Arizona Maintains Grip on No. 1 Ranking in Men’s College Basketball
Arizona remains the unanimous No. 1 team in the latest AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll, released Monday, February 2, 2026. The Wildcats, currently boasting a 22-0 record, received all 59 first-place votes from the national media panel.
A significant shift occurred behind Arizona, as Michigan jumped UConn to claim the No. 2 spot. This rise follows a pair of impressive victories for the Wolverines over Nebraska and rival Michigan State, both within the past week.
Connecticut and Duke hold steady at No. 3 and No. 4 respectively, maintaining their positions from the end of January. Gonzaga has moved up to No. 5, while Illinois experienced a notable surge, vaulting four positions to No. 6 after defeating Nebraska on Sunday, February 1, 2026.
Iowa State edged out Houston for the No. 7 position, separating themselves by just two poll points. Both Nebraska and Michigan State experienced a slight drop in the rankings but remain within the top 10.
The Big 12 conference is well-represented in the latter half of the Top 25. Kansas climbed back to No. 11, surpassing Purdue. Texas Tech and Brigham Young occupy the No. 12 and No. 13 spots, respectively. Vanderbilt currently leads the SEC teams in the poll, holding the No. 15 position.
Texas A&M is the newest addition to the rankings, securing the No. 25 spot. Alabama and Iowa were the two teams to fall out of the poll this week, reportedly due to last week’s tie in voting.
The first USA TODAY Sports men’s college basketball poll for February, released on February 2, 2026, mirrored the AP poll’s top four, with Arizona, Michigan, Connecticut and Duke holding their positions. The USA TODAY poll also highlighted Illinois’ strong performance and ascent to No. 6.
Nebraska reached a program-best No. 5 in the AP poll, recognizing their previously unbeaten status before facing defeats against both Michigan and Illinois.
