Arizona a consensus No. 1 in AP poll for first time

Field Level Media|published: Mon 19th January, 13:46 2026

NCAA Basketball: Arizona State at Arizona

Jan 14, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) dribbles the ball during the second half of the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Arizona is the consensus No. 1 team in the Associated Press Top 25 men's basketball poll for the first time in program history.

The Wildcats (18-0) received all 61 votes on Monday, one week after collecting all but one first-place ballot.

Arizona posted a pair of seven-point wins in the Big 12 last week against rival Arizona State and UCF. The Wildcats have been at the top of the poll for six straight weeks, their longest run since the 2013-14 season.

Iowa State (16-2), which received the remaining first-place vote last week, plummeted seven spots to No. 9 after back-to-back losses.

No. 2 UConn (18-1) and the next six schools each moved up one spot after the Cyclones' tumble: No. 3 Michigan (16-1), No. 4 Purdue (17-1), No. 5 Duke (17-1), No. 6 Houston (17-1), No. 7 Nebraska (18-0) and No. 8 Gonzaga (19-1). No. 10 Michigan State (16-2) climbed two spots.

It is the highest ranking ever for the unbeaten Cornhuskers.

No. 19 Kansas (13-5) returned to the poll after beating Iowa State and Baylor. No. 24 Saint Louis (17-1) and No. 25 Miami (Ohio) -- also unblemished at 19-0 -- joined the poll for the first time this season. Tennessee, Seton Hall and Utah State dropped out.

The rest of the Top 25:

11. Illinois (15-3)

12. Texas Tech (14-4)

13. BYU (16-2)

14. Virginia (16-2)

15. Vanderbilt (16-2)

16. Florida (13-5)

17. Alabama (13-5)

18. Clemson (16-3)

19. Kansas (13-5)

20. Arkansas (13-5)

21. Georgia (15-3)