1973–74 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings

November 2025 August 2023 1973 NCAA 70s logo.svg UCLA NC State The 1973–74 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings was made up of two human polls, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various other preseason polls. Legend   Increase in ranking   Decrease in ranking   New to rankings from previous week Italics   Number of first place votes (#–#)   Win–loss record т Tied with team above or below also with this symbol AP Poll The January 21, 1974 poll was the first where UCLA was not ranked #1 since the rankings on February 1, 1971 – a string of 46 consecutive AP polls that stretched across parts of four seasons. The Bruins would regain the top ranking for three more weeks before NC State would grab the top spot for the final six weeks. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Final  ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia 978-0-345-51392-2 Random House 2009 806–807 Dec. 3 Dec. 10 Dec. 17 Dec. 24 Dec. 31 Jan. 7 Jan. 14 Jan. 21 Jan. 28 Feb. 4 Feb. 11 Feb. 18 Feb. 25 Mar. 4 Mar. 11 Mar. 18 Mar. 26 UCLA NC State Indiana Maryland North Carolina 1973 men Providence Friars Providence Marquette Notre Dame Louisville Kentucky 1973 men San Francisco Dons San Francisco 1973 men Long Beach State 49ers Long Beach State Kansas 1973 men Houston Cougars Houston 1973 men Arizona Wildcats Arizona 1973 men Penn Quakers Penn 1973 men Jacksonville Dolphins Jacksonville 1973 men Alabama Crimson Tide Alabama 1973 men UNLV Rebels UNLV 1973 men Memphis State Tigers Memphis State UCLA (2–0) NC State (0–0) Indiana (1–0) Maryland (0–1) North Carolina (1–0) Providence (1–0) Marquette (1–0) Notre Dame (1–0) Louisville (0–1) Kentucky (1–0) San Francisco (1–1) Long Beach State (1–0) 1973 men Kansas State Wildcats Kansas State (1–0) npr Houston (0–1) Arizona (1–1) Penn (1–0) Jacksonville (1–1) Alabama (1–0) UNLV (0–1) Memphis State (2–0) Kansas UCLA (3–0) NC State (2–0) Indiana (3–0) Maryland (1–1) North Carolina (2–0) Notre Dame (4–0) u Marquette (4–0) Providence (1–0) d Louisville (3–1) Memphis State (4–0) u Penn (3–0) u Long Beach State (2–1) Alabama (2–0) u Arizona (3–1) u Kansas State (3–1) d South Carolina (3–0) npr San Francisco (1–2) d 1973 men Syracuse Orangemen Syracuse (3–0) npr Jacksonville (3–1) d 1973 men USC Trojans USC (2–1) npr Kentucky Houston UNLV UCLA (4–0) Maryland (2–1) u Notre Dame (5–0) u North Carolina (5–0) u NC State (2–1) d Marquette (5–0) u Indiana (4–1) d Louisville (4–1) u Providence (3–1) d Alabama (3–0) u Long Beach State (5–1) u Memphis State (6–1) d Kansas State (5–1) u Arizona (5–1) South Carolina (4–0) u USC (4–1) u 1973 men Vanderbilt Commodores Vanderbilt (6–0) npr Syracuse (4–0) Jacksonville (4–1) 1973 men Cincinnati Bearcats Cincinnati (5–0) npr Penn San Francisco UCLA (6–0) Maryland (4–1) Notre Dame (6–0) North Carolina (6–0) NC State (3–1) Marquette (7–0) Indiana (5–1) Louisville (6–1) Providence (6–1) Long Beach State (7–1) u Vanderbilt (7–0) u Arizona (5–1) u Alabama (4–1) d USC (6–1) u Syracuse (5–0) u Memphis State (7–2) d 1973 men New Mexico Lobos New Mexico (8–0) npr Kansas State (5–2) d 1973 men UNLV Rebels UNLV (7–1) npr 1973 men Austin Peay Governors Austin Peay (5–1) npr South Carolina Jacksonville Cincinnati UCLA (8–0) Notre Dame (7–0) u Maryland (5–1) d North Carolina (7–0) NC State (6–1) Marquette (9–0) Alabama (6–1) u Indiana (7–2) d Long Beach State (9–1) u Vanderbilt (8–0) u USC (9–1) u New Mexico (10–0) u Louisville (7–2) d Providence (8–2) d Arizona (8–2) d UNLV (9–1) u Wisconsin (7–1) npr Memphis State (8–3) d Syracuse (7–1) d Austin Peay (5–1) Kansas State UCLA (9–0) Notre Dame (7–0) Maryland (7–1) NC State (7–1) u North Carolina (7–1) d Vanderbilt (9–0) u Marquette (10–1) d New Mexico (12–0) u Long Beach State (10–1) Providence (9–2) u Louisville (8–2) u Alabama (6–2) d Indiana (7–3) d Wisconsin (8–1) u South Carolina (7–2) npr UNLV (9–1) d USC (9–2) d Michigan (9–2) npr Memphis State (10–3) d 1973 men Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Hawaii (11–0) npr Arizona Syracuse Austin Peay UCLA (11–0) Notre Dame (8–0) NC State (9–1) u Maryland (8–2) d North Carolina (9–1) Marquette (12–1) u Providence (11–2) u Vanderbilt (10–1) d Long Beach State (12–1) Alabama (9–2) u South Carolina (9–2) u Indiana (9–3) u USC (12–2) u Michigan (10–2) u New Mexico (12–2) d Louisville (9–3) d 1973 men Pittsburgh Panthers Pittsburgh (12–1) npr 1973 men Missouri Tigers Missouri (10–3) npr Wisconsin (9–2) d Cincinnati (10–3) npr UNLV Memphis State Hawaii Notre Dame (10–0) u UCLA (13–1) d NC State (11–1) North Carolina (12–1) u Maryland (10–2) d Marquette (14–1) Vanderbilt (12–1) u Providence (13–2) d Alabama (10–2) u Long Beach State (12–1) d Indiana (11–3) u USC (12–2) u South Carolina (10–3) d Louisville (10–3) u Michigan (11–2) d Pittsburgh (13–1) u Wisconsin (10–2) u Centenary (12–0) npr New Mexico (12–3) d 1973 men Arizona State Sun Devils Arizona State (11–4) npr Missouri Cincinnati UCLA (15–1) u NC State (13–1) u Notre Dame (12–1) d North Carolina (14–2) Marquette (16–1) u Maryland (11–3) d Vanderbilt (14–1) Alabama (13–2) u Providence (15–2) d Long Beach State (14–2) USC (14–2) u Indiana (12–3) d Pittsburgh (14–1) u South Carolina (12–3) d Louisville (11–3) d Wisconsin (11–2) u New Mexico (14–3) u Kansas (12–3) npr 1973 men Oral Roberts Golden Eagles Oral Roberts (16–2) npr Michigan (12–3) d Centenary Arizona State UCLA (16–1) NC State (15–1) Notre Dame (15–1) North Carolina (15–2) Vanderbilt (16–1) u Marquette (17–2) d Maryland (13–4) d Alabama (15–2) Long Beach State (16–2) u Pittsburgh (17–1) u Providence (16–3) d Indiana (13–3) South Carolina (13–3) u USC (14–3) d Louisville (14–3) Michigan (14–3) u Kansas (13–4) u 1973 men UTEP Miners UTEP (15–3) npr Oral Roberts (16–3) 1973 men Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks Maryland Eastern Shore (19–0) npr Wisconsin New Mexico UCLA (18–1) NC State (17–1) Notre Dame (18–1) North Carolina (17–2) Vanderbilt (18–1) Maryland (15–4) u Pittsburgh (19–1) u Alabama (16–3) Marquette (18–3) d Long Beach State (18–2) d Providence (18–3) Indiana (14–3) USC (16–3) u South Carolina (16–3) d Michigan (15–3) u Kansas (15–4) u Creighton (18–4) npr Louisville (14–4) d 1973 men Utah Utes Utah (16–5) npr 1973 men Arizona Wildcats Arizona (16–5) npr UTEP Oral Roberts Maryland Eastern Shore NC State (20–1) u Notre Dame (20–1) u UCLA (18–3) d Vanderbilt (20–1) u Maryland (17–4) u North Carolina (18–3) d Pittsburgh (21–1) Alabama (18–3) Marquette (19–3) Indiana (16–3) u Providence (21–3) USC (18–3) u Long Beach State (20–2) d South Carolina (16–4) Creighton (19–4) u Kansas (16–5) Utah (17–5) u Kansas State (17–5) npr Michigan (16–4) d Louisville (15–5) d Arizona NC State (22–1) Notre Dame (22–1) UCLA (20–3) North Carolina (20–3) u Maryland (19–4) Vanderbilt (21–2) d Alabama (20–3) u Marquette (21–3) u Indiana (18–3) u USC (20–3) u Pittsburgh (22–2) d Providence (23–3) d Long Beach State (21–2) South Carolina (19–4) Kansas (17–5) u Creighton (21–5) d Michigan (17–4) u Arizona (19–6) npr New Mexico (19–6) npr Louisville (17–5) Utah Kansas State NC State (24–1) Notre Dame (24–1) UCLA (22–3) Maryland (21–4) u Vanderbilt (23–2) u North Carolina (21–4) d USC (22–3) u Providence (25–3) u Long Beach State (23–2) u South Carolina (21–4) u Marquette (22–4) d Alabama (21–4) d Indiana (19–4) d Pittsburgh (23–3) d Kansas (19–5) Michigan (19–4) u New Mexico (20–6) u Louisville (19–5) u Creighton (21–5) d Oral Roberts (21–4) npr Arizona NC State (26–1) UCLA (23–3) u Notre Dame (25–2) d Maryland (23–5) Providence (27–3) u Vanderbilt (23–3) d Marquette (23–4) u North Carolina (22–5) d Long Beach State (23–2) Indiana (20–4) u Alabama (22–4) u Michigan (20–4) u Pittsburgh (24–3) u Kansas (21–5) u USC (22–4) d Louisville (21–5) u New Mexico (21–6) South Carolina (22–5) d Creighton (22–6) Dayton (20–7) npr Oral Roberts NC State (28–1) UCLA (25–3) Marquette (25–4) u Maryland (23–5) Notre Dame (26–3) d Kansas (23–5) u Michigan (22–5) u Providence (28–4) d Long Beach State (23–2) North Carolina (22–6) d Indiana (21–5) d Vanderbilt (23–5) d Alabama (22–4) d USC (23–4) u Pittsburgh (25–4) d Dayton (20–9) u South Carolina (22–5) u Oral Roberts (23–5) npr Purdue (18–9) npr New Mexico (22–7) d Louisville Creighton NC State (30–1) UCLA (26–4) Marquette (26–5) Maryland (23–5) Notre Dame (26–3) Michigan (22–5) u Kansas (23–7) d Providence (28–4) Indiana (23–5) u Long Beach State (23–2) d Purdue (21–9) u North Carolina (22–6) d Vanderbilt (23–5) d Alabama (22–4) d Utah (22–8) npr Pittsburgh (25–4) d USC (24–5) d Oral Roberts (23–5) South Carolina (22–5) d Dayton (20–9) d New Mexico UPI Poll 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Final Dec. 11 Dec. 18 Dec. 25 Jan. 2 Jan. 8 Jan. 15 Jan. 22 Jan. 29 Feb. 5 Feb. 12 Feb. 19 Feb. 26 Mar. 5 Mar. 12 UCLA (3–0) NC State (2–0) Indiana (3–0) North Carolina (2–0) Maryland (1–1) Marquette (4–0) Notre Dame (4–0) 1973 men Providence Friars Providence (1–0) 1973 men Memphis State Tigers Memphis State (4–0) Louisville (3–1) 1973 men Alabama Crimson Tide Alabama (2–0) 1973 men Long Beach State 49ers Long Beach State (2–1) South Carolina (3–0) 1973 men Kansas State Wildcats Kansas State (3–1) 1973 men Cincinnati Bearcats Cincinnati (3–0) 1973 men New Mexico Lobos New Mexico (4–0) 1973 men Penn Quakers Penn (3–0) т t 1973 men Arizona Wildcats Arizona (3–1) т 1973 men USC Trojans USC (2–1) т t 1973 men Vanderbilt Commodores Vanderbilt (4–0) т UCLA (4–0) North Carolina (5–0) u Notre Dame (5–0) u Marquette (5–0) u Maryland (2–1) NC State (2–1) d Indiana (4–1) d Providence (3–1) Louisville (4–1) u USC (4–1) u Alabama (3–0) т t Kansas State (5–1) т u Long Beach State (5–1) d South Carolina (4–0) d Cincinnati (5–0) т t New Mexico (7–0) т u Vanderbilt (6–0) u 1973 men Oklahoma Sooners Oklahoma (4–1) npr Memphis State (6–1) т td Arizona (5–1) т d Penn UCLA (6–0) Notre Dame (6–0) u North Carolina (6–0) d Maryland (4–1) u NC State (3–1) u Marquette (7–0) d Indiana (5–1) Providence (6–1) Louisville (6–1) USC (6–1) Vanderbilt (7–0) u Long Beach State (7–1) u New Mexico (8–0) u Oklahoma (5–1) u Arizona (5–1) u 1973 men UNLV Runnin' Rebels UNLV (7–1) npr Alabama (4–1) td 1973 men Syracuse Orangemen Syracuse (5–0) npr Memphis State (7–2) South Carolina (4–1) d Kansas State (5–2) Cincinnati UCLA (8–0) Notre Dame (7–0) Maryland (5–1) u North Carolina (7–0) d NC State (6–1) Marquette (9–0) USC (9–1) u Indiana (7–2) d New Mexico (10–0) u Alabama (6–1) u Long Beach State (9–1) u Vanderbilt (8–0) d Providence (8–2) d Louisville (7–2) d 1973 men Missouri Tigers Missouri (6–2) npr Wisconsin (7–1) npr South Carolina (5–2) u Arizona (8–2) т td UNLV (9–1) т td Purdue (7–3) т npr Oklahoma Syracuse (7–1) Memphis State (8–3) UCLA (9–0) Notre Dame (7–0) Maryland (7–1) NC State (7–1) u North Carolina (7–1) d Marquette (10–1) New Mexico (12–0) u Vanderbilt (9–0) u Long Beach State (10–1) т tu Louisville (8–2) т u Providence (9–2) u Alabama (6–2) т td Indiana (7–3) т d South Carolina (7–2) u Wisconsin (8–1) u USC (9–2) d Missouri (8–3) d UNLV (9–1) Memphis State (10–3) npr Dayton (8–2) npr Arizona Purdue UCLA (11–0) Notre Dame (8–0) NC State (9–1) u Maryland (8–2) d North Carolina (9–1) Marquette (12–1) Providence (11–2) u Vanderbilt (10–1) Indiana (9–3) u Long Beach State (12–1) d Alabama (9–2) u New Mexico (12–2) d South Carolina (9–2) u USC (12–2) u Louisville (9–3) d Missouri (10–3) u 1973 men Arizona State Sun Devils Arizona State (10–4) npr Michigan (10–2) т tnpr Wisconsin (9–2) т d Syracuse (8–3) npr UNLV Memphis State Dayton Notre Dame (10–0) u UCLA (13–1) d NC State (11–1) Maryland (10–2) North Carolina (12–1) Marquette (14–1) Providence (13–2) Vanderbilt (12–1) Long Beach State (12–1) u Alabama (10–2) u USC (12–2) u 1973 men Pittsburgh Panthers Pittsburgh (13–1) npr Indiana (11–3) d South Carolina (10–3) d Louisville (10–3) Wisconsin (10–2) u Kansas (11–3) npr Arizona State (11–4) d 1973 men UTEP Miners UTEP (12–2) npr Michigan (11–2) d New Mexico (12–3) Missouri Syracuse UCLA (15–1) u NC State (13–1) u Notre Dame (12–1) d North Carolina (14–2) u Marquette (16–1) u Maryland (11–3) d Vanderbilt (14–1) u Providence (15–2) d Alabama (13–2) u Pittsburgh (14–1) u USC (14–2) Long Beach State (14–2) d Indiana (12–3) т t Louisville (11–3) т u South Carolina (12–3) d Kansas (12–3) u Wisconsin (11–2) d UTEP (14–3) u Purdue (12–5) т tnpr Syracuse (12–3) т npr Arizona State Michigan (12–3) UCLA (16–1) NC State (15–1) Notre Dame (15–1) North Carolina (15–2) Marquette (17–2) Vanderbilt (16–1) u Maryland (13–4) d Alabama (15–2) u Pittsburgh (17–1) u USC (14–3) u Indiana (13–3) u Providence (16–3) d Louisville (14–3) Long Beach State (16–2) d UTEP (15–3) u Kansas (13–4) South Carolina (13–3) d Creighton (16–4) т tnpr Penn (15–4) т tnpr Syracuse (13–4) т u Wisconsin Purdue UCLA (18–1) NC State (17–1) Notre Dame (18–1) North Carolina (17–2) Vanderbilt (18–1) u Maryland (15–4) u Maryland (18–3) d Pittsburgh (19–1) u Indiana (14–3) u Long Beach State (18–2) u Alabama (16–3) d Providence (18–3) USC (16–3) d Kansas (15–4) u Michigan (15–3) npr South Carolina (16–3) u Louisville (14–4) d Creighton (18–4) 1973 men Utah Utes Utah (16–5) npr Purdue (14–6) npr UTEP Penn Syracuse NC State (20–1) u Notre Dame (20–1) u UCLA (18–3) North Carolina (18–3) Vanderbilt (20–1) Maryland (17–4) Marquette (19–3) Pittsburgh (21–1) USC (18–3) u Indiana (16–3) d Alabama (18–3) Providence (21–3) Long Beach State (20–2) d Kansas (16–5) Kansas State (17–5) npr South Carolina (16–4) т t Creighton (19–4) т u Utah (17–5) u New Mexico (17–5) npr Louisville (15–5) d Michigan (16–4) Purdue NC State (22–1) Notre Dame (22–1) UCLA (20–3) North Carolina (20–3) Maryland (19–4) u Indiana (18–3) u Marquette (21–3) Vanderbilt (21–2) d USC (20–3) Alabama (20–3) u Pittsburgh (22–2) td Long Beach State (21–2) u Providence (23–3) d Kansas (17–5) Kansas State (18–5) South Carolina (19–4) т tu Creighton (21–5) т New Mexico (19–6) u UTEP (18–6) npr Louisville (17–5) Utah NC State (24–1) Notre Dame (24–1) UCLA (22–3) North Carolina (21–4) Maryland (21–4) Vanderbilt (23–2) u USC (22–3) u Providence (25–3) u Marquette (22–4) d Indiana (19–4) d South Carolina (21–4) u Long Beach State (23–2) d Kansas (19–5) u New Mexico (20–6) u Louisville (19–5) u Alabama (21–4) d Pittsburgh (23–3) d Creighton (21–5) d Michigan (19–4) npr Syracuse (19–6) npr Kansas State UTEP NC State (26–1) UCLA (23–3) u Notre Dame (25–2) d Maryland (23–5) u Marquette (23–4) u Providence (27–3) u Vanderbilt (23–3) d North Carolina (22–5) d Indiana (20–4) u Kansas (21–5) u Long Beach State (23–2) u Michigan (20–4) u USC (22–4) d Pittsburgh (24–3) u Louisville (21–5) South Carolina (22–5) d Creighton (22–6) u New Mexico (21–6) d Alabama (22–4) т td Dayton (20–7) т npr Syracuse References Rankings Category:College men's basketball rankings in the United States