Iowa Basketball ranks 2nd in KenPom offensive efficiency rating

The Iowa basketball team has an elite offense this season according to one efficiency rating.

It doesn’t take a genius to realize the No. 3 ranked Iowa basketball team is pretty darn good this season. The Hawkeyes (4-0) have passed the eye test through four games, but what do the analytics say?

In Ken Pomeroy’s most recent analysis of every college basketball team, better known as the “KenPom” rankings, Iowa ranks No. 2 in adjusted offensive efficiency, which measures points scored per 100 possessions (adjusted for opponent ratings).

Iowa currently ranks No. 8 overall and No. 72 in defensive efficiency in the KenPom rankings.

Pomeroy developed several formulas which seek to better evaluate a team’s strengths and weaknesses compared to traditional statistics. His analysis focuses heavily on pace of play and tempo on both offense and defense.

Winners of their first four games this season, the Hawkeyes have scored at least 93 points in each contest and average 98 points per game (allowing 70.3 ppg). Iowa has trailed for a grand total of 51 seconds all season.

Pomeroy, currently a college professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Utah, first published his ratings in 2003. A full updated ranking of all 353 Division I college basketball programs can be found on his website here.

Fans and pundits aren’t the only ones who gain from Pomeroy’s research. Several teams utilize his ratings in order to get a competitive advantage. Pomeroy has also worked as a consultant for NBA teams.