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The NCAA released its evaluation tool, known as the NET, on Monday, Dec. 5. It evaluates all of the work put in by Division I basketball teams to that point. It eventually will be one of the major criteria used by the selection committee to determine who gets into the tournament and who gets to host games during the first two rounds. Pac-12 teams find themselves in good stead for both entry and hosting.
The NET uses two components, which the NCAA calls Adjusted Net Efficiency and Team Value Index. The lower the number, the better the rating for the team. In most cases, the NET ranking is quite close to the team’s HHS ranking because both use statistical measurements of offensive and defensive efficiency.
Stanford Cardinal (10-1)
NET: 2
Her Hoop Stats ranking: 3
AP poll: 2
WBCA/USA Today poll: 2
The Cardinal come by all of their rankings honestly. Not only have they played a tough schedule, but they have beaten everyone except No. 1 South Carolina. It would take a disaster for this team to drop out of the top 10 of any of these rankings.
Utah Utes (7-0)
NET: 6
Her Hoop Stats ranking: 7
AP poll: 15
WBCA/USA Today poll: 14
Having Alissa Pili on your team will do wonders. The junior, who transferred from USC in the offseason, has the third-highest shooting percentage in the country and is No. 1 in the Pac-12. The Utes have made everyone sit up and take notice after coming into the season unranked and largely unnoticed. Their best win is still over then-No. 16 Oklahoma, but they will start getting back into challenging competition when they kick off Pac-12 play against Colorado on Dec. 14.
Oregon Ducks (6-1)
NET: 12
Her Hoop Stats ranking: 14
AP poll: 17
WBCA/USA Today poll: 17
The analytic systems like the Ducks slightly better than the human voters. What those systems like is that the Ducks have played a fairly challenging schedule and their lone loss came against a top-10 team. They will continue challenging themselves over the next few weeks with a big game coming against Oregon State on Dec. 11. When Oregon returns to non-conference play, it will have games against Arkansas and either USF or Ohio State. If things continue coming together for the young Ducks, they should expect to continue their rise, especially in the analytics.
Arizona Wildcats (7-1)
NET: 18
Her Hoop Stats ranking: 19
AP poll: 12
WBCA/USA Today poll: 12
Arizona built its top 20 rankings by handily beating relatively weak teams. The Wildcats’ best wins were over Long Beach State and Northern Arizona, which are No. 124 and No. 140, respectively, in the NET. The question of whether easily beating lesser teams could prepare Arizona properly. It’s trying to integrate seven new players on a roster of 11 healthy players.
The Wildcats showed signs of weaknesses in those early games, allowing open three-point shots and cuts to the basket on defense. Taking shots early in the shot clock off one pass in the offensive end. They were still able to win because the quality of the opponents was inferior. Now, the Wildcats need to up their game as they head to Dallas to face Baylor in less than 10 days.
UCLA Bruins (7-1)
NET: 22
Her Hoop Stats ranking: 54
AP poll: 13
WBCA/USA Today poll: 15
The Bruins are all over the place when it comes to the rankings. They have not only played a solid schedule, but they put a scare into No. 1 South Carolina in Columbia. UCLA is young, but they are talented. They should be in the conversation for hosting the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament if they stay healthy.
USC Trojans (9-0)
NET: 27
Her Hoop Stats ranking: 49
AP poll: NA
WBCA/USA Today poll: NA
The Women of Troy are doing well in the early going, but they’re doing it much like Arizona. The schedule isn’t just similar to the Wildcats’ schedule; they have played several of the same teams. Like the Wildcats, USC sees a step up in the level of competition over the next two weeks when they take on UCLA and Texas.
Colorado Buffaloes (8-2)
NET: 37
Her Hoop Stats ranking: 47
AP poll: NA
WBCA/USA Today poll: NA
Colorado has challenged itself a bit more than teams like Arizona and USC, but the problem is that it has not faced the kind of competition that Stanford or UCLA has and it has lost to the better teams on its schedule. The best teams on the schedule were Tennessee, which comes in at No. 33 in the first NET, and No. 61 Texas Tech. The Buffaloes were blown out by the Lady Vols and lost in overtime to the Red Raiders. Things only get tougher with Utah on the horizon next Wednesday.
Washington State Cougars (7-1)
NET: 47
Her Hoop Stats ranking: 58
AP poll: NA
WBCA/USA Today poll: NA
The Cougars have a bad loss to Brigham Young, which is currently No. 179 in the NET. It’s one thing to play teams outside the top 100. It’s another thing to lose to them. That’s something Washington State will be fighting to overcome if it wants to make its third straight NCAA Tournament.
Oregon State Beavers (6-2)
NET: 59
Her Hoop Stats ranking: 68
AP poll: NA
WBCA/USA Today poll: RV (32nd w/ 6 pts)
The Beavs are still trying to find themselves. Like Stanford, UCLA and Utah, they have challenged themselves. Unlike those top teams, they have not overcome any of those challenges. The teams they have beaten aren’t good enough to make up for those losses. The next opportunity at a quality win is when they face their rivals from Eugene this Sunday.
California Golden Bears (6-2)
NET: 84
Her Hoop Stats ranking: 103
AP poll: NA
WBCA/USA Today poll: NA
When the Golden Bears went to St. Louis, Missouri and put a scare into Notre Dame–a game that was closer than the 11-point final margin–it looked like they might be a bigger threat than the preseason polls predicted. They have since lost to SMU at home. While the Mustangs are a top-60 team in the NET, the Golden Bears will be facing several teams much better than that when conference play starts. Can they take a step forward and finish outside the Pac-12 cellar?
Washington Huskies (7-1)
NET: 107
Her Hoop Stats ranking: 112
AP poll: NA
WBCA/USA Today poll: NA
A loss to the No. 104 team in NET is not likely to do a team any favors. That’s what UW did when it faced Santa Clara. With a schedule that wasn’t challenging to begin with, a loss like that keeps the Huskies outside the top 100. They had a solid recruiting class (No. 14 according to ESPN) and another strong class signing next season, but they may have to wait a year or two before they are threatening the rest of the Pac-12
Arizona State Sun Devils (6-3)
NET: 124
Her Hoop Stats ranking: 108
AP poll: NA
WBCA/USA Today poll: NA
The Sun Devils have faced solid competition in coach Natasha Adair’s first year. They have already played No. 9 Notre Dame, No. 40 Missouri, and No. 53 Massachusetts. Unfortunately for ASU, they were all losses. They didn’t get the boost that wins would have brought, so Adair and her team have to hope that they gained experience that will help them compete when conference play starts.