Impressive start earns good initial NET rating for Utah Utes basketball

Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak celebrates as the University of Utah defeats the University of Colorado 75-64 in men’s Pac-12 basketball on March 1, 2014, in Salt Lake City. | Tom Smart, Deseret News

SALT LAKE CITY — The initial NCAA Evaluation Tool rankings, which the NCAA is using now to help choose teams for the NCAA Tournament instead of the RPI rankings, came out Monday and the Utah basketball team found itself in a great position.

The Utes are ranked No. 54 out of 353 teams in the nation in the NET rankings. That’s even ahead of its Wednesday opponent, Kentucky, which came in at No. 58.

The Utes, who are an impressive 8-2, have been helped by the play of several opponents, such as Minnesota, which is ranked No. 48 and knocked off No. 1 Ohio State Sunday, and BYU, which is ranked No. 42 and defeated Utah State, which as been in the top 20 polls all season.

"The NCAA Evaluation Tool, or NET, will be the new barometer for the committee, and it will include game results, strength of schedule, game location, scoring margin (capping at 10 points per game), and net offensive and defensive efficiency."https://t.co/fD3Q0JuiHp https://t.co/NGNgpqUoNp

— Jody Genessy (@DJJazzyJody) December 16, 2019

Utah beat Minnesota 73-69 in mid-November and knocked off BYU 102-95 in overtime earlier this month. Other wins have come against Nevada (94) on the road and Ohio (107) at the Myrtle Beach Invitational last month.

The Utes aren’t expected by many experts to make it back to the NCAA Tournament this season. They haven’t been invited to the Big Dance since the 2015-16 season. Utah is currently ranked lower in other popular computer models, including No. 73 by Sagarin and 107th in the Pomeroy rankings.

A win or two this week would go a long way toward padding their resume, should they have a strong Pac-12 season.

Even though Kentucky isn’t ranked very high right now, the Wildcats will likely be a top-10 team in the NET rankings before the season is over. And right now, San Diego State, one of just five unbeaten teams in the country, is ranked No. 3 in the NET rankings.

Utah schools range from 42 (BYU) to 292 (Weber State).

First NCAA men’s basketball NET rankings:

42. BYU (9-4)
47. Utah State (10-2)
54. Utah (8-2)
178. Southern Utah (6-4)
237. Utah Valley (4-8)
292. Weber State (3-6)

— Jody Genessy (@DJJazzyJody) December 16, 2019

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