Iowa State women have solid standing in latest NCAA NET Ranking

Despite six losses, the Iowa State women are 51st in the latest NCAA NET Ranking

Iowa State Cyclones' center Audi Crooks (55), forward Alisa Williams (3), guard Emily Ryan (11), forward Addy Brown (24) and center Lilly Taulelei (9) celebrate after defensive stop Kansas Jayhawks' during the fourth quarter in the NCAA women’s basketball Big-12 conference home opening at Hilton Coliseum on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. / Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While some might believe it is time to panic in Ames for the Iowa State women, the Cyclones are still within contending status for a spot in the NCAA Tournament come March.

Iowa State currently sits 51st overall in the latest NCAA NET Ranking, a tool that is used to both help determine tournament teams and seeding. The Cyclones (10-6) own one Quad 2 victory, are 2-0 in Quad 3 games and are 7-0 in Quad 4 games.

More importantly, they have several upcoming chances to improve upon those numbers. 

The Big 12 Conference has two teams in the Top 8 and three in the Top 16 led by No. 7 Kansas State. TCU is one spot behind in eighth while West Virginia is 16th. Utah is 25th, Baylor 26th and Oklahoma State 29th.

Defending national champion South Carolina is No. 1 in the ranking followed by Texas, Connecticut, UCLA and Notre Dame. 

What makes the NET Ranking so vital to the NCAA Tournament?

The NCAA Evaluation Tool, also known as the NET Ranking, is used to sort and decide between possible NCAA Tournament teams when it comes time to create the field. 

Quad 1 wins are more important, as they reflected home victories over teams in the Top 30 and road victories over teams in the Top 50. From there, the importance goes down, as does the ranking. 

Generally, a team needs to be ranked in the Top 100 of the NET Ranking to make the NCAA Tournament field. Being in the Top 50 is nearly a lock for an at-large selection, but there is no exact cut-off for it.