

[bucsrule8872]

My uneducated observation:

We have a young team that can score almost at will.

So that combination of being young and offensively talented makes it very difficult to keep up defensive intensity.

Teams have to score points to have a shot at beating us, so they bring their A+ game.

Our defense has to tighten up, but I am not gloom and doom about it.

I like this scenario better than having a team that can’t throw it in the ocean, but can lock down defensively.

I like averaging 90 points better than averaging 60 points. They are a lot more fun to watch, IMHO.

 

[Cats192]

On Selection Sunday 2021 Baylor's KenPom adjusted defensive ranking was 44.
In 2015, on Selection Sunday Duke's KenPom adjusted defensive ranking was 37.
That's exactly where North Carolina's KenPom adjusted defensive ranking was in 2009 on Selection Sunday: 37.

Remember those teams? They were all pretty good.

The myth that teams have to be Top 25 or even Top 15 in BOTH KenPom rankings to win it all comes from looking at the stats AFTER the season - when SIX STRAIGHT QUALITY WINS can boost rankings by 20-25 slots.

Kentucky's defense needs to improve, and I believe it will. College basketball is different today with 18-year-old freshmen two months into their careers playing against 24-year old, six year seniors. I can see why it would take longer to excel, especially on defense which is more of an adjustment for talented freshmen than offense.

Given the Cats' slow defensive start, and very good offensive efficiency, a KenPom adjusted Defensive rating for the season on Selection Sunday of, say, 35 would put them in the same company of past champions.

This is such a great post. I've shared this in another thread, but everyone's so angry all the time, no one really stopped to read it. Hopefully people will understand this point.

We don't have to have an elite defense. We need a better defense. These guys may never form an elite defense. They can be better.

 

[St.PatterSoN-54-]

We have the crunch n’ munch offense. Score all you want- we’ll score more!!! (Unless we don’t)

 

[UKBB4Ever]

KenPomPom stats are the worst of the worst. His stats are completely skewed by not counting offensive rebounds as a possession. If the defense gets the rebound he counts it as a possession. If the offense gets the rebound he doesn't. Just insane!

Throws all of his nerd numbers in chaos.

 

[Untouchables22]

This is such a great post. I've shared this in another thread, but everyone's so angry all the time, no one really stopped to read it. Hopefully people will understand this point.

We don't have to have an elite defense. We need a better defense. These guys may never form an elite defense. They can be better.

Last night was a good first step in a positive direction…..Ugo’s ball screen defense was ELITE….he still gets tired and then can’t rebound for crap but he hedged hard and was great all night in screen coverage. In the paint/post Bradshaw played BY FAR his best post defensive game of the season and encouragingly kept his arms straight up for the first time consistently. On the perimeter we had significantly fewer breakdowns than normal and if you exclude Edwards (who was a disaster) everybody else was improved. Keep making incremental improvement like this and Top 40-50 is easily attainable as you are pointing out.

*EDIT- also worth mentioning IMO Thiero is the best defender on the team so if we can get him back both defense and rebounding will AUTO improve.

 

[Cats192]

Last night was a good first step in a positive direction…..Ugo’s ball screen defense was ELITE….he still gets tired and then can’t rebound for crap but he hedged hard and was great all night in screen coverage. In the paint/post Bradshaw played BY FAR his best post defensive game of the season and encouragingly kept his arms straight up for the first time consistently. On the perimeter we had significantly fewer breakdowns than normal and if you exclude Edwards (who was a disaster) everybody else was improved. Keep making incremental improvement like this and Top 40-50 is easily attainable as you are pointing out.

*EDIT- also worth mentioning IMO Thiero is the best defender on the team so if we can get him back both defense and rebounding will AUTO improve.

Great points all around.

Watching the game, I thought we did a better job overall. Our guards were staying in front of their men. Ugo was better on the pick and roll defense as you pointed out.

And Thiero's absence is definitely felt. We win the A&M game if he plays.