NET Dominance: Michigan and Duke Lead Shaken-Up College Basketball Top 10

The initial release of the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings for the 2025-2026 men’s college basketball season has immediately reshaped the national landscape, validating the strength of several undefeated and high-win-quality programs. While the traditional polls (AP and Coaches) have placed other teams at the top, the NET—the primary sorting tool for the NCAA Tournament Committee—has crowned the Michigan Wolverines as the current No. 1 team in the nation.

Michigan and the Duke Blue Devils occupy the top two spots, signaling that the committee’s key metric highly values their blend of strong records and difficult non-conference schedules.

The NET Top 10: Strength of Resume Leads the Way

The NET ranking system prioritizes metrics that gauge the quality of wins and losses, factoring in game results, strength of schedule, net offensive and defensive efficiency, and game location. This is why the rankings often differ significantly from the subjective AP Top 25 poll.

Here is the current NET Top 10 as of the December 9, 2025 update:

Rank	Team	Record (Approx.)	Key Quadrant 1 Wins (Examples)
1	Michigan	9-0	Gonzaga, Auburn, TCU
2	Duke	10-0	4-0 against Quad 1 opponents
3	Iowa State	9-0	Undefeated against a strong early-season schedule
4	Gonzaga	9-1	Strong non-conference slate despite one Quad 1 loss
5	Vanderbilt	9-0	4-0 against Quad 1 opponents (only other team besides Duke)
6	Arizona	8-0	High-quality road and neutral site wins
7	UConn	9-1	3-1 against Quad 1 opponents (loss to Arizona)
8	BYU	8-1	Strong neutral-site performance
9	Purdue	8-1	Consistent, but ranked lower than in traditional polls
10	Michigan State	8-1	3-1 against Quad 1 opponents

The Surprises at the Top

Michigan’s NET Supremacy (NET Rank 1)

Michigan’s position at No. 1, while only No. 2 in the AP poll, is due to their pristine 9-0 record and their accumulation of Quadrant 1 victories—the most crucial factor in the NET formula. Their non-conference resume, featuring wins against Gonzaga, Auburn, and TCU (all likely Quad 1 games due to the opponent’s current NET ranking), provides the necessary “Wins Above Bubble” measurement that the NET loves.

Duke and Vanderbilt’s Perfect Quad 1 Records

Duke and Vanderbilt are the only two teams in the nation with a perfect 4-0 record in Quadrant 1 games. Duke’s early-season schedule was intentionally loaded with high-stakes matchups, and their ability to navigate them flawlessly has earned them the No. 2 spot. Vanderbilt’s 9-0 start, including wins that count as Quad 1, is the most surprising story, proving the NET validates results over pre-season reputation.

The Bubble Picture: Teams Vying for Security

While the top 10 is clear, the NET rankings also define the ever-shifting landscape of the “Bubble” teams—those sitting between approximately No. 30 and No. 70 who desperately need quality wins to secure an at-large bid.

The NET rankings categorize wins and losses into four quadrants based on the opponent’s NET rank and game location:

Quadrant	Opponent NET Rank Range	Game Location
Quad 1	1-30	Home
Quad 1	1-50	Neutral
Quad 1	1-75	Road
Quad 2	31-75	Home

Teams currently hovering around the bubble need to focus on avoiding Quad 3 and Quad 4 losses (losses to teams ranked 76+ at home, or 161+ at any location) while maximizing opportunities for Quad 1 wins.

Notable bubble-region teams that are currently vulnerable or looking to climb include:

Team	Current NET Rank (Approx.)	Bubble Outlook
Indiana	20	High-major team with a strong NET but needs to translate early success into Quad 1 wins.
Virginia	21	High-level defensive program that needs its offense to hold up against better competition to remain out of the danger zone.
St. John’s	22	Big East team positioned well, but its lack of Quad 1 wins so far is a concern.
Florida	25	SEC team with a decent NET position, but its proximity to the bubble means every conference game will be crucial.
Oklahoma	46	Sits precariously as a Power Four team that must capitalize on its upcoming Big 12 schedule to move up.
Villanova	56	A perennial power that finds itself firmly in the middle of the bubble, emphasizing the need for a strong showing in the Big East.

The NET’s early release confirms that winning tough games is the fastest route to an elite seed, and with conference play looming, the volatility of these rankings is just beginning.