These college basketball rankings hint at which teams should advance to the Final Four.
Cody Nagel
The Elite Eight is absolutely stacked with most of the top seeds in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament advancing this far in a rather chalky March Madness. But that only raises the stakes, setting up high-quality matchups between some of the best teams in the nation. So, how do the remaining contenders stack up in the latest re-rankings? And which ones have the best shot at punching their ticket to the Final Four next week in San Antonio?
The KenPom ratings, developed by Ken Pomeroy, are advanced metrics used to evaluate college basketball teams. They focus on efficiency, measuring the offensive and defensive performance per 100 possessions of each men's Division I team. These ratings provide a deeper analysis than traditional stats, helping to predict game outcomes and assess overall team strength.
With that said, where do each of the remaining teams in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament rank according to KenPom?
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Below is a closer look atwhere theeight teams rank through March 28:
1. Duke Blue Devils (34-3)
KenPom rating:+38.88
Cooper Flagg delivered a National Player of the Year-caliber performance to lead No. 1 seed Duke to its second straight Elite Eight. The five-star freshman poured in 30 points, six rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and a steal in the Blue Devils' 100-93 win over No. 4 seed Arizona on Thursday night in Newark, N.J. Duke has lost three of its past four Elite Eight appearances, with its lone win coming in the final season under legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski. The Blue Devils are the only Division I team ranked in the top five in both offensive and defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. Duke faces No. 2 seed Alabama in the East Region final Saturday night.
2. Florida Gators (33-4)
KenPom rating:+36.36
There was about a 10-minute stretch that No. 1 seed Florida looked like it could be in for another wire-to-wire battle in the NCAA Tournament before pulling away for an 87-71 win against No. 4 seed Maryland on Thursday in the Sweet 16. Six different Gators scored double-figures, led by Will Richard with 15.Floridais back in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2017. It faces No. 3 seed Texas Tech in the West Region final Sunday in San Francisco. The Gators are expected to have second-year big man Alex Condon in the lineup after he re-injured his right ankle in the win Thursday.Florida is one of justthree Division I teams to rank inside the top 10 of both offensive and defensive efficiency by KenPom, alongside Auburn and Duke.
3. Houston Cougars (33-4)
KenPom rating:+35.43
Despite scoring just two field goals in the finaleight minutes and blowing the 10-point lead it held at that time, No. 1 seed Houston managed to escape with a win against last season's national runner-up and No.4 seed Purdue late Friday night. Milos Uzan converted a game-winning bucket with 0.9 seconds remaining. The Cougars are in the Elite Eight for the third time in the past five seasons and one step closer to their first-ever national title. Houston faces No. 2 seed Tennessee for a spot in the Final Four on Sunday.
4. Auburn Tigers (31-5)
KenPom rating:+35.32
Auburn trailed by nine with just over 12 minutes left in the South Region semifinal against No. 5 seed Michigan on Friday but erupted for a 20-2 run in less than five minutes to take control. The No. 1 overall seed Tigers are in the Elite Eight for just the third time in program history, seeking their second Final Four appearance. Three different Auburn players scored at least 20 points in the Sweet 16 win: Johni Broome (22), Denver Jones (20) and Tahaad Pettiford (20). Next up is a date with No. 2 seed Michigan State on Sunday.
5. Tennessee Volunteers (30-7)
KenPom rating:+31.91
Tennessee refused to let SEC rival Kentucky secure a three-game sweep this season. The No. 2 seed Volunteers stifled the No. 3 seed Wildcats in a 78-65 victory Friday night in the Midwest Region semifinals, leading for the final 36-plus minutes to clinch back-to-back Elite Eight appearances for the first time in program history. The trio of Jordan Gainey, Chaz Lanier and Zakai Zeigler combined for 51 points. Tennessee has never reached the Final Four and will face No. 1 seed Houston on Sunday in a showdown between the top two remaining defenses in the NCAA Tournament, per KenPom.
6. Alabama Crimson Tide (28-8)
KenPom rating:+30.95
Mark Sears powered No. 2 seed Alabama to a record-breaking performance in its 113-88 win against No. 6 seed BYU on Thursday in the Sweet 16. The Crimson Tide setan NCAA Tournament record with 25 made 3-pointers, surpassing the previous mark of 21 set by Loyola Marymount in 1990. Sears alone was 10-for-16 from deep to lead the historic shooting night. Alabama ranks No. 4 nationally in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom, and leads all of Division I in points per game (91.4). The Crimson Tide face No. 1 seed Duke on Saturday for a second-consecutive trip to the Final Four.
7. Michigan State Spartans (29-6)
KenPom rating:+28.34
Michigan State found itself in a battle against No. 6 seed Ole Miss in the Sweet 16 Friday but delivered when it mattered, escaping with a 73-70 win. The Spartans, led by longtime coach Tom Izzo, are back in the Elite Eight for the first time since their 2019 Final Four run. The Rebels led by as many as 10 in the first half before No. 2 seed Michigan State fought back to keep its championship hopes alive.The Spartans take on No. 1 seed Auburn for a spot in the national semifinals on Sunday.
9. Texas Tech Red Raiders (28-8)
KenPom rating:+27.79
It was probably more stressful than it needed to be, but No. 3 seed Texas Tech is back in the Elite Eight for the first time since consecutive appearances in 2018 and 2019. The Red Raiders erased a 16-point deficit in the final 10 minutes of regulation Thursday night to defeat No. 10 seed Arkansas 85-83 in overtime. Head coach Grant McCasland has Texas Tech back in the national conversation in just his second season after making the move from North Texas. The Red Raiders face No. 1 seed Florida in the West Region final Saturday.
