NETSource: On3
In the often-perplexing world of college basketball metrics, South Carolina women’s basketball is learning that winning doesn’t always mean moving up—at least not in the NCAA’s NET rankings.
The Confusing Drop
The Gamecocks boast an impressive 19-1 overall record through 11 weeks of the 2025-2026 season. Their lone loss came on a heartbreaking last-second shot against Texas in their first meeting, a defeat they avenged convincingly last Thursday. Following victories over the fourth-ranked Longhorns and Coppin State, AP voters rewarded South Carolina with the No. 2 ranking in the country.
Logic would suggest that beating a top-5 team would boost South Carolina’s standing in every metric that matters. But the NET rankings—the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee’s most important evaluation tool—tell a different story.
Despite throttling Texas on Thursday, USC actually fell in the NET rankings from the previous week, dropping from No. 3 to No. 4 nationally. Adding insult to injury, the Longhorns—the team South Carolina just defeated—leapfrogged the Gamecocks to claim the No. 3 spot.
Let that sink in: South Carolina beat Texas head-to-head and fell behind them in the rankings.
Understanding the NET Rankings
For those unfamiliar with the NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool), it’s the primary ranking metric the Selection Committee uses for tournament seeding. The formula considers:
Team Value Index (TVI): A team’s on-court results, game locations, and strength of schedule
Adjusted Net Efficiency: How effectively a team performs in games, adjusted for opponent quality and location
Unlike the AP poll, which relies on voter perception and recent performance, the NET is an algorithmic calculation that can produce counterintuitive results—like a team dropping after a signature victory.
South Carolina’s Quadrant Breakdown
The NET system divides wins into four quadrants based on opponent quality and game location. South Carolina’s resume currently looks like this:
Quadrant 1 (4-1):
- Defeated USC (neutral site in Los Angeles)
- Lost to Texas (neutral site, Las Vegas)
- Defeated Duke (neutral site, Las Vegas, Players Era Championship)
- Defeated Louisville (road)
- Defeated Texas (home, revenge game)
Quadrant 2 (5-0):
- Defeated Clemson (home)
- Defeated Georgia (home)
- Defeated Alabama (home)
- Defeated Florida (road)
- Defeated South Florida (road)
Quadrant 3 (1-0):
- Defeated Arkansas
Quadrant 4 (9-0):
- Seven wins in Columbia
- Road victories over Florida Gulf Coast and Coppin State
Elite Company in Schedule Strength
Dawn Staley has built her program’s reputation partly on refusing to shy away from difficult competition. Even before SEC play began, South Carolina featured one of the nation’s toughest strength-of-schedule metrics—a deliberate strategy that prepares the team for March while building an impressive tournament resume.
The numbers validate Staley’s approach: South Carolina is one of just three teams nationally with at least nine combined wins over Quadrant 1 and Quadrant 2 opponents, joining UConn and UCLA in that exclusive club. This demonstrates consistent excellence against quality competition, not just a few marquee victories padded with cupcakes.
The Week Ahead: Two Ranked Tests
South Carolina’s schedule offers no respite, with back-to-back games against AP-ranked opponents—both critical opportunities to strengthen their NET profile.
Thursday, January 22nd: at Oklahoma Sooners
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Lloyd Noble Center, Norman, Oklahoma
- TV: ESPN (streaming on ESPN app)
- Oklahoma rankings: No. 16 AP, No. 14 NET
A true road game against a ranked opponent represents a Quad 1 opportunity. A victory would add another quality win to South Carolina’s résumé while potentially addressing whatever algorithmic factors caused their NET drop.
Sunday, January 25th: vs. Vanderbilt Commodores
- Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, South Carolina
- TV: ESPN (streaming on ESPN app)
- Vanderbilt rankings: No. 5 AP, No. 7 NET
This matchup carries massive implications. Vanderbilt enters undefeated and as the SEC’s only remaining unblemished team. With Vandy ranked No. 7 in the NET, a South Carolina victory would be a premium Quad 1 win that could potentially vault the Gamecocks back up the rankings.
The Bigger Picture
While the NET’s quirks can be frustrating—particularly when a team drops after a statement win—South Carolina’s underlying fundamentals remain exceptional. The Gamecocks have demonstrated they can win in multiple ways: dominating inferior opponents, grinding out road victories, and defeating elite competition in high-pressure environments.
The revenge victory over Texas proved South Carolina learned from their only loss and executed when it mattered most. That’s the kind of growth and resilience the Selection Committee values come March, regardless of whether it immediately registers in an algorithm.
As the Gamecocks navigate the gauntlet ahead, their focus should remain on what they can control: continuing to schedule and defeat quality opponents while maintaining excellence in conference play. The NET will ultimately catch up to reality—and when tournament selection Sunday arrives, a 19-1 team with South Carolina’s résumé won’t be worrying about seeding debates.
They’ll be focused on cutting down nets in April.
