2026-27 Outlook
LangIndex projects Rice at #289 nationally for the 2026-27 college basketball season with a projected efficiency margin of -3.0 points per 100 possessions. The model projects a step back from last season's #274 finish. This projects as a development year.
Only 32% of last season's minutes return, so this roster will look very different. Expect some early-season volatility while new pieces settle in. The program adds 1 incoming recruit to the mix.
Last Season (2025-26)
Rice finished 2025-26 at 11-18, ranked #274 in the final LangIndex ratings with adjusted offense of 104.9 and adjusted defense of 114.7 points per 100 possessions.
How LangIndex Rates Rice
Rice's power rating of -3.0 is an adjusted efficiency margin: the points per 100 possessions the model expects them to outscore an average Division I team by, once you strip out schedule strength. It combines adjusted offensive efficiency, adjusted defensive efficiency, and pace into one number, so a rating of -3.0 means Rice projects to lose to a neutral-court average team by about 2 points on a typical night. The full live version updates every morning during the season.
Rice Rating History
Season-by-season LangIndex power rating and national rank. Rice has been fairly steady in the LangIndex ratings over this stretch. Their best finish in this window was #179 in 2024-25.
| Season | Power Rating | Nat. Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | -7.0 | #266 |
| 2024-25 | -0.8 | #179 |
| 2023-24 | -7.2 | #278 |
| 2022-23 | -5.5 | #247 |
| 2021-22 | -3.5 | #214 |
| 2020-21 | -2.9 | #200 |