There are many different styles of basketball. Some coaches implement a methodical offense, working the ball around until a good shot presents itself. Some coaches want to slow the game to a crawl, limiting the total number of possessions in the game. And truthfully, any style can lead to success.
Recently retired Tony Bennett's Virginia teams were famous (or infamous) for their grinding, defensive style of play; they loved to wear their opponents down and force mental errors as they forced a team to defend the entire 30-second shot clock. Wahoo fans would celebrate shot clock violations with the same vigor as highlight reel dunks. Bennett won a national title with this style of play.
Nevertheless, I think most basketball fans would prefer a faster game. Watching two teams run with abandon can lead to fun, high scoring games if both teams are good at it. If they're not good, the unbridled chaos that can ensue is usually at least entertaining.
So if you are a fan of fast-paced college basketball, check out these teams next time you're surfing around on ESPN+; these teams like to run. Note that these rankings are based on KenPom's Adjusted Tempo stats (AdjT), which are how many total possessions a team would expect to be in a 40-minute game against a team that plays at an average pace.
5. Bryant University Bulldogs (AdjT of 73.9)
The Bulldogs from Rhode Island are in the top five of KenPom's tempo stats for the second year in a row; they finished last year ranked third with a AdjT of 74.2 last year. In fact, Bryant has been in the top 15 up tempo teams for the past five years, including the 2024-2025 season. Usually a coaching change will alter the way a team plays, but the move to Phil Martelli, Jr two years ago did nothing to slow down the Bulldogs.
All but four of Bryant's games have had 70+ possessions, with a season high of 91 possessions in their 112-66 loss to Grand Canyon in December (Grand Canyon is also in the top 20 of KenPom's AdjT). Despite their speed, their offense is only moderately efficient, ranking 188th in the country. Also of note: their defensive possessions are shorter on average than their offensive ones (16.3 seconds, 18th in the country).
4. Fresno State Bulldogs (AdjT of 74.0)
Maybe teams named Bulldogs are just naturally fast? (Never mind, the Drake Bulldogs are ranked 364th in AdjT...which is dead last in the country). The Fresno State version of the canine loves to get out and run; they have the 38th shortest offensive possessions and the 28th shortest defensive possessions. Thirteen of their seventeen games have had 70 or possessions, including an 86 possession double overtime loss to California Baptist. Fresno state finished last year with an AdjT of 69.6, good for 290th in the country.
The drastic style change can probably be attributed to the coaching change the Bulldogs made coming into the 2024-2025 season. New head coach Vance Walburg likes to have his team play a fast paced game. At his previous head coaching job at Pepperdine, Walburg's team also liked to play at an up tempo pace; they finished in the top ten of AdjT in 2007 and 2008.
It's worth noting here that playing fast does not necessarily mean having success; Fresno State is currently 4-13 and 0-6 in Mountain West games. KenPom has them ranked as one of the worst offenses in the country (309 out of 364 teams). Fresno State will probably need a season or two to get used to the new coach's pace and style of play to translate the fast pace into increased scoring opportunities.
3. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (AdjT of 74.2)
In his lone season with Western Kentucky during the 2023-2024 season, former head coach Steve Lutz had the Hilltoppers playing at the fastest overall pace in the country. Western Kentucky was particularly fast on offense, boasting the 4th lowest average time of possession when holding the ball. Western Kentucky ran through the Conference USA tournament and made the NCAA tourney as a 15 seed before bowing out to Marquette.
Lutz left to coach Oklahoma State this year (and yes, the Cowboys now play at a much faster pace then they did last year). Assistant coach Hank Plona took over the reins for the 2024-2025 season and promptly hit the ground running. He kept Lutz’s up tempo pace and the Hilltoppers are once again in the top five for adjusted tempo. They continue to look to shoot early in the shot clock when on offense, averaging only 14.3 seconds on offense. This mark makes them the second fastest offense in the country. WKU has had four games that have had over 80 possessions.
The continuity of Western Kentucky’s coaching change and style of play has helped them to an 11-6 start to the season. Their conference games against Kennesaw State should be entertaining to fans of up tempo basketball; the Owls rank 22nd in AdjT in their own right.
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (AdjT of 74.6)
When you think of the fastest teams in college basketball, Alabama is one of the first ones that come to mind. The Crimson Tide love to run, especially on offense. They have the sixth shortest average possession length when on offense (15.0 seconds). A large portion of their possessions end with a three point attempt, 48.9%. Somewhat curiously, they aren’t a great three point shooting team, hitting just 32.3% of their attempts (228th in the country).
Alabama head coach Nate Oats is the architect of Alabama’s rapid pace of play. Since coming to Alabama at the beginning of the 2019-2020 season, Oats’ teams have all ranked among the top 15 in AdjT in the country. This trend goes back to his pre-Alabama days as the head coach at Buffalo; all four of his teams there finished in the top 40 in the country in pace.
Alabama is one of the best examples of a fast-paced team that excels with short possessions. They’re 14-2 this year after making the Final Four last year. Despite taking so little time to hunt for shots, their offense is the second most efficient in the country, in part because of their ability to run the floor and collect offensive boards.
1. Cal Poly (AdjT of 74.7)
If you're surprised that Cal Poly plays at the fastest tempo in the country, you're not alone; the Mustangs have played at a slow pace for the last several years. They finished last year with an AdjT of 65.9, good for the 272nd fastest pace in the country. They were ranked among the slowest 30 teams in the country the two years preceding. The difference in tempo between this year's squad and previous versions of the team is jarring.
Like other teams on this list, the change can be traced to a coaching change. Cal Poly moved on from John Smith after a five-year stint that saw the Mustangs fail to win more than eight games in any season. New head coach Mike DeGeorge clearly favors an up-tempo offense, as his team averages the shortest offensive possessions in the country. While part of this is a result of them pushing the pace, Cal Poly also turns the ball over on 21.8% of their possessions, which further shortens their time on offense. They also rank in the top ten for the percentage of their shots that are three-point attempts.
As I previously mentioned, a fast pace doesn't necessarily mean success. Cal Poly currently sports a 6-12 record and is 0-6 in Big West Conference games (after not winning a single conference matchup last year). Nevertheless, Cal Poly games are fun to watch for the frenetic pace at which they tend to be played; their game against California State Northridge later this year should be fun, as the Matadors also rank in the top 10 for AdjT at KenPom (9th).