UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast: UCLA’s NET Ranking Controversy

In the latest episode of the UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast, Madeleine Considine dives into the NCAA Women’s Basketball NET rankings. These rankings have drawn attention this season, particularly with UCLA’s current position.

Despite maintaining an undefeated record and displaying consistent performance, the Bruins are ranked No. 4 in the NET rankings, while UConn, a team with three losses, is ranked No. 2. This ranking has led to discussions about how the system evaluates teams from different conferences.

The NET ranking system, which replaced the RPI, evaluates teams based on game results, strength of schedule, game location, scoring margin (capped at 10 points per game), and offensive and defensive efficiency.

While the NET system has been used in men’s basketball since 2018, its introduction to women’s basketball in 2020 brought a distinct algorithm, the specifics of which have not been publicly disclosed by the NCAA.

You can watch the episode below:

UCLA, ranked No. 1 in both the AP and Coaches Polls, has won nearly every game by double digits and remains the only unbeaten team from a major conference. Meanwhile, UConn has three losses, including a recent defeat to an SEC team ranked ninth in its conference standings.

The NET rankings appear to weigh strength of schedule heavily, which may explain UConn’s higher ranking despite its losses. Road victories also receive greater weight than home wins, potentially impacting UCLA’s placement in the rankings.

South Carolina currently holds the No. 1 spot in the NET rankings despite having lost to UCLA earlier in the season. The Gamecocks have remained a dominant force throughout the season, bolstered by their strong performance in the SEC, a conference widely considered one of the toughest in women’s college basketball.

Their high ranking suggests that the NET system values their overall strength of schedule and performance metrics over individual head-to-head results.

Stanford, ranked No. 3 in the NET, has also had a strong season with a schedule that includes several high-quality wins. Playing in the ACC has likely strengthened their case in the NET formula.

Their ranking ahead of UCLA could indicate that the NET weighs certain efficiency metrics and road performances differently from human polls, where UCLA is consistently ranked No. 1.

Analytical models such as KenPom and HerHoopStats, which assess performance through advanced statistics, also rank the Bruins ahead of UConn. The NET rankings remain an outlier in this regard.

These rankings play a role in NCAA tournament seeding, which can influence matchups and postseason paths. A lower-than-expected ranking in the NET could impact UCLA’s positioning in the tournament bracket.

Given the importance of these rankings, discussions continue about the methodology behind the NET and its role in shaping tournament decisions.

As the season progresses, the impact of these rankings on tournament seeding will become more apparent.

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