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Men’s College Basketball Top 25 Power Rankings For Week 1, Including Kansas Jayhawks And Duke Blue Devils

Kansas Jayhawks
Credit: Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Find out who the 25 best basketball teams are with our latest men’s college basketball rankings for the 2024-25 season.

Our list isn’t a rundown of the latest Associated Press or Coaches Poll but rather who Sportsnaut views as the top 25 college basketball programs in the nation. These power rankings will be updated weekly. Here are our latest men’s college basketball rankings.

Related: College basketball games today – Find out who the teams in the top 25 play next

Top 25 Men’s College Basketball Rankings

1. Kansas Jayhawks

Syndication: The Topeka Capital-Journal
Credit: Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Kansas Jayhawks will remain in the top spot until they are defeated. They had a scare against North Carolina, nearly blowing a 20-point lead, but pulled through. The Jayhawks have an impressive squad and are the early favorites to win the NCAA championship.

2. Auburn Tigers

Auburn Tigers
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Perhaps the Auburn Tigers should have more altercations on a plane. After nearly fighting each other, the team came together and defeated the No. 4 Houston Cougars in Houston. It was their biggest win of the early season, helping the Tigers rocket up the power rankings.

Related: College Basketball TV ratings

3. Duke Blue Devils

Cooper Flagg, Duke Blue Devils
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Can phenom freshman Cooper Flagg carry the Duke Blue Devils to a national championship? The most likely No. 1 overall pick in next year’s NBA Draft is looking the part so far. According to ESPN, Flagg is the first Duke player in 25 years to record 30 points, 15 rebounds, and five steals through two games. They face their first real test of the season Tuesday night against No. 19 Kentucky.

4. Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama Crimson Tide
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The Alabama Crimson Tide are coming off their first Final Four appearance and hoping for more this season. Since Nate Oats became head coach in 2019, the Crimson Tide have become one of the top teams in the country, making four straight NCAA tournament appearances. Alabama’s first real test of the season comes Friday against Purdue.

5. Connecticut Huskies

Alex Karaban
Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

Despite losing four starters to the NBA Draft, the two-time defending national champions Connecticut Huskies remain a very dangerous team. The team will be relying on forward Alex Karaban to help get them back to the promised land this season.

Related: Biggest upsets in men’s college basketball history

6. Gonzaga Bulldogs

Braden Huff
Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images

The Gonzaga Bulldogs pulled out a nail-biting win over the Arizona State Sun Devils earlier this week. Last week, they defeated a top-10 Baylor squad. The Bulldogs will be counting on Braden Huff, Khalif Battle, Graham Ike, and Ryan Nembhard this season.

7. Tennessee Volunteers

Chaz Lanier
Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

After coming off an Elite Eight appearance last year, the Tennessee Volunteers are looking to make another run in March. They dominated the Louisville Cardinals on the road as transfer Chaz Lanier is looking like a star the Volunteers can rely on.

8. Iowa State Cyclones

Iowa State Cyclones
Credit: Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Don’t sleep on the Iowa State Cyclones. They made it to the Sweet 16 last year and are one of the toughest teams in the country. Iowa State also has a very deep team. They will face Auburn later this month at the Maui Invitational.

9. Creighton Bluejays

Ryan Kalkbrenner
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Ryan Kalkbrenner has been dominant for the Creighton Bluejays this young season. In his first two games, he scored 49 and 24 points. The 7-foot-1 center will be tough to stop this year.

Related: Undefeated national champions in women’s college basketball history

10. Indiana Hoosiers

Mackenzie Mgbako, Indiana University
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It’s a fun time to be an Indiana Hoosiers sports fan. Not only does the school — surprisingly — have one of the best teams in college football, but their bread and butter has always been their basketball program. The Hoosiers are expected to be a top contender this season thanks to Mackenzie Mgbako.

  • 11. Arizona Wildcats
  • 12. Houston Cougars
  • 13. North Carolina Tar Heels
  • 14. Baylor Bears
  • 15. Purdue Boilermakers
  • 16. Marquette Golden Eagles
  • 17. Kentucky Wildcats
  • 18. St. John’s Red Storm
  • 19. Cincinnati Bearcats
  • 20. Florida Gators
  • 21. Arkansas Razorbacks
  • 22. Ohio State Buckeyes
  • 23. Oregon Ducks
  • 24. Illinois Fighting Illini
  • 25. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Related: Big 12 reportedly plotting to lure away several ACC schools: 5 potential targets including Virginia Tech and UNC

Who is No 1 in men’s college basketball?

The Kansas Jayhawks are the No. 1 team in the nation, according to The Associated Press poll.

Who won the most national championships in college basketball?

mens college basketball rankings

No team in college basketball history has more national championships than the UCLA Bruins. The UCLA Bruins, once coached by NCAA legend John Wooden, hold the record with 11 national titles, three more than the second-place Kentucky Wildcats.

Who is the winningest team in men’s college basketball?

While Kentucky may not have the most national titles, the program is iconic for its many impactful coaches and players who have helped earn 2,398 victories, the most in men’s college basketball history.

How many teams are in NCAA men’s basketball Division 1?

mens college basketball rankings

Division I men’s college basketball has more than double the number of football programs (133), with 352 teams currently competing.

Related: New Rumors of a major conference again pursuing UConn puts Big East’s future in serious jeopardy

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