Where South Carolina basketball sits in updated NET rankings

South Carolina basketball is 6-3 on the 2025-2026 season. On the road to that record, the Gamecocks have lost all three of their matchups against power conference opponents but beaten all six of their lower-level foes.

Last Monday, the first NET rankings of the season came out, and Lamont Paris’ team debuted at No. 99. After a 1-1 showing since then, South Carolina dipped in the updated NET hierarchy. Now, a week later, the Gamecocks are No. 103 nationally and No. 15 in the SEC. They had dipped as low as 110th before shifting back up a little. Mississippi State (No. 160), the only team in the SEC with a losing record, is behind USC.

These NET rankings have been updated following last night’s games across the country.

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The NET, for those unfamiliar, is the most important ranking metric used by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee. It factors in Team Value Index (essentially a team’s on-court results, location of games, and strength of schedule) and adjusted net efficiency ratings (how well a team plays in those games, adjusted for the quality of opponent and location of games).

At the time of this writing, South Carolina does not have any wins over Quad 1 or Quad 2 opponents. USC is 0-2 against the Quad 1, losing to Butler and Northwestern on a neutral floor. They are also 0-1 against Quad 2, with the recent loss at home to Virginia Tech.

The Gamecocks are 1-0 against the Quad 3 (a home win over Southern Miss). They are 5-0 against Quad 4 opponents, with all of those games coming at home. That discrepancy is a big reason Carolina’s NET ranking is low.

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The Gamecocks will play a trio of in-state schools over the next two weeks, including the rival Clemson Tigers. That contest will mark South Carolina’s highest NET opponent of the season, based on the current rankings. Carolina will travel to the Upstate for the date with their Palmetto State rivals. The other two games will come against Quad 4 teams.

However, before that rivalry showdown happens, South Carolina will play The Citadel at home. Colonial Life Arena will host the Gamecocks and Bulldogs on Saturday, December 13th at 7:00 p.m. The game will not be on traditional television, but SEC Network+ will stream the action.

At the time of this writing, The Citadel is winless (0-7) and has the second-lowest NET ranking in the country. The Bulldogs rank 364th out of 365 Division-I teams.

South Carolina has won 23 of 24 historical meetings between the two programs.

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