Virginia center Jack Salt (33) blocks a shot by Louisville during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Charlottesville, Virginia, Saturday, March 9, 2019.
What it is: The creation of college basketball statistician Ken Pomeroy to find the difference between the total points a team is expected to score minus the points a team is expected to allow. Adjusted Efficiency Margin is the core calculation Pomeroy uses to create his yearly rankings.
Why it matters: Basketball comes down to scoring more points than your opponent, and AdjEM predicts just how likely that is to happen. Only five teams — Clemson, Texas, NC State, Nebraska and Penn State — finished in Pomeroy's top 40 and failed to punch a ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
How it's calculated: Pomeroy explains on KenPom.com that AdjEM “represents the number of points the team would be expected to outscore the average D-I team over 100 possessions.” The exact calculations are proprietary, but the model does factor in things like “luck” and “consistency” to try and reduce the noise that arises from a relatively small sample size and unbalanced schedules.
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National leaders: Virginia is No. 1 in Pomeroy's ranking with a AdjEM of +35.66.
How Arizona did: The Wildcats' AdjEM of +6.85 ranked 99th in nation and seventh in Pac-12.
