Wisconsin basketball getting respected by NCAA NET Ranking

Despite not being ranked, Wisconsin men are No. 25 in latest NCAA NET Ranking

John Tonje and Wisconsin are ranked No. 25 in the latest NCAA NET Ranking. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Wisconsin men continue to gain momentum with Big Ten Conference play heating up. And while the Badgers are not ranked in either the AP or Coaches Polls, they are sitting well in the NCAA NET Ranking.

Wisconsin, who picked up a road win over Rutgers on Monday night, are No. 25 in the latest NCAA NET Ranking. 

Featuring a road win, three victories in neutral site games and six combined Quad 1 and Quad 2 wins, the Badgers are looking good for a spot in the NCAA Tournament come March.

Wisconsin is the seventh-highest Big Ten school, as they will have several key games coming up.

Illinois at No. 7 is the highest-ranked conference team with Michigan at No. 14, UCLA at No. 18, Michigan State at No. 19, Oregon at No. 20 and Maryland at No. 22.

What makes Wisconsin’s NET Ranking important?

The NET Ranking, which stand for NCAA Evaluation Tool, come into play when the NCAA Tournament selection committee gathers to determine the field. The tool is used for both selection and seeding purposes. 

Being in the Top 25 almost guarantees Wisconsin a spot in the field if it started today. Earning home wins over Top 30 ranked teams warrants a Quad 1 win, as does a road win over a Top 50 ranked team. 

Several more Big Ten teams are ranked in the Top 50 including Purdue, Ohio State and Nebraska.