The expectations for Kansas, especially without a fully rounded out roster, remain across the board. College basketball experts have differing opinions on the Jayhawks’ ability heading into next season, but it appears Bill Self’s squad is well respected by the only thing better than the experts: the metrics.
While KenPom is known as the “catch-all” metric in the game, there has recently been a counterpart that has begun challenging KenPom’s analytical dominance: Bart Torvik.
Just last season, the NCAA selection committee started using Bart Torvik in its decision-making process, signifying the value of the analytical tool.
Similar to KenPom, Bart Torvik calculates an adjusted offensive efficiency, adjusted defensive efficiency, and then projects the overall ability of a team.
And despite the season still being five months out, Bart Torvik’s rankings are in, and the Jayhawks appear to be in good shape, specifically on the defensive end.
Anchored by returning big man Flory Bidunga – who averaged 1.6 blocks in 16.3 minutes per game as a freshman – at the five, Kansas’ defense is listed as the fourth best in the country by Bart Torvik.
The Jayhawks’ offense lags behind a bit at 41st, but their expected dominance on defense still earned them the 17th overall ranking in the country.
With Self and his crew still not finished in terms of roster-building for the upcoming campaign, Kansas can only climb in the coming weeks and months, not just in the metrics, but in the eyes of the entire country before the season tips off.
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