Gators lose ground in NET rankings after close win over ECU

Following the win, the Gators actually lost ground in the NET rankings falling from No. 43 to No. 47.

Florida basketball eked out a win over the East Carolina Pirates on Thursday night in what was a far-too-close-for-comfort victory over a team they it was favored to beat by 15. The 70-65 final score left a lot of questions to be answered, but as head coach Todd Golden said afterward, “A win is a win.”

Except that is not always completely true. Following the win, the Gators actually lost ground in the NET rankings falling from No. 43 to No. 47. True, these rankings mean very little this early in the season, but the drop — much like their inconsistent play — is mildly disconcerting.

The Orange and Blue now sit between the No. 46 Villanova Wildcats and the No. 48 Nevada Wolf Pack. The team is 1-2 in Quadrant 1 games while putting up a 1-1 mark in Q2, 1-0 in Q3 and 4-0 in Q4.

Next up for Florida are the Michigan Wolverines, who will face the Gators in Charlotte, North Carolina, for this year’s Jumpman Invitational on Tuesday, Dec. 19. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.

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UNC lands in mid-30’s of latest NET rankings

The NET rankings, RPI and seeding are always confusing for the NCAA Tournament. According to the current NET rankings, UNC would be in.

One of the greatest mysteries of college basketball, particularly when it comes to NCAA Tournament time, is how teams with weak schedules end up squeaking in.

Conference tournament champions end up receiving automatic bids, but the rest of the field is determined by at-large bids.

The at-large bids are always tricky to figure out, as more middle-of-the-road Power 5 tend to squeak in over mid-major teams, particularly those who exceed expectations. The reason for this is tougher in-conference schedules, but what happens when the mid-majors play (and end up beating) programs from Power Fives?

Something else that determines tournament teams is the NET rankings. These are based on game results, but also include opponent, location and winner.

The UNC men’s basketball team tends to have a higher NET ranking, due to the in and out-of-conference opponents it plays. This didn’t help last year, as Carolina missed the Big Dance entirely, but it currently has them in the field right now.

The Tar Heels are in the upper half of the latest NET rankings, slotting in at 35th between Ohio State and Colorado.

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Since the calendar hit Thanksgiving, UNC’s played a brutal schedule that includes Villanova, Arkansas, Tennessee and UConn, with the final two being ranked. The Tar Heels have a ranked Kentucky team on Saturday, Dec. 16, plus an undefeated, ranked Oklahoma squad on Wednesday, Dec. 20.

Victories in both of these games would certainly improve UNC’s NET ranking. Even close losses could do the same.

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Gators move up in NET rankings after win over Richmond Spiders

Gators got a modest boost in the NET rankings after beating the Richmond Spiders in the Orange Bowl Classic.

Florida basketball earned an 87-76 win on Saturday down in Sunrise against the Richmond Spiders in the Orange Bowl Classic to improve to 6-3 this season. With two victories already this month, Todd Golden’s gang has four more non-conference matchups remaining before the Southeastern Conference schedule begins in January.

The latest win gave the Gators a modest boost in the NET rankings, improving from No. 47 to No. 43 — a tidy four-spot jump. The Dayton Flyers sit just ahead of them at No. 42 while the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs are right behind at No. 44.

The Orange and Blue are now 1-2 in Quadrant 1 games while 0-1 in Q2, 2-0 in Q3 and 3-0 in Q4. Richmond was No. 104 heading into the game but fell 10 spots to No. 114 after its loss.

As a reminder, the NET rankings are a fully objective measurement of outcomes. It not only considers coarse details like win-loss, but also takes into account game results, strength of schedule, game location, scoring margin, net offensive and defensive efficiency, and the quality of wins and losses.

Here’s how the quadrant system breaks things up:

  • Quadrant 1: Home 1-30, Neutral 1-50, Away 1-75
  • Quadrant 2: Home 31-75, Neutral 51-100, Away 76-135
  • Quadrant 3: Home 76-160, Neutral 101-200, Away 135-240
  • Quadrant 4: Home 161-353, Neutral 201-353, Away 241-353

Next up for Florida are the East Carolina Pirates, who are currently ranked No. 270 in the NET, in this year’s Florida Tip-Off in Lakeland on Thursday, Dec. 14. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and the game can be followed on the SEC Network.

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Texas A&M rises in newest NET rankings after defeating DePaul

After demolishing DePaul 89-64, Texas A&M (7-2) has steadily risen in the all-important NET rankings.

Dealing with plenty of adversity in just nine games, Texas A&M (7-2) had one of its best shooting performances this season in the 89-64 win over DePaul, led by six double-digit scoring efforts, including transfer guard Jace Carter’s 14-point outing.

Shooting 50% from deep, the Aggies hit 14 3-pointers, just two shy of tying their single-game record. While the stars did their job, including Wade Taylor (13 points) and Henry Coleman (13 points, nine rebounds), the reserves showed up in a big way, as guards Manny Obaseki and Bryce Lindsay combined for 20 points off the bench.

After the win, the Aggies steadily rose in the newest NET rankings from 15th to 13th and are the highest-ranked SEC team behind Tennessee at No. 12. Already earned two Quad 1 victories against Ohio State and Iowa State, and are undefeated against Quad 2, Quad 3, and Quad 4 opponents.

The continued absence of senior guard Tyrece Radford and forward Julius Marble (University process) hinders the team from reaching its full potential. While head coach Buzz Williams refuses to provide any injury updates for the rest of the season, their collective status remains week to week and game to game-.

Texas A&M will host the Memphis Tigers (6-2) in Reed Arena on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. CT. The game will air on ESPN2.

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Gators leap in NET rankings following home win over Merrimack

The Gators gained some major ground in the NET rankings following the win over the Warriors.

Florida basketball improved to 5-3 on Tuesday night with a comeback win over the visiting Merrimack Warriors. The Gators were down by one at the half but thundered back in the final 20 minutes to earn a 77-57 win.

According to the eye test, the victory was far from impressive as the first half exposed a great deal of flaws in the team despite starting the game with a full roster for the first time since the win over Pittsburgh. On the bright side, adjustments were made and the team found a way to get to the finish line.

That is where the NET rankings — a fully objective measurement of outcomes — come in. It not only considers coarse details like win-loss, but also takes into account game results, strength of schedule, game location, scoring margin, net offensive and defensive efficiency, and the quality of wins and losses.

Todd Golden’s team moved up 16 spots in the NET on Wednesday following the win to No. 49 overall, bookended by the San Francisco Dons — Golden’s former team — at No. 48 and Texas Longhorns at No. 50. So far, Florida is 0-2 in Quadrant 1 games while 1-1 in Q2, 1-0 in Q3 and 3-0 in Q4.

Here’s how the quadrant system breaks things up:

  • Quadrant 1: Home 1-30, Neutral 1-50, Away 1-75
  • Quadrant 2: Home 31-75, Neutral 51-100, Away 76-135
  • Quadrant 3: Home 76-160, Neutral 101-200, Away 135-240
  • Quadrant 4: Home 161-353, Neutral 201-353, Away 241-353

Conversely, the Gators fell four spots in ESPN’s Basketball Power Index update on Wednesday to No. 28.

Next up for Florida are the NET’s 80th-ranked Richmond Spiders, who face the Gators in Sunrise, Florida, on Saturday, Dec. 9. Tipoff is slated for 4 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network+.

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The first NET rankings have been revealed, and here’s where Texas A&M currently sits

The first all-important NET rankings for the 2023-2024 season have been revealed, and the Aggies are in good standing thus far.

Texas A&M’s 2023-2024 men’s basketball season can be defined in one word: challenging.

Amid head coach Buzz Williams’ sixth season at the helm, the veteran leader is well equipped with one of the best rosters in the SEC and the country, led the guard trio of Wade Taylor IV and Tyrece Radford. At the same time, senior forward Henry Coleman has taken a massive step in his development in the paint.

Sitting at 6-2 on the year, both of the 21st-ranked Aggies’ losses have been without Radford’ whose defensive prowess and slashing ability take away a chunk of the team’s scoring, as last Wednesday’s 59-47 road loss to Virginia epitomized A&M’s inability to establish a consistent offensive pace. However, the Aggies’ two losses came against Quad 1 opponents, including FAU, ranked in the Top 10.

On Monday, the first all-important college basketball NET rankings were released, as the NCAA Tournament is practically based on each contending team’s Quad-based victories and defeats. After eight games in the regular season, Texas A&M is ranked 15th in the NET, amassing two Quad 1 wins over Iowa State (13th) and Ohio State (20th).

With plenty of opportunities to earn multiple Quad 1 victories before SEC play with upcoming matchups against Memphis and Houston on the docket, Radford’s injury status and senior forward Julius Marbles’ “University process” looms large as the schedule only gets tougher down the stretch.

Texas A&M will host Depaul on Wednesday, Dec. 6, in College Station (TX). The game will air on the SEC Network at 8:00 p.m. CT.

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Florida basketball debuts at No. 65 in first NCAA NET rankings of season

Florida’s 4-3 start to the 2023-24 college basketball season has the Gators ranked No. 65 in the first iteration of the NCAA NET rankings.

The first NCAA NET rankings of the 2023-24 college basketball season are finally out, and the Florida Gators check in at No. 65 after a 4-3 start.

Florida is an impressive team, but the Gators have only played one game with the complete roster. Guard Zyon Pullin was missing for the first three games of the year, and center Micah Handlogten has been missing since the first minute of the Pittsburgh game.

The Gators managed to pull off a win over No. 60 Pittsburgh on a neutral court, which is good for a Quadrant 2 win, but UF is still 0-3 against the three other Q1 and Q2 teams it has faced —  No. 27 Virginia, No. 6 Baylor on a neutral court and at No. 133 Wake Forest.

Here’s how the quadrant system breaks things up:

  • Quadrant 1: Home 1-30, Neutral 1-50, Away 1-75
  • Quadrant 2: Home 31-75, Neutral 51-100, Away 76-135
  • Quadrant 3: Home 76-160, Neutral 101-200, Away 135-240
  • Quadrant 4: Home 161-353, Neutral 201-353, Away 241-353

Losing by a combined seven points to Baylor and Virginia won’t hurt the Gators, but the Wake Forest loss could, especially if the Demon Deacons slip outside of the 135 range and into Quadrant 3.

The NCAA says that “the number of Quadrant 1 wins and Quadrant 3/4 losses will be incredibly important when it comes time for NCAA tournament selection and seeding.”

Florida’s three wins besides the one over Pitt are mostly unimpressive, at least from a rankings perspective. Florida A&M and Loyola Maryland are both ranked in the 300s, and Florida State is outside the top 100. If the Seminoles can improve throughout the year, that win could become meaningful as a Q2 victory, though.

Looking ahead, the Gators have very few opportunities to prove themselves until the SEC schedule begins on Jan. 6. Playing No. 85 Richmond and 89 Michigan on a neutral court presents two more Q2 matchups, but the rest of the non-conference schedule should be manageable.

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Where UNC basketball ranks ahead of Duke in first NET rankings

Here is where the UNC basketball program lands in the first NET rankings for the 2023-24 season.

The college basketball season is a month old and already it’s been a wild start to the year. If this past month is any sign of what is to come, then we are in for a wild ride.

With one month down, the NCAA has released the first set of NET rankings for the 2023-24 season. The rankings are an evaluation tool for the NCAA Tournament selection committee when putting together the field of 68 for the tournament in March. These are the first rankings of the season and they will be updated daily as games go on.

For the first set of rankings, North Carolina checks in at No. 32 overall, the third-best team in the ACC behind No. 18 Clemson and No. 27 Virginia.

The Tar Heels are ahead of rival Duke, who checked in at No. 37.

North Carolina’s 7-1 record includes a 1-1 Quad 1 record, which are games against teams ranked 1-30 at home, neutral games vs. 1-50, and away games vs. 1–75. The Tar Heels lone loss came at a neutral site against Villanova and the win came at home against Tennessee.

Now, moving forward this could change. The Tar Heels should be rooting for Arkansas to get into the top 50 as they currently stand at No. 117. But UNC does have some big opportunities ahead starting on Tuesday against UConn who are No. 9 in the rankings.

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College basketball NET Rankings top 50 ahead of NCAA Tournament

Here are the top 50 schools in the NET rankings ahead of tournament play.

The conference tournaments are in the books while the brackets for the NCAA Tournament as well as the National Invitation Tournament and the Collegiate Basketball Invitational have now been determined. With the final results set in stone, it is time to take a look at where the top schools landed in the NET rankings released on Sunday, March 12.

The NET, which is a key instrument in deciding who gets an invite to the Big Dance, includes more components than just winning percentage. It takes into account game results, the strength of schedule, game location, scoring margin, net offensive and defensive efficiency, and the quality of wins and losses.

Using the quadrant system, the quality of wins and losses are organized based on game location and the opponent’s NET ranking. Here are the four tiers.

  • Quadrant 1: Home 1-30, Neutral 1-50, Away 1-75
  • Quadrant 2: Home 31-75, Neutral 51-100, Away 76-135
  • Quadrant 3: Home 76-160, Neutral 101-200, Away 135-240
  • Quadrant 4: Home 161-353, Neutral 201-353, Away 241-353

Take a look below at the top 50 men’s college basketball programs according to the NET rankings before the start of the postseason tournament season.

Gators slip a couple of spots in NET rankings after losing to Mississippi State

Take a look at where the Gators landed after Thursday’s tough loss in the SEC Tournament.

It was a very brief run for Florida basketball in this year’s Southeastern Conference Tournament after the Mississippi State Bulldogs ousted the Gators in Game 3 of the second round on Thursday in overtime, 69-68. The Orange and Blue nearly pulled off the win to earn a chance to face the Alabama Crimson Tide in the next round, but alas, it was not to be.

The Gators came into the game ranked No. 59 in the NET rankings and fell two spots to No. 61 following the loss. Florida is now 16-16 overall with a 9-10 mark in SEC play while putting up a 2-13 record against Quadrant 1 opponents, 1-2 against Quad 2, 9-1 against Quad 3 and 4-0 against Quad 4.

That is it for Florida basketball for now, pending an invitation to one of the other postseason events such as the National Invitation Tournament or the College Basketball Invitational — the former appearing to be quite likely. Selections for the NIT will be announced on Sunday, March 12, and the competition will begin on March 14 at campus sites. The CBI tips off on Sunday, March 18, in Daytona Beach, Florida.

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