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Arizona ascends to first nationally in another key NCAA Tournament metric

Arizona earned the top spot over the weekend in another key metric used by the NCAA Tournament committee.
ByAlan Rubenstein|
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Jan 24, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd yells out to players during the first half of the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images
Jan 24, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd yells out to players during the first half of the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Arizona passed Michigan for the top spot in the NCAA NetRatings over the weekend. Arizona earned the top spot after previously moving to first nationally in KenPom following its 88-53 win over West Virginia on Saturday.

The Wildcats are second in Bart Torvik, ESPN Basketball Power Index and Evan Miya. Michigan is first in Bart Torvik and Evan Miya. Duke is the top-rated team in the ESPN BPI. Duke and Michigan have both started the 2025-26 season with 18 wins and one loss.

Arizona has ascended to first in the NCAA NetRatings with an 8-0 record against teams in quadrant one, 2-0 versus quad two teams, 3-0 against teams in quad three and 7-0 versus quad four. The quadrants move throughout the season depending on how teams perform.

Arizona and Michigan have been compared for most of the season as the top two teams. Michigan is 5-0 against quad one, 8-1 against quad two, 3-0 versus quad three and 2-0 versus quad four. Arizona has been able to ascend on the strength of its quad one wins.

Arizona opportunities to improve its resume

Arizona has a solid resume through its 20 consecutive wins to begin the 2025-26 season. The Wildcats will have multiple opportunities to add to their resume beginning on Monday night. BYU hosts Arizona on Monday night to begin a challenging 40-day stretch to end the 2025-26 regular season.

Arizona plays BYU, Houston and Kansas twice in February and hosts Iowa State in February in a gauntlet of games that is the Big XII. Getting through that slate with a winning record will virtually assure Arizona as a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament if they win the other games, they will be big favorites.

Iowa State is currently seventh in the NCAA NetRatings, Houston is 11th, BYU 12th, Kansas 15th and Texas Tech 18th as the other Big XII teams in the top 20. TeamRankings.Com lists the Big XII as the best conference nationally in their metrics.

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