Follow
The toughest schedule in the nation so far this season belongs to UCLA.
The Bruins were No. 1 in the season’s first official strength of schedule rankings that the NCAA released earlier this week.
Strength of schedule is one of the criteria categories the selection committee uses to determine the NCAA Tournament field. It also is part of a mathematical formula that determines a team’s RPI ranking, along with winning percentage and opponent strength of schedule.
UCLA was one of three MPSF schools in the top five of the strength of schedule rankings. Concordia-Irvine was ranked No. 3, while Pepperdine earned the No. 4 ranking and had the top opponent strength of schedule ranking.
Along with these schools, Lewis at No. 2 and UC Santa Barbara at No. 5 round-out the top five in the rankings.
The strength of schedule rankings will continue to be updated throughout the postseason and through Selection Sunday on April 23.
Strength of Schedule
1. UCLA
2. Lewis
3. Concordia-Irvine
4. Pepperdine
5. UC Santa Barbara
6. USC
7. Loyola
8. BYU
9. Hawai’i
10. UC Irvine
11. Stanford
12. McKendree
13. Quincy
14. George Mason
15. CSUN
16. Grand Canyon
17. Ohio State
18. NJIT
19. Long Beach State
20. St. Francis
21. Penn State
22. UC San Diego
23. Harvard
24. Ball State
25. Princeton
26. Barton
27. Lees-McRae
28. Mount Olive
29. Lindenwood
30. Fort Wayne
31. North Greenville
32. Erskine
33. Sacred Heart
34. King
35. Emmanuel
36. Limestone
37. Lincoln Memorial
38. Alderson Broaddus
39. Belmont Abbey
40. Charleston
41. Coker
Opponent Strength of Schedule
1. Pepperdine
2. UC Irvine
3. BYU
4. USC
5. Long Beach State
6. CSUN
7. Concordia-Irvine
8. Hawai’i
9. UC San Diego
10. Stanford
11. UCLA
12. UC Santa Barbara
13. Grand Canyon
14. Loyola
15. Lewis
16. Ohio State
17. Ball State
18. George Mason
19. Fort Wayne
20. Penn State
21. Princeton
22. Lindenwood
23. St. Francis
24. McKendree
25. Quincy
26. NJIT
27. Sacred Heart
28. Harvard
29. King
30. Lincoln Memorial
31. Charleston
32. Barton
33. Mount Olive
34. Lees-McRae
35. Limestone
36. Emmanuel
37. Belmont Abbey
38. Coker
39. North Greenville
40. Alderson Broaddus
41. Erskine