Updated NCAA NET Rankings: Houston Cougars in line for No. 1 seed in March Madness

After three frustrating last-minute losses in nonconference play, the Houston Cougars have hit their stride.
Kelvin Sampson's team has won 10 consecutive games and is all alone in first place in the Big 12.
Most importantly, Houston is ranked No. 3 in the country in the updated NCAA NET Rankings — which means the Cougars are in line for a No. 1 seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament
A lot can happen between now and March, but as it stands Houston is clearly a top-four team, along with No. 1 Auburn, No. 2 Duke and No. 4 Tennessee.
Houston's Quad 1 Record
The Cougars are 2-3 in Quad 1 games — with all three losses coming in the aforementioned last-minute nonconference defeats. Playing in the Big 12, they have at least 10 Quad 1 opportunities left on their schedule. The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee puts significant weight on a team's Quad 1 record.
A Quad 1 game is a home matchup against a top 30 team in the NET, or a road game against a top 50 team in the NET. The Big 12 currently has nine teams ranked in the top 50 of the NET.
The matchup to watch is this Saturday's Big 12 road game at No. 9 Kansas. A win over the Jayhawks would potentially bump Houston ahead of Duke and into the No. 2 spot in the NET Rankings. The NET Rankings are important because the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee uses the NET as the primary sorting tool for selection and seeding for the NCAA tournament.
NCAA Tournament Predictions
The current 2025 NCAA Tournament predictions from ESPN's Joe Lunardi have Houston as a No. 4 seed in the West Region.
Lunardi's No. 1 seeds are Iowa State, Tennessee, Auburn and Duke. Iowa State at No. 1 is a head-scratcher, but that will ultimately be settled on the court on Feb. 22 when the Cougars and Cyclones meet in Big 12 play.
By every available measure, Houston has the best defense in the country. And if the Cougars continue to play high-level defense — and run roughshod over the Big 12 — they'll find themselves with a No. 1 seed in March Madness once again.