1972–73 NCAA University Division men's basketball rankings

November 2025 August 2023 1972 NCAA 70s logo.svg UCLA UCLA The 1972–73 NCAA University Division 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 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Final  ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game Random House 796–797 2009 978-0-345-51392-2 Dec. 4 Dec. 11 Dec. 18 Dec. 26 Jan. 2 Jan. 8 Jan. 15 Jan. 22 Jan. 29 Feb. 5 Feb. 12 Feb. 19 Feb. 26 Mar. 5 Mar. 12 UCLA 1972 men Florida State Seminoles Florida State Maryland 1972 men Minnesota Golden Gophers Minnesota 1972 men Marquette Warriors Marquette 1972 men Long Beach State 49ers Long Beach State 1972 men Southwestern Louisiana Bulldogs Southwestern Louisiana 1972 men NC State Wolfpack NC State 1972 men Penn Quakers Penn 1972 men Ohio State Buckeyes Ohio State Memphis State 1972 men BYU Cougars BYU Kentucky 1972 men Tennessee Volunteers Tennessee Houston South Carolina 1972 men Kansas State Wildcats Kansas State 1972 men Oral Roberts Golden Eagles Oral Roberts Michigan 1972 men USC Trojans USC т1972 men Louisville Cardinals Louisville т UCLA (3–0) Florida State (1–0) Maryland (2–0) Minnesota (2–0) Marquette (1–0) NC State (2–0) u Long Beach State (1–0) d Kentucky (1–0) u Penn (1–0) Southwestern Louisiana (1–0) d Memphis State (1–0) Oral Roberts (0–0) u North Carolina (2–0) npr Tennessee (1–0) Ohio State (1–1) d Kansas State (2–0) u USC (1–0) u Michigan (1–0) u Providence (0–0) npr Houston (3–1) d BYU South Carolina Louisville UCLA (3–0) Florida State (3–0) Maryland (3–0) Marquette (3–0) u Minnesota (3–0) d NC State (4–0) Long Beach State (3–0) Southwestern Louisiana (4–0) u Penn (3–0) Oral Roberts (2–0) u North Carolina (4–0) u 1972 men Missouri Tigers Missouri (5–0) npr 1972 men Vanderbilt Commodores Vanderbilt (5–0) npr Providence (1–0) u Indiana (3–0) npr Houston (5–1) u BYU (3–1) npr Michigan (3–1) Memphis State (7–2) d Kansas State (3–1) d Kentucky Tennessee Ohio State USC UCLA (4–0) Maryland (4–0) u Marquette (4–0) u NC State (6–0) u Minnesota (4–0) Long Beach State (4–0) u Florida State (4–1) d Southwestern Louisiana (6–0) Indiana (5–0) u Missouri (7–0) u Penn (4–0) d Vanderbilt (7–0) u North Carolina (6–1) d Houston (7–1) u BYU (5–1) u Oral Roberts (4–1) d Kansas State (6–1) u Providence (3–1) d 1972 men Oklahoma Sooners Oklahoma (6–0) npr 1972 men Santa Clara Broncos Santa Clara (4–2) npr Michigan Memphis State UCLA (6–0) Maryland (5–0) Marquette (5–0) NC State (8–0) Minnesota (6–0) Long Beach State (8–0) Missouri (8–0) u Penn (5–0) u Southwestern Louisiana (6–0) d Vanderbilt (8–0) u North Carolina (7–1) u Florida State (5–2) d Houston (7–1) u BYU (6–1) u Indiana (5–1) d Kansas State (7–1) u Providence (5–1) u 1972 men Alabama Crimson Tide Alabama (3–1) npr Oklahoma (6–0) 1972 men San Francisco Dons San Francisco (7–1) npr Oral Roberts Santa Clara UCLA (8–0) Maryland (7–0) Marquette (8–0) NC State (8–0) Long Beach State (11–0) u Minnesota (9–0) d Missouri (10–0) Southwestern Louisiana (6–0) u North Carolina (10–1) u Houston (8–2) u Vanderbilt (8–1) d San Francisco (8–1) u Providence (5–1) u Alabama (5–1) u BYU (8–2) d 1972 men New Mexico Lobos New Mexico (9–0) npr Penn (5–2) d Kansas State (9–2) d Florida State (7–3) d Indiana (6–2) d Oklahoma UCLA (10–0) Maryland (9–0) NC State (9–0) u Marquette (10–0) d Missouri (11–0) u Long Beach State (11–1) d North Carolina (12–1) u Minnesota (9–1) d Vanderbilt (10–1) u Houston (10–2) Providence (7–1) u San Francisco (10–1) Southwestern Louisiana (7–1) d Alabama (7–1) 1972 men Jacksonville Dolphins Jacksonville (10–2) npr Indiana (8–2) u Kansas State (9–2) u St. John's (8–2) т tnpr Florida State (8–3) т u 1972 men Louisville Cardinals Louisville (10–2) npr BYU New Mexico Penn (7–2) UCLA (12–0) NC State (12–0) u Maryland (10–1) d North Carolina (13–1) u Long Beach State (13–1) u Minnesota (10–1) u Marquette (11–1) d Missouri (12–1) d Providence (10–1) u San Francisco (12–1) u Alabama (8–1) u Houston (11–2) d Southwestern Louisiana (10–1) Kansas State (11–2) u Jacksonville (11–2) Indiana (10–2) St. John's (9–2) u Vanderbilt (10–3) d Florida State (10–3) d Louisville (11–2) UCLA (14–0) NC State (12–0) North Carolina (15–1) u Maryland (12–1) d Long Beach State (15–1) Indiana (11–2) u Missouri (13–2) u Minnesota (11–2) d Alabama (10–1) u Marquette (12–2) d Houston (12–2) u Southwestern Louisiana (12–1) u Jacksonville (13–2) u Providence (10–2) d St. John's (11–2) u San Francisco (12–2) d Memphis State (12–3) npr Kansas State (11–3) d New Mexico (15–2) npr 1972 men Purdue Boilermakers Purdue (10–3) npr Vanderbilt (12–3) Florida State Louisville UCLA (16–0) NC State (14–0) Maryland (14–1) u Long Beach State (16–1) u Indiana (13–2) u Alabama (13–1) u Missouri (14–2) North Carolina (15–3) d Minnesota (12–2) d Marquette (14–2) Houston (13–2) Providence (12–2) u Southwestern Louisiana (13–1) d St. John's (13–2) u Jacksonville (14–3) d San Francisco (14–2) Memphis State (14–3) Kansas State (13–3) Oral Roberts (15–2) npr USC (13–4) npr New Mexico Purdue UCLA (17–0) NC State (16–0) Long Beach State (17–1) u Indiana (14–2) u Minnesota (14–2) u North Carolina (16–3) u Marquette (16–2) u Missouri (15–2) d Maryland (14–3) d Alabama (14–2) d Houston (15–2) Providence (14–2) Southwestern Louisiana (16–1) St. John's (15–2) Memphis State (16–3) u Jacksonville (16–3) d San Francisco (16–2) d Kansas State (14–3) Oral Roberts (16–3) New Mexico (16–3) npr USC UCLA (18–0) NC State (19–0) Long Beach State (19–1) Minnesota (15–2) u Marquette (18–2) u North Carolina (18–4) Houston (17–2) u Providence (16–2) u St. John's (17–2) u Maryland (16–3) d Indiana (14–4) d Missouri (16–3) d Jacksonville (18–3) u Southwestern Louisiana (18–2) d Kansas State (16–3) u Memphis State (17–4) d Alabama (14–4) d New Mexico (18–3) u 1972 men Virginia Tech Hokies Virginia Tech (14–3) npr BYU (17–4) npr San Francisco Oral Roberts UCLA (21–0) NC State (21–0) Long Beach State (20–1) Minnesota (16–2) Marquette (20–2) North Carolina (20–4) Providence (18–2) u Maryland (17–4) u Houston (18–3) d Indiana (15–5) u St. John's (18–3) d Southwestern Louisiana (19–2) u Kansas State (18–3) u Memphis State (19–4) u New Mexico (21–3) u Missouri (17–4) d Purdue (14–5) npr Alabama (16–4) d Virginia Tech (15–4) Jacksonville (19–4) d BYU UCLA (23–0) NC State (23–0) Minnesota (18–2) u Long Beach State (22–2) d Marquette (22–2) Providence (21–2) u North Carolina (21–5) d Houston (20–3) u Maryland (19–4) d Memphis State (21–4) u Southwestern Louisiana (22–2) u Indiana (17–5) d Missouri (18–4) u 1972 men Syracuse Orangemen Syracuse (20–4) npr New Mexico (23–4) Kansas State (19–4) d St. John's (18–5) d Jacksonville (20–5) u South Carolina (18–5) npr Purdue (15–6) d Alabama Virginia Tech UCLA (25–0) NC State (25–0) Minnesota (20–2) Long Beach State (24–2) Providence (22–2) u Marquette (22–3) d Houston (22–3) u North Carolina (22–6) d Indiana (18–5) u Maryland (20–5) d Kansas State (21–4) u Missouri (20–4) u Syracuse (22–4) u Southwestern Louisiana (22–3) d Memphis State (21–5) d Jacksonville (21–5) u St. John's (19–6) 1972 men Saint Joseph's Hawks Saint Joseph's (22–5) npr Kentucky (18–7) npr San Francisco (21–4) npr New Mexico (25–5) South Carolina Purdue UCLA (26–0) NC State (27–0) Long Beach State (24–2) u Providence (23–2) u Marquette (23–3) u Indiana (19–5) u Southwestern Louisiana (23–3) u Maryland (22–6) u Kansas State (22–4) u Minnesota (20–4) d North Carolina (22–7) d Memphis State (21–5) u Houston (22–3) d Syracuse (22–4) d Missouri (21–5) d 1972 men Arizona State Sun Devils Arizona State (18–7) npr Kentucky (19–7) u Penn (20–5) npr 1972 men Austin Peay Governors Austin Peay (22–5) npr San Francisco (22–4) d Jacksonville St. John's Saint Joseph's Coaches Poll 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Final   Dec. 4 Dec. 11 Dec. 18 Dec. 26 Jan. 2 Jan. 8 Jan. 15 Jan. 22 Jan. 29 Feb. 5 Feb. 12 Feb. 19 Feb. 26 Mar. 5 Mar. 12 UCLA 1972 men Florida State Seminoles Florida State Maryland 1972 men Minnesota Golden Gophers Minnesota 1972 men Marquette Warriors Marquette 1972 men Ohio State Buckeyes Ohio State Kentucky 1972 men Long Beach State 49ers Long Beach State 1972 men Penn Quakers Penn 1972 men NC State Wolfpack NC State Houston North Carolina 1972 men Southwestern Louisiana Bulldogs Southwestern Louisiana Memphis State 1972 men BYU Cougars BYU т t 1972 men Kansas State Wildcats Kansas State т 1972 men USC Trojans USC Providence 1972 men Oral Roberts Golden Eagles Oral Roberts 1972 men UTEP Miners UTEP UCLA (3–0) Florida State (1–0) Maryland (2–0) Minnesota (2–0) Marquette (1–0) Long Beach State (1–0) u NC State (2–0) u Southwestern Louisiana (1–0) u Kentucky (1–0) d Penn (1–0) d Kansas State (2–0) u North Carolina (2–0) Memphis State (1–0) т tu Michigan (1–0) т npr Oral Roberts (0–0) т tu USC (1–0) т u Ohio State (1–1) d Providence (0–0) 1972 men Tennessee Volunteers Tennessee (1–0) т tnpr 1972 men Jacksonville Dolphins Jacksonville (1–0) т npr Houston (3–1) BYU UTEP UCLA (3–0) Florida State (3–0) Marquette (3–0) u Maryland (3–0) d Minnesota (3–0) d NC State (4–0) u Long Beach State (3–0) d Southwestern Louisiana (4–0) North Carolina (4–0) u 1972 men Missouri Tigers Missouri (5–0) npr Penn (3–0) d Indiana (3–0) npr South Carolina (2–1) npr Providence (1–0) u Houston (5–1) npr 1972 men Oklahoma Sooners Oklahoma (6–0) npr Oral Roberts (2–0) d 1972 men San Francisco Dons San Francisco (4–0) npr 1972 men Vanderbilt Commodores Vanderbilt (5–0) npr 1972 men Iowa Hawkeyes Iowa (3–0) npr Kentucky Kansas State (3–1) Memphis State (7–2) Michigan (3–1) USC Ohio State Tennessee Jacksonville UCLA (4–0) Marquette (4–0) u Maryland (4–0) u NC State (6–0) u Minnesota (4–0) Long Beach State (4–0) u Missouri (7–0) u Southwestern Louisiana (6–0) Florida State (4–1) d Indiana (5–0) u Penn (4–0) Vanderbilt (7–0) u Providence (3–1) u North Carolina (6–1) d Kansas State (6–1) npr 1972 men New Mexico Lobos New Mexico (6–0) npr 1972 men Furman Paladins Furman (4–0) npr Houston (7–1) d San Francisco (5–1) d Marshall (6–1) npr South Carolina Oklahoma Oral Roberts Iowa UCLA (6–0) Marquette (5–0) NC State (8–0) u Maryland (5–0) d Minnesota (6–0) Long Beach State (8–0) Missouri (8–0) Penn (5–0) u Southwestern Louisiana (6–0) d Vanderbilt (8–0) u Kansas State (7–1) u North Carolina (7–1) т tu Providence (5–1) т u BYU (6–1) т tnpr Indiana (5–1) т td Washington (8–1) т npr Florida State (5–2) т td Michigan (6–1) т npr South Carolina (6–2) npr 1972 men Louisville Cardinals Louisville (6–1) npr New Mexico Furman Houston San Francisco Marshall UCLA (8–0) Marquette (8–0) Minnesota (9–0) u Maryland (7–0) NC State (8–0) d Long Beach State (11–0) Missouri (10–0) Southwestern Louisiana (6–0) u North Carolina (10–1) u New Mexico (9–0) npr Vanderbilt (8–1) d St. John's (8–2) npr Providence (5–1) d San Francisco (8–1) npr Louisville (8–2) u Kansas State (9–2) d South Carolina (7–3) u BYU (8–2) d Florida State (7–3) d Penn (5–2) d Indiana Washington Michigan UCLA (10–0) Maryland (9–0) u Marquette (10–0) d NC State (9–0) u Missouri (11–0) u North Carolina (12–1) u Minnesota (9–1) d Long Beach State (11–1) d Vanderbilt (10–1) u Providence (7–1) u San Francisco (10–1) u St. John's (8–2) Southwestern Louisiana (7–1) d Kansas State (9–2) u Houston (10–2) npr Indiana (8–2) npr 1972 men Alabama Crimson Tide Alabama (7–1) npr Louisville (10–2) d Penn (7–2) u South Carolina (9–3) d New Mexico BYU Florida State (8–3) UCLA (12–0) NC State (12–0) u Maryland (10–1) d North Carolina (13–1) u Minnesota (10–1) u Long Beach State (13–1) u Marquette (11–1) d Missouri (12–1) d Providence (10–1) u Kansas State (11–2) u Indiana (10–2) u Houston (11–2) u San Francisco (12–1) d St. John's (9–2) d Southwestern Louisiana (10–1) d Alabama (8–1) u Michigan (10–3) npr Florida State (10–3) npr Vanderbilt (10–3) т td Louisville (11–2) т d Penn South Carolina UCLA (14–0) NC State (12–0) North Carolina (15–1) u Maryland (12–1) d Long Beach State (15–1) u Indiana (11–2) u Minnesota (11–2) d Marquette (12–2) d Houston (12–2) u Southwestern Louisiana (12–1) u Missouri (13–2) т td Alabama (10–1) т u Providence (10–2) d St. John's (11–2) Kansas State (11–3) d Vanderbilt (12–3) u Jacksonville (13–2) npr New Mexico (15–2) npr San Francisco (12–2) т td 1972 men Oregon State Beavers Oregon State (10–5) т npr Michigan Florida State Louisville UCLA (16–0) NC State (14–0) Maryland (14–1) u Long Beach State (16–1) u Indiana (13–2) u Minnesota (12–2) u Alabama (13–1) u North Carolina (15–3) d Marquette (14–2) d Missouri (14–2) u Houston (13–2) d Providence (12–2) u Kansas State (13–3) u St. John's (13–2) Southwestern Louisiana (13–1) d Memphis State (14–3) npr Oregon State (11–5) u BYU (14–4) npr San Francisco (14–2) т t South Carolina (12–5) т npr Vanderbilt Jacksonville New Mexico UCLA (17–0) NC State (16–0) Long Beach State (17–1) u Indiana (14–2) u Minnesota (14–2) u North Carolina (16–3) u Alabama (14–2) Maryland (14–3) d Missouri (15–2) u Marquette (16–2) d Houston (15–2) Kansas State (14–3) u St. John's (15–2) u Southwestern Louisiana (16–1) u Providence (14–2) d Memphis State (16–3) San Francisco (16–2) u New Mexico (16–3) т tnpr Oregon State (12–5) т d BYU (15–4) d South Carolina UCLA (18–0) NC State (19–0) Long Beach State (19–1) Minnesota (15–2) u Marquette (18–2) u North Carolina (18–4) Maryland (16–3) u Houston (17–2) u Kansas State (16–3) u Indiana (14–4) d Providence (16–2) u Missouri (16–3) d St. John's (17–2) USC (14–5) npr Memphis State (17–4) u BYU (17–4) u Southwestern Louisiana (18–2) d New Mexico (18–3) Jacksonville (18–3) npr Oregon State (14–5) d Alabama (14–4) San Francisco UCLA (21–0) NC State (21–0) Long Beach State (20–1) Minnesota (16–2) Marquette (20–2) North Carolina (20–4) Kansas State (18–3) u Providence (18–2) u Maryland (17–4) d Houston (18–3) d Memphis State (19–4) u New Mexico (21–3) u St. John's (18–3) Indiana (15–5) d Southwestern Louisiana (19–2) u Alabama (16–4) npr San Francisco (19–3) т tnpr Louisville (18–6) т npr Oral Roberts (20–4) т tnpr South Carolina (17–5) т npr Missouri (17–4) USC BYU Jacksonville (19–4) Oregon State UCLA (23–0) NC State (23–0) Minnesota (18–2) u Marquette (22–2) u Long Beach State (22–2) d Providence (21–2) u North Carolina (21–5) d Kansas State (19–4) d Houston (20–3) u Memphis State (21–4) u Maryland (19–4) d Southwestern Louisiana (22–2) u Indiana (17–5) u New Mexico (23–4) d Missouri (18–4) т tnpr Weber State (19–6) т npr San Francisco (20–4) т Tennessee (14–6) т npr Jacksonville (20–5) т tnpr South Carolina (18–5) т1972 men Saint Joseph's Hawks Saint Joseph's (20–5) т St. John's Alabama Louisville Oral Roberts UCLA (25–0) NC State (25–0) Long Beach State (24–2) u Minnesota (20–2) d Marquette (22–3) d Providence (22–2) North Carolina (22–6) Kansas State (21–4) Houston (22–3) Indiana (18–5) u Memphis State (21–5) d Southwestern Louisiana (22–3) Maryland (20–5) d 1972 men Syracuse Orangemen Syracuse (22–4) npr Missouri (20–4) 1972 men Arizona State Sun Devils Arizona State (15–7) npr St. John's (19–6) npr New Mexico (25–5) d Weber State (19–7) d Saint Joseph's (22–5) d San Francisco (21–4) Tennessee Jacksonville (21–5) South Carolina UCLA (26–0) NC State (27–0) Long Beach State (24–2) Marquette (23–3) u Providence (23–2) u Indiana (19–5) u Southwestern Louisiana (23–3) т tu Kansas State (22–4) т Minnesota (20–4) d Maryland (22–6) u Memphis State (21–5) North Carolina (22–7) d Arizona State (18–7) u Syracuse (22–4) Kentucky (19–7) npr South Carolina (20–6) npr Missouri (21–5) d Houston (22–3) d Weber State (20–7) Penn (20–5) npr St. John's New Mexico Saint Joseph's References Rankings Category:College men's basketball rankings in the United States