Checking in on Arkansas' NET ranking after 10 games
The Arkansas Razorbacks dropped one spot to No. 10 in this week's Associated Press top 25 poll, and they also dropped one spot to No. 25 in today's NET rankings.
Arkansas debuted at No. 25 in the NET rankings on Dec. 5, and they have hovered around that mark since.
The NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) takes into account game results, strength of schedule, game location, scoring margin, net offensive and defensive efficiency and the quality of wins and losses.
Using the quadrant system, the quality of wins and losses are organized based on game location and the opponent's NET ranking.
Quadrant 1: Home 1-30, Neutral 1-50, Away 1-75
Quadrant 2: Home 31-75, Neutral 51-100, Away 76-135
Quadrant 3: Home 76-160, Neutral 101-200, Away 135-240
Quadrant 4: Home 161-353, Neutral 201-353, Away 241-353
The number of Quadrant 1 wins and Quadrant 3/4 losses will be very important when it comes time for NCAA tournament selection and seeding.
Arkansas has done its part by winning nine of its first 10 games, but one thing the NET also factors in is the performance of opponents after the game is played. The Hogs' one loss came to a top 10 (at the time) Creighton team at the Maui Invitational, and since that game, the Bluejays have lost five straight games and are now ranked No. 50 in the NET.
The Creighton game is still considered a Quad 1 loss (barely), and Arkansas holds just one Quad 1 win, which also came at the Maui Invitational against San Diego State.
Saturday's win over Oklahoma is currently the Hogs' only Quad 2 game of the season. The Razorbacks are 3-0 in Quad 3 games and 3-0 in Quad 4 games.
Arkansas has two more non-conference foes to face before SEC play begins.
The Hogs will take on Bradley — ranked No. 71 in the NET — at 3 p.m. CT this Saturday at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock. The game will be considered a home game for the Razorbacks and it will be their second Quad 2 opportunity in a row.
Following that, the Hogs will host UNC Asheville on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 8 p.m. CT inside Bud Walton Arena. That game will be a Quad 4 opportunity, as UNC Asheville is ranked No. 224 in the NET.
Here's a full list of the NET rankings of Arkansas' opponents so far (out of 363):
No. 42 San Diego State (W)
No. 50 Creighton (L)
No. 54 Oklahoma (W)
No. 98 Fordham (W)
No. 99 Troy (W)
No. 133 San Jose State (W)
No. 189 South Dakota State (W)
No. 228 UNC Greensboro (W)
No. 293 North Dakota State (W)
No. 360 Louisville (W)
Click here for the full NET rankings, which will be updated daily throughout the season.