1996–97 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings

November 2025 none August 2023 1996 NCAA logo.svg Cincinnati Arizona The 1996–97 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 After Cincinnati sat atop the poll for the initial three releases, Kansas assumed the top spot in the poll for the remainder of the season. Arizona, ranked number 15 in the final poll (released on March 10), became the first team to defeat three #1 seeds – Kansas, North Carolina, and Kentucky – en route to winning the NCAA Tournament. 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Final  ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game Random House 1053–1054 2009 978-0-345-51392-2 Nov. 19 Nov. 26 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 Cincinnati Kansas Kentucky Wake Forest UCLA Utah Villanova North Carolina Michigan Duke Iowa State 1996 men Syracuse Orangemen Syracuse Arkansas 1996 men Fresno State Bulldogs Fresno State UMass Texas New Mexico Stanford Arizona Clemson Boston College Minnesota Iowa 1996 men George Washington Colonials George Washington Marquette Cincinnati (0–0) Kansas (0–0) Wake Forest (0–0) u Utah (0–0) u UCLA (0–0) Villanova (0–0) u North Carolina (0–0) u Kentucky (0–1) d Michigan (0–0) Duke (0–0) Iowa State (0–0) Clemson (1–0) u Syracuse (0–0) d Fresno State (0–0) UMass (0–0) Arkansas (0–0) d Texas (0–0) d New Mexico (0–0) d Arizona (0–0) Stanford (0–0) d Boston College (0–0) Indiana (1–0) npr Minnesota (0–0) d George Washington (0–0) Iowa (0–0) d Marquette (0–0) Cincinnati (1–0) Kansas (1–0) Wake Forest (1–0) Utah (1–0) Villanova (0–0) u Duke (2–0) u Michigan (0–0) u Kentucky (0–1) Iowa State (0–0) u Clemson (2–0) u Arizona (1–0) u Syracuse (1–0) u UCLA (0–1) d North Carolina (0–1) d Fresno State (1–0) d Arkansas (1–0) UMass (0–0) d Texas (1–0) d New Mexico (3–0) d Indiana (3–0) u Stanford (0–0) d Tulsa (2–0) npr Boston College (1–0) d Minnesota (1–0) d George Washington (2–0) d Iowa (1–0) Kansas (5–0) u Wake Forest (4–0) u Utah (3–0) u Cincinnati (2–1) d Villanova (3–0) Kentucky (3–1) u Michigan (2–0) Indiana (4–0) u Iowa State (3–0) Duke (2–1) d New Mexico (5–0) u Clemson (4–1) d Fresno State (4–0) u North Carolina (2–1) Arizona (2–1) d Minnesota (5–0) u UCLA (0–1) d Texas (2–0) Syracuse (3–1) d Boston College (2–0) u Tulsa (2–1) u Arkansas (2–1) d Xavier (3–0) npr Stanford (2–1) d Virginia (3–1) npr UMass George Washington Kansas (7–0) Wake Forest (6–0) Kentucky (5–1) u Villanova (5–0) u Michigan (5–0) u Iowa State (4–0) u Cincinnati (2–2) d Arizona (3–1) u Utah (4–1) d Clemson (6–1) u North Carolina (5–1) u Indiana (6–1) d Texas (4–0) u Duke (5–2) d New Mexico (6–1) d Fresno State (5–1) d Minnesota (5–1) d Texas Tech (5–0) npr Xavier (5–0) u Arkansas (3–1) u Stanford (3–1) u Louisville (4–0) npr UCLA (1–2) d Alabama (7–0) npr Boston College (3–1) d Syracuse Tulsa Virginia Kansas (9–0) Wake Forest (7–0) Kentucky (7–1) Michigan (7–0) u Iowa State (6–0) u Arizona (5–1) u Cincinnati (2–2) Clemson (7–1) u Utah (5–1) Villanova (6–1) d Duke (7–2) u North Carolina (6–1) d Indiana (9–1) d Texas (5–1) d New Mexico (7–1) Minnesota (6–1) u Xavier (7–0) u Louisville (6–0) u Arkansas (4–1) u Alabama (8–0) u Fresno State (6–2) d Stanford (4–1) d Texas Tech (5–1) d UCLA (2–2) d Maryland (7–0) npr Boston College (4–1) Kansas (10–0) Wake Forest (8–0) Kentucky (8–1) Michigan (8–0) Iowa State (8–0) Clemson (10–1) u Cincinnati (4–2) Utah (6–1) u Arizona (5–2) d Villanova (7–1) North Carolina (9–1) u Duke (8–2) d Indiana (10–1) New Mexico (8–1) u Minnesota (8–1) u Louisville (8–0) u Xavier (8–0) Texas (6–2) d Alabama (10–0) u Texas Tech (7–1) u Maryland (8–0) u Arkansas (5–2) d Stanford (6–1) d 1996 men Oregon Ducks Oregon (7–0) npr Boston College (5–1) npr Fresno State (6–3) UCLA Kansas (10–0) Wake Forest (8–0) Kentucky (10–1) Iowa State (8–0) u Clemson (10–1) u Cincinnati (5–2) u Utah (8–1) u Michigan (9–1) d Arizona (6–2) Villanova (9–1) North Carolina (9–1) Indiana (13–1) u Duke (8–2) d Louisville (10–0) u Minnesota (10–1) New Mexico (11–1) d Xavier (9–0) Texas (6–2) Maryland (11–0) u Oregon (9–0) u Stanford (7–1) u Arkansas (6–2) Texas Tech (8–2) d Illinois (10–2) npr Boston College (6–2) Alabama (10–2) Kansas (13–0) Wake Forest (10–0) Kentucky (12–1) Iowa State (10–0) Clemson (12–1) Cincinnati (8–2) Arizona (9–2) u Villanova (11–1) u Utah (9–1) d Duke (11–2) u Minnesota (13–1) u Xavier (10–0) u North Carolina (9–2) d Louisville (11–1) Indiana (14–2) d Michigan (10–3) d Oregon (10–0) u New Mexico (11–2) d Maryland (12–1) Texas Tech (9–2) u Stanford (8–2) Texas (7–3) d Boston College (8–2) u 1996 men Georgia Bulldogs Georgia (11–2) npr Illinois (11–3) d Arkansas Kansas (16–0) Wake Forest (12–0) Clemson (14–1) u Cincinnati (11–2) u Kentucky (14–2) d Arizona (10–2) u Minnesota (15–1) u Iowa State (11–1) d Utah (10–2) Louisville (13–1) u Maryland (14–1) u New Mexico (13–2) u Duke (11–4) d Xavier (11–1) d Stanford (10–2) u Villanova (12–3) d Indiana (14–3) d Michigan (11–4) d Boston College (10–2) u Ole Miss (11–3) npr Georgia (12–2) u North Carolina (9–4) d Texas (8–4) d Oregon (10–2) d Texas Tech (10–3) d Illinois Kansas (18–0) Clemson (16–1) u Kentucky (16–2) u Wake Forest (13–1) d Utah (12–2) u Louisville (15–1) u Maryland (15–2) u Minnesota (16–2) d Cincinnati (12–3) d Duke (14–4) u Arizona (10–4) d Villanova (14–3) u Michigan (13–4) u Iowa State (11–3) d New Mexico (14–3) d Xavier (12–2) d Stanford (11–3) d Colorado (14–3) npr North Carolina (11–4) u Texas Tech (12–3) u Indiana (15–4) d Boston College (12–3) d Texas (9–5) Tulsa (14–4) npr Marquette (12–3) npr Ole Miss Georgia Oregon Kansas (20–0) Wake Forest (15–1) u Kentucky (18–2) Utah (13–2) u Maryland (17–2) u Minnesota (18–2) u Clemson (16–3) d Cincinnati (14–3) u Louisville (16–2) d Arizona (12–4) u Iowa State (13–3) u Duke (15–5) d New Mexico (15–3) u Villanova (15–4) d Stanford (13–3) u Michigan (14–5) d Indiana (17–4) u Colorado (15–4) North Carolina (12–5) Xavier (13–3) d Tulsa (15–4) u Texas Tech (13–4) d Texas (11–5) Marquette (13–3) u South Carolina (13–5) npr Boston College (13–4) Kansas (22–0) Wake Forest (18–1) Kentucky (20–2) Minnesota (19–2) u Utah (15–3) d Iowa State (15–3) u Maryland (17–4) d Duke (17–5) u New Mexico (16–3) u Clemson (17–4) d Louisville (18–3) d Cincinnati (15–4) d Michigan (16–5) u Arizona (13–5) d Colorado (16–4) u Villanova (16–5) d Xavier (15–3) u Stanford (13–4) d South Carolina (15–5) u North Carolina (13–6) d Tulane (16–5) npr Tulsa (17–5) d Texas Tech (13–5) d Indiana (17–6) d Iowa (15–5) npr Texas Marquette Kansas (23–1) Wake Forest (19–2) Minnesota (20–2) u Kentucky (22–3) d Utah (17–3) Duke (19–5) u Clemson (19–4) u Cincinnati (17–4) u Iowa State (16–4) d Maryland (18–5) d Arizona (15–5) u South Carolina (17–5) u New Mexico (18–4) d Michigan (17–6) d Colorado (17–6) North Carolina (15–6) u Louisville (18–5) d Villanova (17–6) d Xavier (16–4) d Illinois (17–6) npr Texas Tech (14–6) u Stanford (13–6) d Tulane (16–7) d UCLA (13–7) npr College of Charleston (21–2) npr Tulsa (17–6) Indiana Iowa (16–6) Kansas (25–1) Minnesota (22–2) u Kentucky (24–3) u Wake Forest (20–3) d Utah (19–3) Duke (21–5) Iowa State (18–4) u Clemson (20–5) d South Carolina (18–6) u New Mexico (20–4) u Cincinnati (19–5) d North Carolina (17–6) u Arizona (16–6) d Maryland (19–6) d Louisville (19–5) u Xavier (18–4) u UCLA (15–7) u Michigan (17–7) d Villanova (18–7) d Stanford (15–6) u Colorado (17–7) d College of Charleston (23–2) u Illinois (18–7) d Indiana (20–7) npr California (18–6) npr Texas Tech (15–7) Tulane Kansas (27–1) Minnesota (24–2) Kentucky (26–3) Utah (20–3) u Wake Forest (21–4) d South Carolina (21–6) u Duke (22–6) d North Carolina (19–6) u Cincinnati (22–5) u UCLA (17–7) u New Mexico (21–5) d Clemson (20–7) d Iowa State (18–6) d Xavier (20–4) u Arizona (17–7) d Maryland (20–7) d Louisville (21–6) d Villanova (20–7) u Colorado (19–7) u College of Charleston (25–2) u Illinois (18–8) u Indiana (21–8) u Saint Joseph's (19–6) npr Michigan (17–9) d Stanford (16–7) d California (19–7) Kansas (29–1) Minnesota (26–2) Utah (23–3) u South Carolina (23–6) u North Carolina (21–6) u Kentucky (27–4) d Duke (23–7) Wake Forest (22–5) d UCLA (19–7) u Cincinnati (24–6) d Xavier (22–4) u Arizona (19–7) u Clemson (21–8) d New Mexico (22–6) d Illinois (20–8) u Iowa State (19–7) d College of Charleston (28–2) u Colorado (21–8) u Saint Joseph's (21–6) u Louisville (22–7) d Villanova (21–8) d Maryland (20–9) d Stanford (18–7) u Georgia (21–7) npr Indiana (21–9) d Michigan Kansas (32–1) Utah (26–3) u Minnesota (27–3) d North Carolina (24–6) u Kentucky (30–4) u South Carolina (24–7) d UCLA (21–7) u Duke (23–8) d Wake Forest (23–6) d Cincinnati (25–7) New Mexico (24–7) u Saint Joseph's (24–6) u Xavier (22–5) d Clemson (21–9) d Arizona (19–9) d College of Charleston (28–2) u Georgia (24–8) u Iowa State (20–8) d Illinois (21–9) d Villanova (23–9) u Stanford (20–7) u Maryland (21–10) Boston College (21–8) npr Colorado (21–9) d Louisville (23–8) d Indiana (22–10) Coaches Poll 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Final   Nov. 26 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 Apr. 1 Kansas Cincinnati Wake Forest Kentucky Utah UCLA North Carolina Villanova Michigan Duke Iowa State 1996 men Syracuse Orangemen Syracuse UMass Stanford Texas Arizona Clemson Arkansas 1996 men Fresno State Bulldogs Fresno State Iowa Boston College New Mexico 1996 men Tulane Green Wave Tulane Indiana Louisville Cincinnati (1–0) u Kansas (1–0) d Wake Forest (1–0) Utah (1–0) u Duke (2–0) u Villanova (0–0) u Michigan (0–0) u Kentucky (0–1) d Clemson (2–0) u Arizona (1–0) u Syracuse (1–0) u North Carolina (0–1) d Texas (1–0) u Stanford (0–0) Iowa State (0–0) d UMass (0–0) d Indiana (3–0) u UCLA (0–1) d Fresno State (1–0) Arkansas (1–0) d Tulsa (2–0) npr New Mexico (3–0) Iowa (1–0) d Boston College (1–0) d 1996 men George Washington Colonials George Washington (2–0) npr Tulane Louisville Kansas (5–0) u Wake Forest (4–0) u Utah (3–0) u Cincinnati (2–1) d Kentucky (3–1) u Indiana (4–0) u Michigan (2–0) Villanova (3–0) d Clemson (4–1) Duke (2–1) d Texas (2–0) u New Mexico (5–0) u Arizona (2–1) d North Carolina (2–1) d Iowa State (3–0) Fresno State (4–0) u UCLA (0–1) u Syracuse (3–1) d Tulsa (2–1) u Minnesota (5–0) npr Stanford (2–1) d Boston College (2–0) u Arkansas (2–1) d Georgetown (3–0) npr Texas Tech (3–0) npr UMass Iowa George Washington Kansas (7–0) Wake Forest (6–0) Kentucky (5–1) u Villanova (5–0) u Michigan (5–0) u Clemson (6–1) u Utah (4–1) d Arizona (3–1) u Cincinnati (2–2) d Indiana (6–1) d North Carolina (5–1) u Iowa State (4–0) u Texas (4–0) d Duke (5–2) d New Mexico (6–1) d Fresno State (5–1) Minnesota (5–1) u Stanford (3–1) u Texas Tech (5–0) u Arkansas (3–1) u Xavier (5–0) npr Louisville (4–0) npr Boston College (3–1) d Georgetown (5–1) George Washington (5–1) npr UCLA Syracuse Tulsa Kansas (9–0) Wake Forest (7–0) Kentucky (7–1) Michigan (7–0) u Iowa State (6–0) u Arizona (5–1) u Utah (5–1) Clemson (7–1) d Indiana (9–1) u Cincinnati (2–2) d Duke (7–2) u Villanova (6–1) d North Carolina (6–1) d Texas (5–1) d New Mexico (7–1) Minnesota (6–1) u Fresno State (6–2) d Louisville (6–0) u Xavier (7–0) u Stanford (4–1) d Arkansas (4–1) d Alabama (8–0) npr Texas Tech (5–1) d Boston College (4–1) d Maryland (7–0) npr Georgetown George Washington Kansas (10–0) Wake Forest (8–0) Kentucky (8–1) Michigan (8–0) Iowa State (8–0) Cincinnati (4–2) u Utah (6–1) Duke (8–2) u Clemson (10–1) d North Carolina (9–1) u Indiana (10–1) d Villanova (7–1) Arizona (5–2) d New Mexico (8–1) u Louisville (8–0) u Texas (6–2) d Minnesota (8–1) d Xavier (8–0) u Alabama (10–0) u Stanford (6–1) Maryland (8–0) u Texas Tech (7–1) u Fresno State (7–0) d Arkansas (5–2) d Boston College (5–1) d Kansas (10–0) Wake Forest (8–0) Kentucky (10–1) Iowa State (8–0) u Michigan (9–1) d Cincinnati (5–2) Clemson (10–1) u Utah (8–1) d North Carolina (9–1) u Indiana (13–1) u Duke (8–2) d Villanova (9–1) Arizona (6–2) New Mexico (11–1) Louisville (10–0) Minnesota (10–1) u Texas (6–2) d Maryland (11–0) u Xavier (9–0) d Stanford (7–1) Texas Tech (8–2) u 1996 men Oregon Ducks Oregon (9–0) npr Alabama (10–2) d Arkansas (6–2) Boston College (6–2) Fresno State Kansas (13–0) Wake Forest (10–0) Kentucky (12–1) Iowa State (10–0) Clemson (12–1) u Cincinnati (8–2) Villanova (11–1) u Arizona (9–2) u Duke (11–2) u Utah (9–1) d Minnesota (13–1) u North Carolina (9–2) d Xavier (10–0) u Michigan (10–3) d Indiana (14–2) d Louisville (11–1) d Maryland (12–1) u New Mexico (11–2) d Texas (7–3) d Oregon (10–0) u Texas Tech (9–2) Stanford (8–2) d Boston College (8–2) u Illinois (10–2) npr 1996 men Georgia Bulldogs Georgia (11–2) npr Alabama Arkansas Kansas (16–0) Wake Forest (12–0) Clemson (14–1) u Kentucky (14–2) d Iowa State (11–1) d Cincinnati (11–2) Arizona (10–2) u Minnesota (15–1) u Utah (10–2) u Louisville (13–1) u Xavier (11–1) u Maryland (14–1) u Duke (11–4) d New Mexico (13–2) u Villanova (12–3) d Indiana (14–3) d Stanford (10–2) u Michigan (11–4) d Boston College (10–2) u Texas (8–4) d North Carolina (9–4) d Oregon (10–2) d Texas Tech (10–3) d Georgia (12–2) u Ole Miss (11–3) npr Illinois Kansas (18–0) Wake Forest (13–1) Clemson (16–1) Kentucky (16–2) Utah (12–2) u Minnesota (16–2) u Cincinnati (12–3) d Louisville (15–1) u Duke (14–4) u Maryland (15–2) u Arizona (10–4) d Iowa State (11–3) d Villanova (14–3) u New Mexico (14–3) Xavier (12–2) d Michigan (13–4) u Stanford (11–3) North Carolina (11–4) u Indiana (15–4) d Texas Tech (12–3) u Texas (9–5) d Colorado (14–3) npr Boston College (12–3) d Iowa (14–4) npr Illinois (13–4) npr Oregon Georgia Ole Miss Kansas (20–0) Wake Forest (15–1) Kentucky (18–2) u Utah (13–2) u Minnesota (18–2) u Clemson (16–3) d Cincinnati (14–3) Louisville (16–2) Maryland (17–2) u Arizona (12–4) u Duke (15–5) d Iowa State (13–3) Villanova (15–4) New Mexico (15–3) Stanford (13–3) u Michigan (14–5) Indiana (17–4) u North Carolina (12–5) Xavier (13–3) d Colorado (15–4) u Texas (11–5) Texas Tech (13–4) d Marquette (13–3) npr Tulsa (15–4) npr Boston College (13–4) d Iowa Illinois Kansas (22–0) Wake Forest (18–1) Kentucky (20–2) Minnesota (19–2) u Louisville (18–3) u Cincinnati (15–4) u Utah (15–3) d Clemson (17–4) d Maryland (17–4) New Mexico (16–3) u Duke (17–5) т t Arizona (13–5) т d Iowa State (15–3) d Villanova (16–5) d Michigan (16–5) u Stanford (13–4) d Xavier (15–3) u North Carolina (13–6) Colorado (16–4) u South Carolina (15–5) npr Texas Tech (13–5) u Tulsa (17–5) u Indiana (17–6) d Tulane (16–5) npr Illinois (15–6) npr Texas Marquette Boston College Kansas (23–1) Wake Forest (19–2) Minnesota (20–2) u Kentucky (22–3) d Utah (17–3) u Clemson (19–4) u Duke (19–5) u Cincinnati (17–4) d Iowa State (16–4) u Maryland (18–5) d Arizona (15–5) New Mexico (18–4) d South Carolina (17–5) u Michigan (17–6) u Louisville (18–5) d Colorado (17–6) u North Carolina (15–6) u Villanova (17–6) d Xavier (16–4) d Texas Tech (14–6) u Illinois (17–6) u Stanford (13–6) d Tulane (16–7) u Tulsa (17–6) d UCLA (13–7) npr Indiana Kansas (25–1) Minnesota (22–2) u Kentucky (24–3) u Wake Forest (20–3) d Utah (19–3) Duke (21–5) u Clemson (20–5) d Iowa State (18–4) u South Carolina (18–6) u New Mexico (20–4) u Cincinnati (19–5) d Arizona (16–6) d Maryland (19–6) d North Carolina (17–6) u Louisville (19–5) Michigan (17–7) d Xavier (18–4) u Villanova (18–7) UCLA (15–7) u Colorado (17–7) d Illinois (18–7) Stanford (15–6) Texas Tech (15–7) d College of Charleston (23–2) npr Indiana (20–7) npr Tulane Tulsa Kansas (27–1) Minnesota (24–2) Kentucky (26–3) Utah (20–3) u Wake Forest (21–4) d South Carolina (21–6) u Duke (22–6) d Cincinnati (22–5) u North Carolina (19–6) u Clemson (20–7) d New Mexico (21–5) d Iowa State (18–6) d Arizona (17–7) d UCLA (17–7) u Louisville (21–6) Maryland (20–7) d Xavier (20–4) Villanova (20–7) Colorado (19–7) u College of Charleston (25–2) u Michigan (17–9) d Indiana (21–8) u Illinois (18–8) d Stanford (16–7) d California (19–7) npr Texas Tech Kansas (29–1) Minnesota (26–2) Utah (23–3) u South Carolina (23–6) u Kentucky (27–4) d North Carolina (21–6) u Duke (23–7) UCLA (19–7) u Wake Forest (22–5) d Cincinnati (24–6) d Arizona (19–7) u New Mexico (22–6) u Clemson (21–8) d Xavier (22–4) u Iowa State (19–7) d Colorado (21–8) u Villanova (21–8) u College of Charleston (28–2) u Louisville (22–7) d Maryland (20–9) d Illinois (20–8) u Stanford (18–7) u Saint Joseph's (21–6) npr Indiana (21–9) d Princeton (22–3) npr Michigan California Kansas (32–1) Utah (26–3) u Minnesota (27–3) d Kentucky (30–4) u North Carolina (24–6) u South Carolina (24–7) d UCLA (21–7) u Duke (23–8) d Wake Forest (23–6) Cincinnati (25–7) New Mexico (24–7) u Clemson (21–9) u Arizona (19–9) d Xavier (22–5) Saint Joseph's (24–6) u Villanova (23–9) u Iowa State (20–8) d College of Charleston (28–2) Maryland (21–10) u Boston College (21–8) npr Stanford (20–7) u Georgia (24–8) npr Colorado (21–9) d Illinois (21–9) d Louisville (23–8) d Indiana (22–10) Princeton Arizona (25–9) u Kentucky (35–5) d Minnesota (31–4) North Carolina (28–7) u Kansas (34–2) d Utah (29–4) d UCLA (24–8) Clemson (23–10) u Wake Forest (24–7) Louisville (26–9) u Duke (24–9) d Stanford (22–8) u Iowa State (22–9) u South Carolina (24–8) d Providence (24–12) npr Cincinnati (26–8) d Saint Joseph's (26–7) d California (25–9) npr New Mexico (25–8) d Texas (18–12) npr College of Charleston (29–3) d Xavier (23–6) d Boston College (22–9) d Michigan (23–11) npr Colorado (22–10) d Georgia (24–9) Illinois (22–10) Villanova (24–10) Maryland (21–11) References Rankings Category:College men's basketball rankings in the United States