
2025-26 College Basketball Defensive Rankings: Team Defense Ratings and Efficiency Stats
Updated Jan. 17, 2026 11:19 a.m. ET
Data Skrive
What college basketball squads have been the best on defense this season, as of Saturday? See below, because rankings across several stats are available for you.
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College Basketball Team Defense Rankings
Scoring Defense
| # | Team | Points Allowed Avg. | Points Allowed per 100 Poss. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston Cougars | 59.3 | 78.2 |
| 2 | Northern Iowa Panthers | 60.1 | 84.3 |
| 3 | Louisiana Tech Bulldogs | 60.3 | 80.8 |
| 4 | Marist Red Foxes | 61.7 | 80.9 |
| 5 | Iowa Hawkeyes | 62.7 | 87.4 |
| 6 | Seton Hall Pirates | 63.1 | 82.7 |
| 7 | West Virginia Mountaineers | 63.2 | 86.2 |
| 8 | UConn Huskies | 63.3 | 82.6 |
| 9 | Hawaii Rainbow Warriors | 63.6 | 79.4 |
| 9 | Navy Midshipmen | 63.6 | 85.3 |
| 11 | Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks | 63.9 | 82.4 |
| 12 | Michigan State Spartans | 64.2 | 83.4 |
| 12 | Iowa State Cyclones | 64.2 | 81.5 |
| 12 | UT Arlington Mavericks | 64.2 | 83.0 |
| 15 | UT Martin Skyhawks | 64.7 | 81.8 |
| 15 | Fordham Rams | 64.7 | 85.4 |
| 17 | Clemson Tigers | 64.8 | 86.9 |
| 18 | North Texas Mean Green | 64.9 | 85.7 |
| 19 | Saint Mary's Gaels | 65.1 | 86.3 |
| 20 | Siena Saints | 65.4 | 89.1 |
| 21 | Brown Bears | 65.5 | 84.6 |
| 22 | UNC Wilmington Seahawks | 65.7 | 85.2 |
| 23 | Nebraska Cornhuskers | 65.8 | 84.9 |
| 24 | Cincinnati Bearcats | 65.9 | 82.9 |
| 24 | Duke Blue Devils | 65.9 | 82.7 |
Field Goal % Defense
| # | Team | Opp. Field Goal % | Opp. FG Made Per Game | Opp. FG Att. Per Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint Louis Billikens | 35.7 | 21.9 | 61.4 |
| 1 | Michigan Wolverines | 35.7 | 23.6 | 66.3 |
| 3 | Louisiana Tech Bulldogs | 37.7 | 20.6 | 54.6 |
| 4 | Virginia Cavaliers | 37.9 | 22.5 | 59.4 |
| 4 | South Alabama Jaguars | 37.9 | 23.8 | 62.7 |
| 4 | UC Irvine Anteaters | 37.9 | 23.9 | 63.1 |
| 7 | Kansas Jayhawks | 38.2 | 24.1 | 63.1 |
| 8 | Hawaii Rainbow Warriors | 38.3 | 22.8 | 59.5 |
| 9 | Marist Red Foxes | 38.5 | 20.8 | 54.0 |
| 9 | Belmont Bruins | 38.5 | 23.8 | 61.8 |
| 11 | Michigan State Spartans | 38.6 | 21.9 | 56.7 |
| 11 | Nebraska Cornhuskers | 38.6 | 23.1 | 59.9 |
| 13 | UConn Huskies | 38.7 | 21.2 | 54.9 |
| 13 | Tennessee Volunteers | 38.7 | 22.8 | 58.9 |
| 15 | UT Martin Skyhawks | 38.8 | 22.3 | 57.4 |
| 16 | Gonzaga Bulldogs | 39.1 | 23.3 | 59.6 |
| 16 | Houston Cougars | 39.1 | 19.9 | 51.1 |
| 18 | UNC Wilmington Seahawks | 39.2 | 23.3 | 59.3 |
| 18 | Seton Hall Pirates | 39.2 | 20.5 | 52.2 |
| 20 | Hofstra Pride | 39.3 | 22.8 | 58.2 |
| 20 | San Diego State Aztecs | 39.3 | 23.3 | 59.3 |
| 20 | Louisville Cardinals | 39.3 | 23.5 | 59.6 |
| 20 | North Carolina Tar Heels | 39.3 | 25.0 | 63.6 |
| 24 | New Mexico State Aggies | 39.4 | 21.6 | 54.9 |
| 24 | Coastal Carolina Chanticleers | 39.4 | 24.5 | 62.1 |
Three-Point Defense
| # | Team | Opp. 3PT % | Opp. 3PT Made Per Game | Opp. 3PT Att. Per Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UT Arlington Mavericks | 24.8 | 4.1 | 16.4 |
| 2 | Northern Iowa Panthers | 25.5 | 5.5 | 21.6 |
| 3 | Saint Louis Billikens | 26.8 | 6.5 | 24.4 |
| 4 | Hawaii Rainbow Warriors | 26.9 | 5.2 | 19.3 |
| 5 | Weber State Wildcats | 27.0 | 6.4 | 23.7 |
| 6 | UConn Huskies | 27.1 | 5.1 | 18.8 |
| 7 | Marist Red Foxes | 27.2 | 5.6 | 20.7 |
| 8 | Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks | 27.5 | 4.9 | 17.9 |
| 9 | Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders | 27.7 | 5.4 | 19.5 |
| 10 | Fresno State Bulldogs | 27.8 | 7.1 | 25.4 |
| 11 | UT Martin Skyhawks | 28.0 | 6.7 | 23.8 |
| 12 | Vanderbilt Commodores | 28.3 | 6.6 | 23.5 |
| 12 | New Mexico Lobos | 28.3 | 8.1 | 28.7 |
| 14 | Northern Colorado Bears | 28.6 | 5.8 | 20.2 |
| 14 | Virginia Cavaliers | 28.6 | 6.5 | 22.6 |
| 16 | North Texas Mean Green | 28.7 | 5.4 | 18.9 |
| 16 | Dartmouth Big Green | 28.7 | 7.3 | 25.3 |
| 18 | Kansas Jayhawks | 28.8 | 7.9 | 27.4 |
| 19 | UMass Minutemen | 28.9 | 6.8 | 23.4 |
| 20 | Virginia Tech Hokies | 29.0 | 7.4 | 25.5 |
| 20 | Lindenwood Lions | 29.0 | 6.3 | 21.8 |
| 20 | Texas A&M-CC Islanders | 29.0 | 5.7 | 19.7 |
| 23 | Navy Midshipmen | 29.2 | 7.1 | 24.3 |
| 23 | Clemson Tigers | 29.2 | 6.6 | 22.6 |
| 23 | Tennessee Volunteers | 29.2 | 8.0 | 27.4 |
Defensive Rebounds
| # | Team | Def. Reb. Per Game | Opp. 2nd Chance Points Avg. | Reb. Per Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan Wolverines | 30.3 | 13.1 | 40.3 |
| 2 | Saint Louis Billikens | 30.0 | 8.9 | 39.9 |
| 3 | Charleston Southern Buccaneers | 29.0 | 13.4 | 39.2 |
| 4 | Florida Gators | 28.2 | 7.5 | 43.2 |
| 4 | Coastal Carolina Chanticleers | 28.2 | 10.9 | 37.1 |
| 4 | Arizona Wildcats | 28.2 | 8.8 | 40.9 |
| 7 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 27.9 | 14.5 | 38.9 |
| 8 | Kansas Jayhawks | 27.8 | 10.8 | 36.1 |
| 9 | UC Irvine Anteaters | 27.7 | 10.2 | 37.6 |
| 10 | Louisville Cardinals | 27.5 | 10.5 | 39.2 |
| 11 | North Carolina Tar Heels | 27.4 | 8.9 | 37.5 |
| 12 | Michigan State Spartans | 27.3 | 6.4 | 39.5 |
| 13 | Columbia Lions | 27.2 | 8.4 | 37.8 |
| 13 | Gonzaga Bulldogs | 27.2 | 9.1 | 38.7 |
| 15 | Georgia Bulldogs | 27.1 | 13.2 | 39.6 |
| 15 | Miami (OH) RedHawks | 27.1 | 8.0 | 34.1 |
| 17 | Montana Grizzlies | 27.0 | 11.0 | 33.3 |
| 18 | Tennessee Volunteers | 26.9 | 10.4 | 40.5 |
| 18 | Duke Blue Devils | 26.9 | 8.1 | 37.5 |
| 18 | LSU Tigers | 26.9 | 9.5 | 36.9 |
| 21 | Providence Friars | 26.8 | 13.4 | 35.9 |
| 22 | Hawaii Rainbow Warriors | 26.7 | 9.1 | 36.3 |
| 22 | BYU Cougars | 26.7 | 13.0 | 37.1 |
| 22 | Illinois Fighting Illini | 26.7 | 10.6 | 38.7 |
| 22 | Mississippi State Bulldogs | 26.7 | 13.8 | 37.6 |
Opponent Assists and Turnovers
| # | Team | Opp. Assists Per Game | Opp. Turnovers Per Game | Opp. Assist/Turnover Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii Rainbow Warriors | 8.4 | 12.1 | 0.70 |
| 2 | UConn Huskies | 9.2 | 12.6 | 0.73 |
| 3 | Wyoming Cowboys | 9.4 | 12.3 | 0.77 |
| 4 | Marist Red Foxes | 9.6 | 13.9 | 0.69 |
| 4 | Michigan Wolverines | 9.6 | 12.5 | 0.77 |
| 6 | Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks | 9.7 | 11.1 | 0.88 |
| 6 | Clemson Tigers | 9.7 | 11.1 | 0.87 |
| 6 | Northern Colorado Bears | 9.7 | 9.6 | 1.01 |
| 9 | Coastal Carolina Chanticleers | 9.9 | 9.0 | 1.10 |
| 10 | Houston Cougars | 10.1 | 14.9 | 0.68 |
| 11 | North Texas Mean Green | 10.2 | 15.2 | 0.67 |
| 11 | Indiana Hoosiers | 10.2 | 11.2 | 0.91 |
| 13 | Saint Louis Billikens | 10.4 | 10.7 | 0.97 |
| 14 | Charleston Southern Buccaneers | 10.6 | 8.4 | 1.26 |
| 14 | Stanford Cardinal | 10.6 | 13.6 | 0.78 |
| 14 | Howard Bison | 10.6 | 15.0 | 0.71 |
| 14 | Southeast Missouri State Redhawks | 10.6 | 13.8 | 0.76 |
| 14 | Tennessee Volunteers | 10.6 | 12.2 | 0.87 |
| 14 | Utah State Aggies | 10.6 | 14.6 | 0.72 |
| 20 | Cal Baptist Lancers | 10.7 | 11.1 | 0.97 |
| 21 | UT Arlington Mavericks | 10.8 | 12.6 | 0.86 |
| 21 | Kennesaw State Owls | 10.8 | 12.1 | 0.89 |
| 21 | New Mexico State Aggies | 10.8 | 11.9 | 0.90 |
| 21 | SIU-Edwardsville Cougars | 10.8 | 12.6 | 0.85 |
| 21 | Vanderbilt Commodores | 10.8 | 13.5 | 0.80 |
Points in the Paint Defense
| # | Team | Points in the Paint Per Game |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana Tech Bulldogs | 20.8 |
| 2 | South Alabama Jaguars | 21.1 |
| 3 | McNeese Cowboys | 22.4 |
| 4 | Belmont Bruins | 22.5 |
| 4 | Nebraska Cornhuskers | 22.5 |
| 6 | Michigan Wolverines | 23.3 |
| 6 | Houston Cougars | 23.3 |
| 8 | Missouri Tigers | 24.0 |
| 9 | Michigan State Spartans | 24.1 |
| 10 | Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers | 24.2 |
| 11 | Marist Red Foxes | 24.4 |
| 12 | Seton Hall Pirates | 24.5 |
| 12 | New Mexico Lobos | 24.5 |
| 12 | San Diego State Aztecs | 24.5 |
| 15 | Cincinnati Bearcats | 24.7 |
| 15 | UNC Wilmington Seahawks | 24.7 |
| 15 | Navy Midshipmen | 24.7 |
| 18 | SIU-Edwardsville Cougars | 24.8 |
| 19 | Coastal Carolina Chanticleers | 24.9 |
| 20 | Hofstra Pride | 25.2 |
| 21 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 25.3 |
| 22 | Saint Louis Billikens | 25.4 |
| 23 | Tennessee Volunteers | 25.5 |
| 23 | Jacksonville State Gamecocks | 25.5 |
| 25 | Pacific Tigers | 25.7 |
Defensive Team Statistics
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FOX Sports created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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