The 2024-25 men’s college basketball season is officially a week in, which means we have a new AP Top 25 poll. The Week 1 results are out.
Kansas entered the season as the No. 1 team, over Alabama — and the order remains that way. Back-to-back reigning national champion UConn, meanwhile, rounds out the top 3.
The biggest movers were Auburn (rose six spots) and Texas A&M (fell 13 spots), while Ohio State and St. John’s are new to this season’s poll after missing out on the preseason top-25.
Despite star Cooper Flagg’s cramping issues, Duke rose a spot. And, without Ace Bailey, Rutgers’ other star freshman, Dylan Harper, showed out in the Knights’ only game so far.
Let’s take a look at the top 25 teams of the first week of 2024-25, how they got there and what’s coming up next for each team.
Previous polls: Preseason
Stats courtesy of ESPN Research and The Associated Press.
All times Eastern
Previous ranking: 1
2024-25 record: 2-0
Stat to know: The Jayhawks have won 47 straight games as an AP No. 1 team. That is the fourth-longest winning streak for a No. 1 team in the AP poll era.
What’s next:Tuesday vs. Michigan State (Champions Classic), 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: 2
2024-25 record: 2-0
Stat to know: The Tide have had 22 games with 100-plus points since Nate Oats took over in 2019-20. They trail only Gonzaga (29) for most in Division I over that span.
What’s next: Monday vs. McNeese, 7 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: 3
2024-25 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Freshman Liam McNeely recorded 10 points and 11 rebounds on Saturday against New Hampshire, joining Andre Drummond as the only UConn freshmen in the past 15 seasons to record consecutive double-doubles.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Le Moyne, 7 p.m., FS1
Previous ranking: 6
2024-25 record: 2-0
Stat to know: With last Monday’s 38-point win against Baylor and Sunday’s 8-point win against Arizona State, Gonzaga has now won its past 4 games against Big 12 teams. Additionally, Gonzaga has won 36 consecutive regular-season home openers since a 73-65 loss to Boise State on Dec. 7, 1988.
What’s next: Thursday vs. UMass Lowell, 9 p.m.
0:27
VJ Edgecombe welcomes Mark Few’s son to the game with a poster
Mark Few puts his son in at the end of Gonzaga’s game with Baylor, and VJ Edgecombe welcomes him to the game with an emphatic poster dunk.
Previous ranking: 11
2024-25 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Johni Broome recorded 20 points, 5 blocks and 9 rebounds in Saturday’s win over Houston. It was his 10th career game with 20 points and 5 blocks, the second most by any player in the past 15 seasons, after Oakland’s Keith Benson (13)
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Kent State, 8 p.m.
Previous ranking: 7
2024-25 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Duke’s freshmen did it again. Cooper Flagg is the first Duke player in the past 25 years to record 30 points, 15 rebounds and 5 steals through 2 games. Kon Knueppel is the third Duke freshman in the last 15 season to lead the team in scoring in each of the first two games, joining Jabari Parker and Marvin Bagley III. And Khaman Maluach is the only known Duke freshman in the past three seasons to record a double-double (11 points, 14 rebounds) and no turnovers in a game.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Kentucky (Champions Classic), 9 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: 5
2024-25 record: 1-0
Stat to know: The Cyclones held Mississippi Valley State to just 44 points in their season-opening win last Monday, continuing a practice from last season, where they held opponents to under 50 point seven times, second most in Division I after Houston (11)
What’s next: Monday vs. Kansas City, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Previous ranking: 4
2024-25 record: 1-1
Stat to know: The loss to Auburn on Saturday snapped Houston’s 17-game winning streak against nonconference opponents in the regular season. It was the Cougars’ first loss since Dec. 10, 2022, when they fell to Alabama at home.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Louisiana, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Previous ranking: 10
2024-25 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Tennessee transfer Tobe Awaka had 18 points and 15 rebounds against Old Dominion on Saturday for his third career double-double. He had eight of Arizona’s 24 offensive rebounds, the program’s most in a game since 2005.
What’s next: Friday at Wisconsin, 9 p.m.
Previous ranking: 9
2024-25 record: 1-1
Stat to know: The 53 points UNC allowed Kansas to score in the first half of their matchup on Friday is the most the Tar Heels have allowed since Kentucky made 56 on Dec. 17, 2016.
What’s next: Friday vs. American, 8 p.m., ACC Network
Previous ranking: 12
2024-25 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Tennessee was 10-of-19 from the 3-point line (52.6%). The Vols shot over 50% from 3 just once last season, going 52.9% vs No. 11 Auburn on Feb. 28)
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Montana, 7 p.m.
Previous ranking: 8
2024-25 record: 1-1
Stat to know: Baylor recovered from its season-opening loss to Gonzaga to beat Arkansas on Saturday for it 27th win versus ranked opponents in last five seasons — the second most in Division I in that span, trailing only Kansas (31).
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Sam Houston, 8 p.m.
0:43
Highlight: No. 16 Arkansas blows comeback hopes vs. No. 8 Baylor
Even though Adou Thiero and Boogie Fland combine for 41 of the 67 points for the Razorbacks, it wasn’t enough as the Bears pull away with the win in Dallas, 72-67.
Previous ranking: 14
2024-25 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Fletcher Loyer shot 4-of-5 from 3-point range as Purdue made 9-of-22 attempts from long range. The Boilermakers shot 50% from the field but were just 9-of-14 from the free throw line.
What’s next: Monday vs. Yale, 8 p.m., BTN
Previous ranking: 15
2024-25 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Ryan Kalkbrenner’s 49 points in Creighton’s season-opening win against UT Rio Grande Valley are the fourth most in a season opener for a ranked team in AP poll history.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Houston Christian, 9 p.m., FS1
Previous ranking: 18
2024-25 record: 2-0
Stat to know: In Marquette’s season opener, Kam Jones had his fifth 30-point game since the beginning of last season. That’s the second most in the Big East over that span, after Georgetown’s Jayden Epps (7).
What’s next: Monday vs. Central Michigan, 9 p.m., FS1
Previous ranking: 17
2024-25 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Malik Reneau (17), Oumar Ballo (17) and Mackenzie Mgbako (18) had 58% of Indiana’s points against Eastern Illinois on Sunday. The last time Indiana also had three players with at least 15 points in a game was Feb. 21, 2024.
What’s next: Saturday vs. South Carolina, 3 p.m.
Previous ranking: 20
2024-25 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Two wins, two routs. But for as much as Cincinnati’s 60% shooting from the field was impressive in Monday’s 109-54 pummeling of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, keep an eye on the Bearcats’ free throw shooting. They shot 13-for-23 (56.5%) from the charity stripe Monday. Cincinnati, which shot 68.8% from the foul line in 2023-24, improved that to 11-for-15 (73.3%) in Friday’s victory.
What’s next: Friday vs. Nicholls, 7 p.m., ESPN+
Previous ranking: 16
2024-25 record: 1-1
Stat to know: Boogie Fland is the first Arkansas freshman to record 15 points and 5 assists in a game since Anthony Black in 2022-23.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Troy, 8 p.m.
Previous ranking: 23
2024-25 record: 2-0
Stat to know: The Wildcats have scored 100 points in each of their first two games for the first time since 1978-79. Graduate guard Koby Brea leads the way, averaging a team-high 19.0 PPG and shooting 73.7% from the field (14-for-19) through the opening two games.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Duke (Champions Classic), 9 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: 21
2024-25 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Alex Condon had 23 points on perfect 7-of-7 shooting from the field. He’s the first Florida player with 20 points and a 100% field goal percentage since Andrew Nembhard in 2019.
What’s next: Monday vs. Grambling, 7 p.m.
Previous ranking: Unranked
2024-25 record: 1-0
Stat to know: Ohio State had been 0-2 in program history when facing an AP-ranked opponent in a season opener, losing to No. 4 Oklahoma in 1988 and No. 12 Utah State in 1970. The Buckeyes defeated Texas this season to go 1-2. They are now also 2-1 against AP-ranked opponents overall under Jake Diebler.
What’s next: Monday vs. Youngstown State, 6 p.m., BTN
Previous ranking: Unranked
2024-25 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Four Johnnies scored in double figures in Saturday’s win over Quinnipiac, including Brady Dunlap, who shot 5-of-7 from beyond the arc. RJ Luis Jr. had 24 points and a career-high 13 rebounds for his third career double-double. Deivon Smith also had a double-double. (13 points, 10 assists), becoming the first Red Storm player since Justin Simon (Dec. 31, 2017) to finish with at least 10 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals in a single game.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Wagner, 6:30 p.m., FS2
Previous ranking: 13
2024-25 record: 1-1
Stat to know: Ten players saw at least 17 minutes of action against East Texas A&M (formerly known as Texas A&M-Commerce). Five players scored in double figures: Zhuric Phelps, Manny Obaseki, Henry Coleman III, Hayden Hefner and Wade Taylor IV.
What’s next: Monday vs. Lamar, 8 p.m.
Previous ranking: 24
2024-25 record: 1-0
Stat to know: As we await the return of Ace Bailey, star freshman Dylan Harper proved why he’s a projected NBA draft lottery pick in Rutgers’ first official game of the season. He had 20 points, the most by a freshman in a debut in the last 25 seasons. He was most effective in the paint against Wagner. Per CBB Analytics he shot 7-for-8 in the paint and 5-for-5 on shots within 4.5 feet of the rim.
What’s next: Monday vs. Saint Peter’s, 7 p.m.
Previous ranking: 24
2024-25 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Defense did it last time out for Ole Miss, which scored 26 points off 21 Grambling turnovers in Friday’s 66-64 come-from-behind win. The Rebels, who got seven steals from Matthew Murrell, outscored the Tigers 13-2 in fast-break points.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. South Alabama, 8 p.m., ESPN+
