South Carolina Women’s Basketball’s Position in NET Rankings After Second Loss

Live from the court, we’ve got a major update for you on South Carolina women’s basketball. After a tough loss to the Texas Longhorns in Austin this past Sunday, the Gamecocks suffered their first regular-season SEC loss since December 2021. This marks the first time South Carolina has dropped two regular season games in a row since the season before that.

As a result, the Associated Press has dropped South Carolina from the second to the fourth spot in their updated top-25 rankings. But, in a twist, the NET rankings present a different picture. For most of the season, the Gamecocks have held the No. 1 spot in the NET rankings, and they continue to do so. Meanwhile, UConn and Texas remain in the top three, with the Huskies ranked second and the Longhorns third. UCLA, undefeated and holding a unanimous No. 1 ranking, is fourth in the NET.

For those who may be unfamiliar, the NET rankings are the key metric used by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee. The rankings consider factors such as the Team Value Index, which evaluates a team’s performance, game location, and strength of schedule, as well as adjusted net efficiency, which assesses a team’s performance against the quality of its opponents and the location of those games.

Looking at South Carolina’s resume this season, it’s clear why the Gamecocks are still perched at No. 1 in the NET. They’ve racked up an impressive ten Quad 1 wins, the most of any team in the country. In fact, only one other team, Texas, has more than seven Quad 1 victories. On top of that, the Gamecocks lead the nation with 13 Quad 1 + Quad 2 wins combined.

As South Carolina looks to bounce back from this loss, they have two important games coming up over the next week. One will present a Quad 2 opportunity, while the other gives Dawn Staley’s team a chance to add another Quad 1 win to their record.

First up, the Gamecocks will face the Florida Gators in an SEC matchup at Colonial Life Arena. This game is part of the “Play 4 Kay” movement, a cancer awareness initiative in honor of coaching legend Kay Yow. The game will tip-off at 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on the SEC Network and streamed on the ESPN app.

Then, South Carolina will host the highly anticipated rivalry game against the UConn Huskies, a top-10 showdown. The Gamecocks have won four consecutive matchups against UConn and five of the last six. This exciting contest is set to tip-off at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday and will be broadcast on ABC, with streaming available via the ESPN app.