March is rapidly approaching and with it the NCAA Tournament, and analytics have determined the college basketball teams with the best national championship profile, according to KenPom. Since 2001, 95.5% of teams to cut the nets have had a top-21 KenPom offense entering the NCAA Tournament, while 90.9% have had a top-31 KenPom defense. Only eight teams currently fit both criteria. North Carolina and Duke headline the eight teams with the national championship formula.
The Tar Heels took the first match between the two rivals in Chapel Hill, but the Blue Devils have been the better team in the three weeks since. Including Duke and UNC, seven of the eight teams on this list are top 10 in this week’s AP Poll.
KenPom measures teams using a proprietary formula, highlighted by its adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency metrics. All eight teams on this list are represented in the top 11 of KenPom’s overall rankings. Auburn, Alabama and Iowa State are the only teams in the top 11 not to make this list.
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Here’s the eight teams with the national championship formula, per KenPom:
