We are officially at the point in the season where every possession feels bigger. The latest NCAA NET rankings, updated through games played Sunday, February 22, don’t just rank teams. They expose them. They highlight who has traveled well, who has taken advantage of Quad 1 opportunities and who is quietly padding a resu,me at home.
The top of the board looks stable. The middle is a war zone. And the bubble is starting to feel claustrophobic.
Michigan, Duke and Arizona have earned their space
The Michigan Wolverines sit at No. 1 at 25-2, and the profile is as clean as it gets. Ten Quad 1 wins against just one loss. A perfect 9-0 on the road. That road number alone explains a lot. Winning away from home in the Big Ten is brutal. Doing it nine times without a loss is elite. Michigan fell to Duke on Saturday
Right behind them, the Duke Blue Devils are 25-2 and may have the most balanced résumé in the country. They are 12-2 in Quad 1 games and undefeated at home at 13-0. They have handled business in every quadrant, sitting 4-0 in Quad 2 and perfect in Quads 3 and 4. There is no soft underbelly here. The win over Duke was massive for the Blue Devils.
The Arizona Wildcats, also 25-2, are 11-2 in Quad 1 games and 7-1 on the road. In the Big 12, that is not just impressive. It is survival. Arizona has taken punches and responded. Their 14-1 home mark adds another layer of consistency. The Wildcats won huge road game Saturday at Houston.
All three have something in common: they win big games and they win away from home. That combination is separating them from the rest of the field.
The Big Ten gauntlet is real
Five Big Ten teams sit inside the top 12, and that is not an accident.
The Illinois Fighting Illini are 22-6 with a 7-5 record in Quad 1 games. The five losses are a reminder of how difficult the league is. The seven wins are proof they belong in the top tier conversation. The Illini took a late loss Saturday at ULA.
The Purdue Boilermakers at 22-5 are 8-5 in Quad 1 and 7-2 on the road. That balance is holding them steady. Meanwhile, the Nebraska Cornhuskers continue to be one of the best stories nationally at 23-4. They are 6-4 in Quad 1 games and 14-2 at home, taking advantage of every opportunity in Lincoln.
The Michigan State Spartans are 6-5 in Quad 1. It is not flashy, but it is strong enough to keep them comfortably inside the top 12.
What stands out across the league is opportunity. There are Quad 1 chances almost every night. Surviving that environment is half the battle.
Further down, Wisconsin (32), Iowa (28), Indiana (36) and Ohio State (37) all remain inside the top 40. The league’s depth is undeniable.
The SEC’s resume tug-of-war
The SEC might not have the No. 1 team, but it has a pile of quality wins spread across the standings.
The Florida Gators sit seventh with eight Quad 1 wins. The Alabama Crimson Tide also have seven Quad 1 victories and a strong 6-2 road record. Those road numbers matter.
The Vanderbilt Commodores and Tennessee Volunteers both have multiple Quad 1 wins and have largely protected their home courts. Tennessee is 14-1 at home. Vanderbilt is 12-3.
Then there is the resume tension.
The Arkansas Razorbacks are 15-1 at home but just 4-4 on the road. The Kentucky Wildcats are 5-8 in Quad 1 games and 3-5 on the road. The opportunities are there, but the results have been uneven.
Auburn at 15-12 and ranked 33rd is 5-10 in Quad 1 games. That is a dangerous profile. There are quality wins, but the losses are piling up. The Tigers picked up a massive win Saturday over Kentuclk.
The Big 12 is cannibalizing itself again
The Houston Cougars (23-4) are 7-4 in Quad 1 and 5-2 on the road. Solid. The Iowa State Cyclones are 6-4 in Quad 1 and a perfect 15-0 at home. That home dominance is real, but the 4-4 road record shows vulnerability.
The Kansas Jayhawks are 7-6 in Quad 1 games and 5-4 on the road. That resume is strong, but not overwhelming. BYU and Texas Tech are both hovering around .500 in Quad 1 games as well.
The Big 12 does not allow clean records. It forces teams to live in that six-to-eight Quad 1 loss range. The committee will have to weigh opportunity against outcome carefully.
Mid-majors doing what they can
The Gonzaga Bulldogs are 27-2 and 6-1 in Quad 1. They have handled nearly everything on their schedule, including going 8-1 on the road and 14-0 at home.
The Saint Louis Billikens are 24-2 and undefeated at home at 16-0. The catch is opportunity. Just two Quad 1 games so far.
The Saint Mary's Gaels are 24-4 but just 1-3 in Quad 1 games. That could matter if seeding debates get tight.
And then there is the Miami (OH) RedHawks at 24-0. They are 11-0 on the road, 12-0 at home and perfect overall. But they have not played a Quad 1 game. Not one. It is an incredible season, but the résumé ceiling is limited by schedule strength.
Home comfort vs. road proof
If there is one clear separator in these rankings, it is road success.
Michigan is 9-0 in true games away from home. Duke is 8-1. Arizona is 7-1. UConn is 9-1.
Compare that to North Carolina (27th), which is 15-0 at home but 4-5 on the road. Louisville (13th) is 14-2 at home and 3-5 on the road. The splits tell you everything about volatility. Those two teams play each other Monday.
In March, you are not playing on your home floor. Teams that have proven they can win in hostile environments are far more trustworthy.
NET Top 40 (Through Games Feb. 22, 2026)
- Michigan (25-2)
- Duke (25-2)
- Arizona (25-2)
- Illinois (22-6)
- Gonzaga (27-2)
- Purdue (22-5)
- Florida (21-6)
- Houston (23-4)
- Iowa State (23-4)
- UConn (25-3)
- Nebraska (23-4)
- Michigan State (22-5)
- Louisville (20-7)
- Texas Tech (20-7)
- Virginia (24-3)
- Vanderbilt (21-6)
- Tennessee (20-7)
- Kansas (20-7)
- BYU (20-7)
- Arkansas (20-7)
- Alabama (20-7)
- Saint Louis (24-2)
- St. John’s (22-5)
- Utah State (22-4)
- Saint Mary’s (24-4)
- NC State (19-8)
- North Carolina (21-6)
- Iowa (19-8)
- Kentucky (17-10)
- Villanova (21-6)
- SMU (19-8)
- Wisconsin (19-8)
- Auburn (15-12)
- Georgia (19-8)
- Miami (FL) (21-6)
- Indiana (17-10)
- Ohio State (17-10)
- Clemson (20-8)
- Texas (16-10)
- Santa Clara (22-6)
The deeper we get into February, the less forgiving the math becomes. Quad 1 wins are gold. Road wins are oxygen. And the teams that can stack both are starting to look like real Final Four threats.