Arizona Maintains Grip on No. 1 Ranking in AP Men’s Basketball Poll
Arizona remains the undisputed leader in college basketball, holding the No. 1 spot in The Associated Press Top 25 men’s basketball poll for a ninth consecutive week, as of Monday, February 9, 2026. The Wildcats (23-0) received all 59 first-place votes, solidifying their position as the unanimous choice for a fourth straight week.
Arizona’s continued success comes on the heels of recent victories, including a win at rival Arizona State and a dominant 37-point victory over Oklahoma State on Saturday, February 7, 2026. The Wildcats are one of only two remaining unbeaten teams in Division I basketball.
Michigan continues to trail Arizona, remaining at No. 2 for the sixth time during the Wildcats’ current reign at the top. Despite the consistent ranking, analytics data sites like KenPom, Evan Miyakawa, and Bart Torvik actually rank Michigan ahead of Arizona.
Houston Climbs to No. 3, Kentucky Re-enters the Poll
The biggest shift in the rankings this week sees Houston jumping five spots to No. 3. The Cougars (21-2) secured wins against UCF and at BYU, returning Kelvin Sampson’s team to the top 5 after a previous stint at No. 1 in November.
Duke held steady at No. 4 despite a narrow loss at rival North Carolina on a last-second 3-pointer from Seth Trimble. Iowa State rounds out the top five, followed by UConn at No. 6. UConn’s slide from No. 3 comes after a loss to St. John’s, ending an 18-game winning streak.
Nebraska, Illinois, Kansas, and Michigan State complete the top 10. Illinois also experienced a drop, falling three spots after an overtime road loss to Michigan State.
St. John’s Makes Significant Jump
St. John’s experienced the largest jump of the week, climbing five spots to No. 17, matching Houston’s rise. This surge is fueled by a nine-game winning streak, including a recent upset victory over UConn.
Other teams making notable moves include North Carolina, Florida, and Virginia, each climbing three spots to No. 11, No. 14, and No. 15 respectively.
Kentucky Returns to the Rankings
Kentucky makes a return to the AP Top 25 at No. 25, marking their first appearance in the poll since December. The Wildcats have won eight of their last nine games, including a recent victory over Tennessee on Saturday, February 7, 2026, which led to Tennessee falling out of the rankings.
Conference Representation
The Big 12 leads all conferences with six ranked teams, followed by the Big Ten and the Atlantic Coast Conference, each with five. The Southeastern Conference has four teams in the poll, while the Big East has two. The West Coast Conference, Atlantic-10, and Mid-American Conference each have one representative.
Gonzaga and BYU experienced the largest drops this week, both falling six spots. Vanderbilt also saw a decline, dropping four spots after a loss to Oklahoma. Seven teams fell from their previous position, while eight teams held steady.
