Ahead of the 2018-19 season, the NCAA adopted the new “NET Rankings” system, replacing RPI. The metric is used for NCAA Tournament selection.
New rankings are rolled out periodically. Today, things were updated through last night’s game as we enter the weekend.
In the most recent AP Top 25, Gonzaga comes in at No. 1, followed by Duke, Kansas, Baylor, and Auburn.
The NET Rankings look quite a bit different. Here, the Kansas Jayhawks come in at No. 1, a good sign for the team’s resume as it moves into the heart of Big 12 play.
The NET also looks favorably on San Diego State, the Mountain West power that has opened the season 15-0. The Aztecs are down at No. 7 in the AP Poll, but are at No. 3 in the NET.
This has been a very good year for top mid-majors so far, and four currently find themselves in the top 10. SDSU is joined by established power Gonzaga, Wichita State in the AAC, and Atlantic 10 breakout squad Dayton.
- Kansas (11-2)
- Duke (14-1)
- San Diego State (15-0)
- Butler (14-1)
- Baylor (12-1)
- Auburn (14-0)
- Gonzaga (17-1)
- Wichita State (14-1)
- Michigan State (13-3)
- Dayton (13-2)
- West Virginia (12-2)
- Maryland (13-2)
- Arizona (11-4)
- Ohio State (11-4)
- Oregon (13-3)
- Stanford (13-2)
- Louisville (12-3)
- Florida State (14-2)
- Seton Hall (11-4)
- Villanova (11-3)
- Rutgers (11-3)
- Michigan (11-4)
- Penn State (12-3)
- Memphis (12-3)
- LSU (10-4)
That is about as weird a college basketball list as you’ll get, and is fitting for the season we’ve had so far. Through November and December, the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll was basically a cursed position, with top teams dropping like flies.
Things have settled down a bit over the last few weeks, but this remains a pretty wild, unpredictable season so far. We don’t have the same fun storylines like we did with Zion Williamson last year, but come tournament time we could get absolute mayhem in March.
[NCAA]