The Kansas Jayhawks are starting to find their rhythm-and the numbers are beginning to reflect it. After a strong showing in the Players Era Tournament, where they went 3-0, Kansas climbed back into the AP Top 25.
But perhaps the more telling development came Monday afternoon, when the NCAA released its first NET rankings of the season. That’s where things got interesting.
Kansas debuted at No. 17 in the NET, a notable bump from their No. 21 spot in the AP poll. The NET (short for NCAA Evaluation Tool) is one of the key metrics used by the selection committee to help determine NCAA Tournament seeding.
It’s not just about wins and losses-it digs into the quality of those wins, the strength of the schedule, and how a team performs in various game environments. And right now, it’s giving Kansas a bit more credit than the traditional polls.
Sitting at 6-2, the Jayhawks have already logged three games against Quad 1 opponents-more than most teams this early in the season. That alone helps explain their favorable NET positioning.
Their record in those matchups is 1-2, with the lone win coming in their most recent outing against No. 13 Tennessee.
The two losses? To Duke and North Carolina-two bluebloods who currently sit at No. 2 and No. 26 in the NET rankings, respectively.
So while Kansas didn’t come out on top in those games, the strength of the competition is working in their favor.
Outside of Quad 1 play, Kansas has taken care of business. They’re a clean 5-0 in Quad 2 and Quad 4 games.
That includes wins over Notre Dame and Syracuse (Quad 2), as well as Green Bay, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and Princeton (Quad 4). Those aren’t resume-defining victories, but they’re the kind of games you have to win-and Kansas has done just that.
What makes Kansas’ NET ranking even more impressive is that they’re one of just three teams with two losses sitting inside the top 20. That tells you the committee’s algorithm is valuing their aggressive schedule.
Not every team is willing to take on three Quad 1 opponents this early. Kansas did-and even with two losses, they’re being rewarded for it.
The win over Tennessee was a turning point. Without it, Kansas would be 5-3 with no wins in Quad 1 play.
That’s a very different narrative. Instead, they’re now 6-2 with a high-quality win on the board, and the NET reflects that shift.
It’s also a big step forward considering that preseason Big 12 favorite Houston is currently slotted just behind them at No. 18.
There’s still a long road ahead, and the Jayhawks will get another major test on Tuesday when they face off against UConn. A win in that matchup could vault Kansas even higher in the NET and further solidify their standing as a team that’s not just surviving a tough schedule-but thriving in it.
For now, No. 17 feels like a fair spot. Kansas has weathered some early adversity and proven they can compete with the best. With players stepping up and the schedule continuing to challenge them, the Jayhawks are trending in the right direction-and the NET is taking notice.