Syracuse basketball ACC’s No. 2 in first NET ratings, ahead of blue bloods

Syracuse basketball has a solid initial NCAA NET ranking.

The NCAA has posted its inaugural NET rankings on its Web site, and Syracuse basketball is sitting in an excellent position so far.

The Orange (6-1), whose only loss is on the road to highly rated Rutgers minus two of its starters, checks in at No. 25 in the first NET ratings.

The ‘Cuse, as of Monday morning, is No. 2 within the Atlantic Coast Conference, trailing only Clemson, which is No. 15 overall in the NET and has put forth a tremendous 2020-21 campaign to date.

The NET system, by the way, replaced the RPI a few years back as the main evaluation tool for the NCAA in determining invites to the annual Big Dance.

Not only is Syracuse basketball No. 2 in the ACC, but the Orange is also ahead of a bunch of blue-blood programs at this juncture as far as the NET ratings go.

The ‘Cuse NET rankings are better than Kansas, North Carolina, Duke and Kentucky, as well as others such as Ohio State, West Virginia, Connecticut, Indiana and UCLA.

While it’s still early on in the present season, the Orange arranged higher than these other teams brings me some encouragement about the prospects for the ‘Cuse in 2020-21.

Syracuse basketball is No. 25 in the inaugural NET ratings.

I have to admit that I’m a bit surprised – pleasantly so – about the Orange’s first NET ranking. The ‘Cuse has a “good” defeat, but its wins aren’t all that stellar, coming at Boston College and then home versus Bryant, Niagara, Rider, Northeastern and Buffalo.

Syracuse basketball has resumed practice after its most recent pause due to Covid-19 protocols, and the Orange is planning to host Pittsburgh this Wednesday and then former Big East Conference rival Georgetown on Saturday night.

The NET’s top 10, in order, is Gonzaga, Baylor, Tennessee, Illinois, Villanova, Michigan, Iowa, Houston, Texas and Missouri. The ACC, meanwhile, is Clemson at No. 1 in the league, followed by the ‘Cuse, Louisville, Virginia Tech, N.C. State, Virginia, Florida State, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, Duke, Boston College, Miami and Notre Dame.

The Orange’s NET resume includes a 5-0 mark on the Hill and a 1-1 record away from Central New York. The squad is 0-1 in quadrant one, 1-0 in quadrant two, 3-0 in quadrant three and 2-0 in quadrant four.

Separately, in the latest Associated Press top-25 poll, Syracuse basketball received one vote.