Kansas continues to hold the top spot in the first Associated Press Top 25 men’s college basketball poll of the current regular season after a thrilling victory against North Carolina, a team heavily regarded in collegiate basketball history. Gonzaga and Auburn also made significant moves, breaking into the top five list following impressive victories in the opening week. St. John’s, now under the leadership of Rick Pitino, also made its mark by entering the rankings.
The Jayhawks secured 44 of the 62 first-place votes after clinching a home game win against North Carolina, although they once led by 20 points and nearly faltered, ultimately finishing with a close 92-89 outcome. This victory allowed Kansas to maintain its lead over Alabama and the two-time national champions, UConn, who occupy the second and third spots respectively. The Crimson Tide gathered six first-place votes, while the Huskies received seven.
Gonzaga, guided by head coach Mark Few, ascended two places to secure the fourth position after decisively defeating then-No. 8 Baylor in their season opener, followed by another solid win against Arizona State. Meanwhile, Bruce Pearl’s Auburn made the most significant leap of the week, rising six spots to land at No. 5 after overcoming then-No. 4 Houston. The Zags and Tigers rounded off the remaining first-place votes with a combined five.
Auburn’s emergence was the only new addition to the predominantly reshuffled top 10. Duke rose one spot to No. 6, leading the subsequent group of ranked teams. Iowa State follows at No. 7, while Houston, Arizona, and North Carolina complete the list, with North Carolina dropping one position following its loss at Kansas’s Allen Fieldhouse.
The return of St. John’s to the rankings, now sitting at No. 22, is significant for two reasons. It marks their first appearance in nearly five years since they were briefly ranked at No. 24 in January 2019. Furthermore, this also signifies the return of Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino to the Top 25—his first time since the final poll of the 2016-17 season during his tenure at Louisville. Pitino was dismissed shortly before the following season amid a federal investigation that impacted several college basketball programs. After spending three seasons at Iona from 2020 to 2023, Pitino took the reins at St. John’s before last season began.
In addition to St. John’s, Ohio State also made a comeback at No. 21, marking their first appearance since January 2023. Texas and UCLA dropped out of the rankings from the preseason polls.
Kentucky made the second-largest upward move of the week, climbing four spots to No. 19, marking the start of coach Mark Pope’s journey with the team. Marquette at No. 15 and Cincinnati at No. 17 each moved up three positions. Overall, 13 teams improved their standings compared to their preseason positions.
On the other hand, Texas A&M faced the steepest decline, falling 10 spots to No. 23 after suffering a loss at UCF to kick off their season. Houston also dropped four places alongside No. 12 Baylor following defeats to ranked teams. In total, seven squads slid down from their previous rankings.
The Southeastern Conference leads the rankings with eight teams represented, including No. 11 Tennessee, No. 18 Arkansas under new leadership from John Calipari, No. 20 Florida, and No. 25 Mississippi. The Big 12 follows closely with six teams, with the Big East and Big Ten each boasting four. The Atlantic Coast Conference features two teams, while the West Coast Conference has one team ranked.