2026-27 Outlook
LangIndex projects Western Kentucky at #159 nationally for the 2026-27 college basketball season with a projected efficiency margin of +0.3 points per 100 possessions. That's roughly in line with last season's #160 finish. The model expects a rebuilding-type season.
Only 14% of last season's minutes return, so this roster will look very different. Expect some early-season volatility while new pieces settle in. The program adds 1 incoming recruit to the mix.
Last Season (2025-26)
Western Kentucky finished 2025-26 at 16-14, ranked #160 in the final LangIndex ratings with adjusted offense of 107.4 and adjusted defense of 107.9 points per 100 possessions.
How LangIndex Rates Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky's power rating of +0.3 is an adjusted efficiency margin: the points per 100 possessions the model expects them to outscore an average Division I team by, once you strip out schedule strength. It combines adjusted offensive efficiency, adjusted defensive efficiency, and pace into one number, so a rating of +0.3 means Western Kentucky projects to beat a neutral-court average team by about 0 points on a typical night. The full live version updates every morning during the season.
Western Kentucky Rating History
Season-by-season LangIndex power rating and national rank. Western Kentucky's rating has slipped compared to a few seasons ago. Their best finish in this window was #50 in 2020-21.
| Season | Power Rating | Nat. Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | -1.3 | #152 |
| 2024-25 | -2.9 | #224 |
| 2023-24 | +5.3 | #100 |
| 2022-23 | -2.8 | #202 |
| 2021-22 | +5.3 | #98 |
| 2020-21 | +9.3 | #50 |