Kentucky near top of the kenpom college basketball preseason rankings

The Associated Press preseason college basketball poll is expected to be released Monday, but far more important rankings are already out.

We’re talking the kenpom rankings.

College basketball analytics maven Ken Pomeroy’s preseason rankings were posted on his website over the weekend. Michigan State is No. 1. And a local team coached by John Calipari is right behind the Spartans. That’s right, Kentucky is No. 2. And Louisville is No. 3.

Here’s the kenpom Top 10:

1. Michigan State
2. Kentucky
3. Louisville
4. Duke
5. Virginia
6. North Carolina
7. Purdue
8. Villanova
9. Gonzaga
10. Kansas

Here’s how kenpom ranks the SEC:

• 2-Kentucky
• 12-Florida
• 19-Tennessee
• 22-Auburn
• 38-LSU
• 39-Missouri
• 44-Arkansas
• 53-Mississippi State
• 55-Georgia
• 58-Texas A&M
• 60-Ole Miss
• 69-South Carolina
• 70-Alabama
• 148-Vanderbilt

This story was originally published October 21, 2019 at 9:22 AM.

John Clay

Lexington Herald-Leader

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John Clay is a sports columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Central Kentucky, he covered UK football from 1987 until being named sports columnist in 2000. He has covered 20 Final Fours and 42 consecutive Kentucky Derbys. Support my work with a digital subscription