The LSU Basketball team is off to a great start to the season with a 8-1 record on the year. One of the metrics you'll hear a ton about during the College Basketball season is NET Rankings and Quad wins as they're a massive factor in deciding the NCAA Tournament field. NET Rankings calculate a teams ranking based on game results, strength of schedule, where a game was played, offensive and defensive efficiency, and the quality of wins and losses.
- Quad 1 Games - Vs Top-30 Teams at Home, Top-50 Neutral Site, and Top-75 when on the road
- Quad 2 Games - Vs 31st-75th Teams at Home, 51st-100th Neutral Site, and 76th-135th when on the road
- Quad 3 Games - Vs 76th-160 Teams at Home, 101st-200th Neutral Site, and 136th-240th when on the road
- Quad 4 Games - Vs 161st-353rd Teams at Home, 201st-353rd Neutral Site, and 241st-353rd when on the road
As things currently stand, the LSU Tigers are the 58th ranked team in the NET Rankings.
Using the Net Rankings, LSU is currently 0-1 in its Quad One games with its loss to Pittsburgh in the Greenbrier Tip Off. The good news is that LSU can pick up a Quad One win this weekend when it faces SMU (43rd in NET). The Tigers in total still have 14 projected quad one games using the current NET Rankings thanks to SEC Play which gives the team a great chance at building an impressive resume.
Thus far, LSU is 2-0 in Quad Two games with wins over Kansas State (102nd) and UCF (96th). The rest of the way, LSU fans should be rooting for UCF and Kansas State to go on runs as it'll only help LSU's case in March. The Tigers still have four games projected against Quad Two opponents which will likely change as team's rise and fall in the rankings.
The Tigers are 2-0 in Quad Three games with a win over Florida State and Florida Gulf Coast. The Florida State win is LSU's best hope for a win becoming a Quad Two win as the Seminoles rank 81st in the NET and will need to rise to the Top 75 to be a Quad Two win since the game was a Home Game for LSU. The only remaining Quad Three Opponent for LSU is South Carolina which could rise or fall based on SEC Play.
The Tigers have done their most work in Quad 4 games where the Tigers are currently 4-0 with wins over ULM, Alabama State, Charleston Southern, and Northwestern State. The Tigers still have three games remaining against Quad 4 teams before SEC play but, LSU will be hoping these teams go on a run in their conference play in order to become better wins for the Tigers. The team to watch here is Northwestern State ranked 191st as if they can jump into the Top 160 they'd become a Quad Three win.
SEC Play will Make or Break Tournament Hopes
The Good News for LSU is that the SEC looks like the deepest and best Conference in the Country which will give every team a great chance at making the NCAA Tournament. LSU gets to face Top Ten teams in Auburn, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Florida which means if you win a few of those games the resume looks incredibly strong. Much easier yet, difficult games against Ole Miss, Missouri, Texas A&M, Georgia, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi State will all be Quad One matchups as well giving LSU ample amounts of chances at making the NCAA Tournament.