Ken Pomeroy Explains KenPom Rankings and Smarter March Madness Bracket Picks
Episode Description
ABOUT THE EPISODE Heading into March Madness, Ken Pomeroy, college basketball statistician and founder of KenPom, joins Wharton Moneyball to break down the thinking behind his KenPom rankings – tempo-free efficiency ratings, the four factors (shooting, turnovers, rebounding, and free throws), and how he evaluates prediction accuracy and calibration across a full season. Plus, Eric, Shane, and Adi discuss what caught their eye in sports — from World Baseball Classic odds and preseason workload questions to tennis dominance and what makes today’s stars so statistically extraordinary.
ABOUT THE PODCAST Sports is a game of numbers. Wharton experts Eric Bradlow, Shane Jensen, Cade Massey, and Adi Wyner team up to tackle the world of sports, from current events to longstanding issues such as: What sports streaks are the most impressive? How do you rank the best players? Can athletes be compared across sports? Moneyball Highlights explains how decision-makers in the game can avoid the common mistakes and embrace the data. Episodes are recorded at the Wharton School.
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Brief Summary
Ken Pomeroy discusses basketball analytics, team efficiency, and NCAA tournament predictions on Wharton Moneyball.
Key points
- Ken Pomeroy Returns. Ken Pomeroy, the founder of KenPom, discusses his journey in basketball analytics.
- The Four Factors Explained. Ken Pomeroy breaks down the four key factors that determine basketball success.
- Miami of Ohio's Undefeated Run. Miami of Ohio went undefeated but faced criticism for a weak schedule. It's an impressive feat nonetheless!
- The Impact of Matchups. Matchups are often discussed in tournaments, but their actual impact on outcomes is questionable.
- Ken Pomeroy on College Basketball Analytics. Ken Pomeroy shares his insights on the evolution of analytics in college basketball.
- The Impact of Momentum in College Basketball. Discussing whether momentum matters in NCAA tournaments, with insights from analytics.
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Episode highlights
- Ken Pomeroy ReturnsKen Pomeroy, the founder of KenPom, discusses his journey in basketball analytics.“I really love basketball, and I looked for the version of that online.”2:15Mar 11, 2026
- The Four Factors ExplainedKen Pomeroy breaks down the four key factors that determine basketball success.“Those four factors explain like 99% of offense and defense.”13:26Mar 11, 2026
- Miami of Ohio's Undefeated RunMiami of Ohio went undefeated but faced criticism for a weak schedule. It's an impressive feat nonetheless!“It's really hard to do that even playing a weak schedule.”22:50Mar 11, 2026
- The Impact of MatchupsMatchups are often discussed in tournaments, but their actual impact on outcomes is questionable.“Matchups don't turn a 10-point underdog into a favorite.”28:12Mar 11, 2026
- Ken Pomeroy on College Basketball AnalyticsKen Pomeroy shares his insights on the evolution of analytics in college basketball.“Conventional wisdom is right more often than not.”32:39Mar 11, 2026
- The Impact of Momentum in College BasketballDiscussing whether momentum matters in NCAA tournaments, with insights from analytics.“I don’t have any particular use for momentum.”34:12Mar 11, 2026
- Carlos Alcaraz's Future MajorsExperts predict Alcaraz will surpass Pete Sampras' 14 majors, possibly reaching 15 or more.“It's hard to imagine a scenario where he doesn't get to 15.”49:15Mar 11, 2026
- The Evolution of Tennis GreatnessA discussion on how perceptions of the greatest tennis player have changed over time.“You probably were watching somebody and you're like, 'That's the greatest tennis player of all time.'”52:20Mar 11, 2026
