Illinois Basketball Ranked in Baffling Spot in Initial NET Rankings

Illinois’ recent two-week stretch hasn’t exactly been pretty. After the Illini were knocked off by Alabama in Chicago, they beat up on Long Island before scuffling a bit against UT Rio Grande Valley. Then Brad Underwood’s club went on its first true road trip of the season: to New York City’s Madison Square Garden – a.k.a “Storrs South."

And it indeed was UConn’s stadium and UConn’s game as the Huskies ran the Illini off the floor in a 74-61 game that, although a bit influenced by the referees, was a nightmare for the orange and blue in a handful of manners controlled solely by them.

So it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Illinois’ biggest fans among metrics models – KenPom and Bart Torvik – are a bit down on the Illini, dropping them to No. 17 and No. 12, respectively.

Where is Illinois in the initial NET Rankings?

Nov 22, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts during the second half against the Long Island University Sharks at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Even so, Illinois making its debuting appearance in 2025-26 in the NET rankings at No. 24 wasn’t on anyone’s tarot cards. Nor should it have been the reality. Yet that’s exactly where Illinois landed in the initial NET rankings, which were released on Monday.

First, a quick rundown of how the system works:

Used by the NCAA Tournament selection committee, the NET has heavy pull come March. It categorizes each game into one of four quadrants based on quality (influenced by factors such as strength of opponent).

A Quad 1 game – the most competitive outing there is and a resume-builder regardless of final result – is any home game against a top-30 opponent, any neutral-site outing versus a top-50 club or a road contest facing a top-75 unit. (Illinois’ matchups with Alabama and UConn fall into this category.)

Meanwhile, Quad 2 is home vs. 31-75, neutral vs. 51-100 and away vs. 76-135. (Illinois’ contest vs. Texas Tech falls in this category). Quadrants 3 and 4 are games that must be won for an NCAA Tournament team, no questions asked. (The Illini are a combined 5-0 in those games thus far.)

Usually, the NET rankings are known for rewarding teams that play Quad 1 games – something Illinois has always done at a high rate in the Underwood era. Often, the thought process is that a Quad 1 loss can look better than a Quad 3 or 4 win – and even some Quad 2 wins.

Two surprising Big Ten teams ranked ahead of Illinois

Nov 28, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kylan Boswell (4) reacts after getting fouled in the second half against the UConn Huskies at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Yet the Illini, who are 0-2 in Quad 1 games and 1-0 in Quad 2 games, currently rank behind a pair of unexpected Big Ten foes in No. 16 Iowa and No. 11 Indiana. Neither the Hawkeyes nor the Hoosiers have played in even one Quad 1 game, and both have just one Quad 2 win to their names. Yet each is ranked ahead of the Illini – and by a solid margin.

Big Ten NET rankings pic.twitter.com/5NnStU95xB
— Fran Stan (@HawkeyeBBFan) December 1, 2025

Still, between remaining non-conference matchups with Tennessee and Missouri, along with the entire league slate, Illinois will have its fair share of opportunities to climb the ranks before March rolls around.