That championship night in 2012, Cal’s 2nd-best UK team (per KenPom) beat Bill Self’s 9th-best KU team (per KenPom, dating back to 2002 team). KU’s offense was ranked 23rd that season, and UK’s 2nd. No KU fan expected THAT KU team (of all KU teams) to be in that Final Four, let alone challenge for a championship. (Three of KU’s 2012 tourney wins were by 3 points or fewer.) UK was clearly the more talented team, and it shouldn’t have been a close game…and it mostly wasn’t. I doubt five more minutes would’ve made a big difference, but ten more might’ve. I think Self is a far superior X’s & O’s strategist, compared to Cal, but Cal is the superior motivator and strategist ONLY WITH super-brand-new teams (so his new teams play super confidently and well, together, during summer games and during the first month or two of the season). And John Robic is the tactician that Cal’s been sorely missing. (All three men were KU assistants.) How much of a coincidence is it that Cal’s record without Robic is very different?
Fyi, That UK team had the 15th-best-ever KenPom score (dating back to 2002).
Best-ever team (cumulative) KenPom scores, 2002-2023:
36.91 2015 Kentucky
36.48 2021 Gonzaga
35.21 2008 Kansas (Champ)
34.22 2019 Virginia (Champ)
34.19 2002 Duke
33.76 2018 Nova (amazing offensive team) - Champ
33.87 2021 Baylor (who EASILY beat 2021 Gonzaga, who are, for some reason, ranked higher than them = see above = a flaw in KenPom’s system) - Champ
33.72 2015 Wisconsin (amazing offensive team)
33.47 2011 Ohio State
33.29 2010 Duke (‘10 KU & UK were also great that season: KU’s KenPom score = 31.85 [ranked 2nd in offense and 8th in defense]; UK: 26.54 [ranked 22nd in offense and 6th in defense]. Duke was ranked 1st in offense and 5th in defense. Strength of Schedules: Duke: 4th, Kansas 16th (with only 1 tourney win, and it was absolutely one of the most crushing tourney losses in KU history, considering KU’s depth, talent, and what the other team had to do to beat them = it’s hardly possible for Northern Iowa to have hit more timely and gutsy/crazy shots than they did. Even their centers were stepping back for 3’s!🤬), Kentucky’s SOS = 55th in 2010 = which is low, even after making it as far as the Elite Eight.)
32.92 2013 Louisville - Won the Championship on the court, but the NCAA took it away
32.85 2019 Gonzaga
32.77 2005 UNC - Champ
32.68 2005 Illinois
32.59 2012 Kentucky - Champ