2024-25 NET ratings thread

[Styre]

The first NET ratings of the season have been released, and NU checks in at #73. Obviously this needs to get better, as that is not enough to make the tournament, but there's a lot of season left to play. I'll track our resume every week or so.

A general rule of thumb is that Quad 1 wins help your resume and Quad 3/4 losses hurt it. So here's our first resume of the year:

QUAD 1 (0-2)
A #40 Dayton - L
N #47 Butler - L

QUAD 2 (0-0)

QUAD 3 (2-0)
H #132 Montana State - W
N #149 UNLV - W

QUAD 4 (4-0)
H #161 UIC - W
H #279 Pepperdine - W
H #299 Eastern Illinois - W
H #302 Lehigh - W

We'd like to see Butler stay in the top 50 to keep that as a Q1 loss, but Q2 losses don't hurt so it's not a big deal either way. Similarly, UIC would be a Q3 win if they improved just one spot to #160, but a Q3 win isn't worth much more than a Q4 win.

This week, NU has a Q1 road game at #54 Iowa and a Q1 home game against #10 Illinois. Obviously any win over Illinois would be big, but the game in Iowa City appears winnable and would be a good early resume builder.

 

[Styre]

After a brutal loss in Iowa City and a nailbiter upset of Illinois at home, NU finds itself at #63 in the NET ratings, a jump from last week. The Butler loss has dropped down to Quad 2, while the Montana State win keeps looking better.

QUAD 1 (1-2)
H #12 Illinois - W
A #37 Dayton - L
A #47 Iowa - L

QUAD 2 (0-1)
N #59 Butler - L

QUAD 3 (2-0)
H #102 Montana State - W
N #152 UNLV - W

QUAD 4 (4-0)
H #244 Pepperdine - W
H #250 UIC - W
H #270 Lehigh - W
H #300 Eastern Illinois - W

Only one game this week, a Quad 3 neutral site game against #171 Georgia Tech. Needless to say, a loss in Milwaukee would hurt.

 

[Hungry Jack]

I think that Montana State win might end up in Quad 2 down the road. Their epic dismantling of Northwest Indian College, 93-35, seemed to put them on a better trajectory of play. They will have their chance to make some hay against USC and TCU. I think they match up well with USC, who has been inconsistent this season.

 

[Styre]

The easy win in Milwaukee sees NU rising slightly to #59. Given the strength of the Big Ten, heading into the bulk of conference play with a NET in the 50s would be a good sign. Sadly, the Montana State win will not be improving anytime soon, as they dropped 40 places after being annihilated by USC.

QUAD 1 (1-2)
H #14 Illinois - W
A #23 Dayton - L
A #51 Iowa - L

QUAD 2 (0-1)
N #76 Butler - L

QUAD 3 (3-0)
H #141 Montana State - W
N #154 UNLV - W
N #175 Georgia Tech - W

QUAD 4 (4-0)
H #219 UIC - W
H #225 Pepperdine - W
H #268 Lehigh - W
H #305 Eastern Illinois - W

This week features one Quad 2 home game, with a much more respectable DePaul team at #70.

 

[olshin]

Kinda thinking our Butler game drops into Tier 3 by end of season. Not ideal, but ....... not a deal breaker.

 

[EagerFan]

Yeah, Butler needs to get their stuff together and start winning.

 

[Styre]

The comfortable win over DePaul has NU up to #54, solidly in bubble territory, though in doing so we knocked them into Quad 3. No major movement apart from Dayton tumbling, but they're still easily in Quad 1 territory.

QUAD 1 (1-2)
H #14 Illinois - W
A #41 Dayton - L
A #48 Iowa - L

QUAD 2 (0-1)
N #71 Butler - L

QUAD 3 (4-0)
H #86 DePaul - W
N #121 UNLV - W
H #152 Montana State - W
N #173 Georgia Tech - W

QUAD 4 (4-0)
H #184 UIC - W
H #202 Pepperdine - W
H #261 Lehigh - W
H #308 Eastern Illinois - W

This week will see NU's final non-conference game, a Quad 3 home game against #148 Northeastern.

 

[rwhitney014]

The comfortable win over DePaul has NU up to #54, solidly in bubble territory, though in doing so we knocked them into Quad 3. No major movement apart from Dayton tumbling, but they're still easily in Quad 1 territory.

QUAD 1 (1-2)
H #14 Illinois - W
A #41 Dayton - L
A #48 Iowa - L

QUAD 2 (0-1)
N #71 Butler - L

QUAD 3 (4-0)
H #86 DePaul - W
N #121 UNLV - W
H #152 Montana State - W
N #173 Georgia Tech - W

QUAD 4 (4-0)
H #184 UIC - W
H #202 Pepperdine - W
H #261 Lehigh - W
H #308 Eastern Illinois - W

This week will see NU's final non-conference game, a Quad 3 home game against #148 Northeastern.

It's really nice that Northeastern is #148, rather than the game we often play now against Mississippi Valley St., Detroit Mercy, Prairie View A&M, or Chicago State (especially when they beat us!). Obviously, gotta go out and win it, and clearly not a gimme because they seem like a solid bunch. But those games against Quad 4 teams can hurt you, so it's nice that one of these is a better quality opponent. Likewise with Montana State.