Where Kansas Basketball Ranks in ESPN's Power Index Right Now

The Kansas basketball team picked up a much-needed win over No. 5 Houston on Big Monday to keep its Big 12 title hopes alive. It was an encouraging bounce-back performance after the Jayhawks had just fallen to Cincinnati at home two days earlier.

With KU back in the win column and approaching another pivotal matchup with a top Big 12 contender in Arizona, there is growing speculation about where it will eventually land in a March Madness bracket. Most outlets place the Jayhawks as a No. 3 or 4 seed, depending on how they close out the regular season and Big 12 Tournament.

Following the Houston victory, ESPN updated its College Basketball Power Index across the country. This is where Bill Self's group stands in the BPI as of today.

Kansas' Ranking in ESPN Power Index (Feb. 26)

No. 16 nationally, No. 4 in Big 12

Even after its third top-five win of the season, the BPI remains skeptical of the Jayhawks. It ranks Kansas No. 16 nationally, placing it on the No. 4 seed line in a hypothetical tournament bracket and fourth overall in the Big 12.

Within the league, Arizona, Houston, and Iowa State lead the BPI, respectively, ahead of KU. On a national level, schools like Alabama and Vanderbilt remain ahead of Kansas in the BPI despite lower rankings in other outlets like the AP Top 25.

Additionally, the power index rates the Jayhawks' offense relatively low. They sit No. 43 nationally in BPI offense, a figure that ranks eighth in the Big 12. Their defensive rating is slightly stronger at 10.8, which places them No. 10 in the country.

Kansas Jayhawks fans — Kansas Jayhawks guard Tre White (3) slaps hands with fans after defeating Houston Cougars in the game inside Allen Fieldhouse on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Although it is understandable that the BPI has reservations about the Jayhawks, it values KU lower than some advanced metrics. The team moved up only one spot after the Houston win and still trails eight-loss squads like Louisville and Tennessee.

ESPN gives the Jayhawks a 5.2% chance to win the conference, a scenario completely dependent on a victory over Arizona on Saturday. Even if KU were to upset the No. 2-ranked Wildcats on their home floor, Arizona would still need to drop another game in its final two, most likely against Iowa State in another home contest.

The BPI may not rate Kansas highly at the moment, but metrics like the NCAA NET view the Jayhawks more favorably. In that ranking, KU sits No. 14 nationally and could climb near the top 10 with a win this weekend.