Pitt Makes Top 10 in Latest NET Rankings

The Pitt Panthers made it into the top 10 in the latest NET Rankings following their last non-conference regular game of the season.

Dec 21, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Jaland Lowe (left) congratulates forward Guillermo Diaz Graham (25) on his three point basket against the Sam Houston State Bearkats during the first half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers finished off their non-conference schedule with an emphatic win over Sam Houston, helping them rise in the latest NET Rankings.

The NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) uses a Team Value Index (TVI), that rewards teams for winning tough matches, especially away from home. It also uses an adjusted net efficiency that values facing tougher opponents, getting wins on the road and defeating lower-ranking opponents by large margins.

This replaced the RPI ahead of the 2018-19 season, as the NCAA wanted a way to simplify how they look at teams' performances heading into the NCAA Tournament. The RPI used five-components, compared to the NET's two.

The NET breaks down wins and losses in four quadrants, with the best wins are in Quad 1 and the worst losses are in Quad 4.

Quad 1
Home: 1-30
Netural: 1-50
Away: 1-75

Quad 2
Home: 31-75
Neutral: 51-100
Away: 76-135

Quad 3
Home: 76-160
Neutral: 101-200
Away: 136-240

Quad 4
Home: 161+
Neutral: 201+
Away: 241+

Pitt moved up two spots from No. 11 to No. 9 in the NET Rankings through games on Dec. 21. This is their second highest ranking of the season, since they started at No. 5 in the initial NET Rankings on Dec. 3.

They are 2-2 against Quad 1 teams, which includes the 91-88 overtime road win vs. Ohio State (No. 22) on Nov. 29, the 86-62 blowout of rival West Virginia (No. 29) in the Backyard Brawl at home on Nov. 15, plus a 81-75 loss to Wisconsin (No. 34) on Nov. 24 at the Greenbrier Tip-Off Championship at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. and the 90-57 blowout road loss to Mississippi State (No. 11) on Dec. 4.

Pitt has one Quad 2 win, which came agaisnt against LSU (No. 57) at the Greenbrier Tip-Off on Nov. 22, 74-63

They also have four Quad 3 wins, three at home against Radford (No. 150) in the season opener on Nov. 4, Murray State (No. 130) on Nov. 8 and Sam Houston (155) on Dec. 21, plus Virginia Tech on the road on Dec. 7

Pitt has three Quad 4 victories as well, all coming at home against Gardner-Webb (No. 198) on Nov. 11, Eastern Kentucky (No. 199) on Dec. 11 and VMI (No. 308) on Nov. 18.

These wins also aren't set for the rest of the season. If a team improves, their net ranking will do the same and so will the quality of the win/loss. If a team gets worse, then their net ranking will also get worse and the quality of the win/loss.

Pitt will restart ACC play, as they host conference newcomers Cal (No. 126) on Jan. 1 and Stanford (No. 81) on Jan. 4 with the start of the new year. Both games are in Quad 3, must wins for Pitt.

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