# 1952–53 NCAA men's basketball rankings

The 1952–53 NCAA men's basketball rankings was made up of two human polls, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.

## 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

| | Week 2 Dec. 16 | Week 3 Dec. 23 | Week 4 Dec. 30 | Week 5 Jan. 6 | Week 6 Jan. 13 | Week 7 Jan. 20 | Week 8 Jan. 27 | Week 9 Feb. 3 | Week 10 Feb. 10 | Week 11 Feb. 17 | Week 12 Feb. 24 | Week 13 Mar. 3 | Week 14 Mar. 10 | Final Mar. 17 | |
| 1. | La Salle (6–0) | La Salle (8–0) | Kansas State (6–1) | Kansas State (7–1) | Kansas State (8–1) | Seton Hall (18–0) | Seton Hall (19–0) | Seton Hall (21–0) | Seton Hall (22–0) | Seton Hall (24–0) | Seton Hall (26–0) | Indiana (17–2) | Indiana (19–3) | Indiana (23–3) | 1. |
| 2. | Kansas State (3–0) | Illinois (3–0) | Seton Hall (9–0) | Seton Hall (13–0) | Seton Hall (15–0) | Indiana (8–2) | Indiana (9–2) | Indiana (10–2) | Indiana (12–2) | Indiana (13–2) | Indiana (16–2) | La Salle (24–2) | Washington (27–2) | Seton Hall (31–2) | 2. |
| 3. | Illinois (2–0) | Seton Hall (9–0) | La Salle (9–1) | La Salle (11–1) | La Salle (13–1) | Washington (13–1) | Washington (15–1) | Washington (18–1) | Washington (20–1) | Washington (22–1) | Washington (24–1) | Seton Hall (27–1) | La Salle (24–2) | Kansas (19–6) | 3. |
| 4. | Seton Hall (6–0) | Holy Cross (4–0) | Illinois (4–1) | Illinois (5–1) | Illinois (8–1) | Kansas State (8–2) | La Salle (15–2) | La Salle (16–2) | La Salle (18–2) | La Salle (20–2) | La Salle (22–2) | Washington (25–2) | Seton Hall (28–2) | Washington (29–3) | 4. |
| 5. | Oklahoma A&M (4–0) | Kansas State (4–1) | Washington (7–1) | Oklahoma State (10–1) | Washington (11–1) | La Salle (14–2) | Kansas State (9–2) | Kansas State (10–2) | Illinois (12–2) | Illinois (13–2) | Kansas (13–5) | LSU (20–1) | Kansas (16–5) | LSU (22–3) | 5. |
| 6. | NC State (5–1) | NC State (7–1) | Holy Cross (5–0) | Washington (9–1) | Indiana (7–2) | Illinois (8–2) | Illinois (9–2) | Illinois (9–2) | Oklahoma A&M (16–3) | LSU (17–1) | LSU (19–1) | Kansas (13–5) | Oklahoma A&M (22–6) | La Salle (25–3) | 6. |
| 7. | Notre Dame (3–0) | Washington (3–1) | Oklahoma A&M (9–1) | Indiana (5–2) | Fordham (11–0) | Oklahoma A&M (12–2) | Fordham (13–2) | DePaul (15–4) | DePaul (17–4) | Oklahoma A&M (17–4) | Oklahoma A&M (19–5) | Oklahoma A&M (19–6) | LSU (20–1) | St. John's (17–6) | 7. |
| 8. | Holy Cross (2–0) | LSU (5–0) | Tulsa (7–1) | Fordham (9–0) | NC State (14–2) | NC State (16–2) | Oklahoma A&M (12–3) | Western Kentucky (16–3) | LSU (15–1) | Kansas State (12–3) | Western Kentucky (22–5) | Kansas State (15–4) | Kansas State (16–4) | Oklahoma A&M (23–7) | 8. |
| 9. | Washington (3–1) | Oklahoma A&M (6–1) | Minnesota (4–0) | NC State (12–2) | Oklahoma A&M (10–2) | Kansas (9–3) | Western Kentucky (15–3) | Oklahoma A&M (14–3) | Western Kentucky (20–3) | Western Kentucky (20–4) | Kansas State (13–4) | Western Kentucky (22–5) | Western Kentucky (24–5) | Duquesne (21–8) | 9. |
| 10. | LSU (4–0) | Western Kentucky (5–1) | Western Kentucky (5–2) | Western Kentucky (9–2) | Western Kentucky (11–2) | Fordham (12–1) | DePaul (14–4) | LSU (14–1) | Kansas State (11–3) | Kansas (12–4) | Illinois (15–3) | Illinois (15–4) | Oklahoma City (18–4) | Notre Dame (19–5) | 10. |
| 11. | Western Kentucky (3–0) | Notre Dame (5–1) | NC State (9–2) | LSU (7–1) | Notre Dame (9–1) | Tulsa (12–2) | LSU (13–1) | Seattle (15–2) | Seattle (19–2) | Seattle (20–3) | Oklahoma City (15–4) | Oklahoma City (17–4) | Duquesne (19–7) | Illinois (18–4) | 11. |
| 12. | UCLA (3–1) | St. Bonaventure (5–0) | Indiana (3–2) | USC (10–0) | USC (11–1) | Western Kentucky (12–3) | NC State (16–3) | North Carolina (15–3) | NC State (19–4) | Oklahoma City (14–3) | Miami (OH) (16–3) | NC State (25–5) | Wake Forest (23–6) | Kansas State (17–4) | 12. |
| 13. | Oklahoma City (4–2) | Navy (6–0) | Seattle (8–2) | Notre Dame (8–1) | Tulsa (11–2) | Seattle (13–2) | Seattle (15–2) | Fordham (14–2) | Oklahoma City (13–3) | Manhattan (16–2) | NC State (22–5) | Notre Dame (17–4) | Illinois (18–4) | Holy Cross (20–6) | 13. |
| 14. | St. Bonaventure (4–0) | Tulsa (5–0) | DePaul (8–2) | Holy Cross (5–3) | LSU (10–1) | California (9–5) | Kansas (9–4) | California (11–5) | Kansas (10–4) | DePaul (17–6) | Seattle (22–3) | Louisville (20–5) | Louisville (22–6) | Seattle (29–4) | 14. |
| 15. | Tulsa (3–0) | Indiana (3–2) | St. Bonaventure (5–1) | Navy (6–0) | Kansas (8–3) | LSU (11–1) | Eastern Kentucky (11–3) | NC State (17–4) | Manhattan (14–2) | NC State (20–5) | DePaul (19–6) | Seattle (26–3) | Seattle (27–3) | Wake Forest (22–7) | 15. |
| 16. | Minnesota (3–0) | Seattle (2–2) | Oklahoma City (7–0) | Seattle (9–1) | Seattle (11–2) | Notre Dame (10–2) | Navy (9–2) | Oklahoma City (11–3) | Fordham (15–3) | Louisville (18–4) | Manhattan (18–2) | Miami (OH) (17–4) | Wyoming (23–8) | Santa Clara (20–7) | 16. |
| 17. | Saint Louis (1–1) | Minnesota (3–0) | LSU (61–) | Tulsa (9–2) | Holy Cross (7–3) | Oklahoma City (11–2) | Notre Dame (11–2) | Holy Cross (8–4) | Louisville (16–3) | Murray State (17–5) | Notre Dame (16–4) | Eastern Kentucky (16–8) | Notre Dame (17–4) | Western Kentucky (25–6) | 17. |
| 18. | California (4–0) | Colorado (4–0) | Toledo (5–0) | Idaho (8–4) | Oklahoma City (10–1) | Eastern Kentucky (9–2) | North Carolina (13–3) | Kansas (9–4) | Niagara (17–3) | Duke (15–6) | Louisville (20–4) | Duquesne (18–7) | NC State (26–6) | NC State (26–6) | 18. |
| 19. | Indiana (1–2) | Oklahoma City (6–0) | Notre Dame (5–1) | Minnesota (5–2) | UCLA (8–5) | Minnesota (7–4) | Manhattan (10–2) | Manhattan (12–2) | California (12–6) | California (13–7) | Duquesne (15–7) | Navy (16–4) | Navy (16–4) | DePaul (19–9) | 19. |
| 20. | Navy (4–0) т Kansas (1–1) т | Idaho (4–1) т UCLA (4–2) т | Wayne State (7–0) | California (6–4) | Georgetown (6–1) | Manhattan (8–2) | Tulsa (13–4) | Niagara (15–2) | Tulsa (14–5) | Villanova (13–7) | Eastern Kentucky (15–6) | Holy Cross (18–5) | Manhattan (20–4) т St. John's (15–5) т | SW Missouri State (21–4) | 20. |
| | Week 2 Dec. 16 | Week 3 Dec. 23 | Week 4 Dec. 30 | Week 5 Jan. 6 | Week 6 Jan. 13 | Week 7 Jan. 20 | Week 8 Jan. 27 | Week 9 Feb. 3 | Week 10 Feb. 10 | Week 11 Feb. 17 | Week 12 Feb. 24 | Week 13 Mar. 3 | Week 14 Mar. 10 | Final Mar. 17 | |
| | | Dropped: Saint Louis (2–1)CaliforniaKansas | Dropped: Navy (6–0)ColoradoIdahoUCLA (7–2) | Dropped: DePaulSt. BonaventureOklahoma CityToledoWayne State | Dropped: NavyIdahoMinnesota (6–3)California (7–5) | Dropped: USC (11–3)Holy Cross (7–4)UCLA (10–5)Georgetown | Dropped: California (9–5)Oklahoma CityMinnesota (8–4) | Dropped: Eastern KentuckyNavyNotre Dame (11–3)Tulsa | Dropped: North CarolinaHoly Cross | Dropped: FordhamNiagaraTulsa | Dropped: Murray StateDukeCaliforniaVillanova | Dropped: DePaul (19–7)Manhattan (18–4) | Dropped: Miami (OH)Eastern KentuckyHoly Cross | Dropped: Oklahoma CityLouisvilleWyomingNavyManhattan | |

## UP Poll

| | Preseason | Week 1 Dec. 9 | Week 2 Dec. 16 | Week 3 Dec. 23 | Week 4 Dec. 30 | Week 5 Jan. 6 | Week 6 Jan. 13 | Week 7 Jan. 20 | Week 8 Jan. 27 | Week 9 Feb. 3 | Week 10 Feb. 10 | Week 11 Feb. 17 | Week 12 Feb. 24 | Final Mar. 3 | |
| 1. | Illinois | Illinois (0–0) | Illinois (2–0) | Illinois (3–0) | Illinois (4–1) | Illinois (5–1) | Kansas State (8–1) | Seton Hall (18–0) | Seton Hall (19–0) | Seton Hall (21–0) | Indiana (12–2) | Indiana (13–2) | Indiana (16–2) | Indiana (17–2) | 1. |
| 2. | Kansas State | La Salle (2–0) | La Salle (6–0) | La Salle (8–0) | La Salle (9–1) | Kansas State (7–1) | Illinois (8–1) | Indiana (8–2) | Indiana (9–2) | Indiana (10–2) | Seton Hall (22–0) | Seton Hall (24–0) | Seton Hall (26–0) | Seton Hall (27–1) | 2. |
| 3. | La Salle | Kansas State (1–0) | Kansas State (3–0) | Kansas State (4–1) | Kansas State (6–1) | La Salle (11–1) | La Salle (13–1) | Washington (13–1) | Washington (15–1) | Washington (18–1) | Washington (20–1) | Washington (22–1) | Washington (24–1) | Washington (25–2) | 3. |
| 4. | Washington | Washington (2–0) | Washington (3–1) | Washington (3–1) | Washington (7–1) | Washington (9–1) | Washington (11–1) | Kansas State (8–2) | Kansas State (9–2) | Illinois (9–2) | Illinois (12–2) | Illinois (13–2) | La Salle (22–2) | La Salle (24–2) | 4. |
| 5. | NC State | Oklahoma A&M (3–0) | Oklahoma A&M (4–0) | Seton Hall (9–0) | Seton Hall (9–0) | Seton Hall (13–0) | Seton Hall (15–0) | Illinois (8–2) | Illinois (9–2) | Kansas State (10–2) | La Salle (18–2) | La Salle (20–2) | Kansas (13–5) | Kansas (13–5) | 5. |
| 6. | Oklahoma A&M | NC State (3–0) | Seton Hall (6–0) | NC State (7–1) | Minnesota (4–0) | Oklahoma A&M (10–1) | Indiana (7–2) | La Salle (14–2) | La Salle (15–2) | La Salle (16–2) | Oklahoma A&M (16–3) | Kansas State (12–3) | Illinois (15–3) | LSU (20–1) | 6. |
| 7. | UCLA | UCLA (2–0) | UCLA (3–1) | Oklahoma A&M (6–1) | Oklahoma A&M (9–1) | NC State (12–2) | NC State (14–2) | Oklahoma A&M (12–2) | Oklahoma A&M (12–3) | Oklahoma A&M (14–3) | Kansas State (11–3) | Oklahoma A&M (17–4) | LSU (19–1) | Oklahoma A&M (19–6) | 7. |
| 8. | Indiana | Seton Hall (3–0) | NC State (5–1) | Holy Cross (4–0) | Indiana (3–2) | Indiana (5–2) | Oklahoma A&M (10–2) | NC State (16–2) | NC State (16–3) | DePaul (15–4) | DePaul (17–4) | LSU (17–1) | Oklahoma A&M (19–5) | NC State (25–5) | 8. |
| 9. | Seton Hall | Minnesota (1–0) | Minnesota (3–0) | Minnesota (3–0) | NC State (9–2) | Minnesota (5–2) | Notre Dame (9–1) | Kansas (9–3) | Notre Dame (11–2) | NC State (17–4) | NC State (19–4) | Kansas (12–4) | NC State (22–5) | Kansas State (15–4) | 9. |
| 10. | Saint Louis | Holy Cross (0–0) | Notre Dame (3–0) | Indiana (3–2) | Holy Cross (5–0) | LSU (7–1) т | USC (11–1) | Notre Dame (10–2) | Kansas (9–4) | LSU (14–1) | LSU (15–1) | DePaul (17–6) | Kansas State (13–4) | Illinois (15–4) | 10. |
| 11. | Holy Cross | Notre Dame (2–0) | Holy Cross (2–0) | Colorado (4–0) | UCLA (7–2) | Notre Dame (8–1) т | LSU (10–1) | LSU (11–1) | DePaul (14–4) | California (11–5) | Kansas (10–4) | NC State (20–5) | DePaul (19–6) | Western Kentucky (22–5) | 11. |
| 12. | Santa Clara | Ohio State (1–0) | Indiana (1–2) | Notre Dame (5–1) | Tulsa (7–1) | California (6–4) | Fordham (11–0) | California (9–5) | LSU (13–1) | Fordham (14–2) | Western Kentucky (20–3) | California (13–7) | Western Kentucky (22–5) | California (16–8) | 12. |
| 13. | Notre Dame | St. Bonaventure (3–0) | LSU (4–0) | LSU (5–0) | Notre Dame (5–1) | Holy Cross (5–3) | BYU (13–3) | Fordham (12–1) | Fordham (13–2) | Kansas (9–4) | California (12–6) | BYU (19–5) | BYU (20–5) | Notre Dame (17–4) | 13. |
| 14. | Duquesne | Indiana (1–1) | Saint Louis (1–1) | UCLA (4–2) | St. Bonaventure (5–1) | Fordham (9–0) | Minnesota (6–3) | Tulsa (12–2) | California (9–5) | Notre Dame (11–3) | Notre Dame (12–3) | Western Kentucky (20–4) | California (14–8) | DePaul (19–7) т | 14. |
| 15. | Wyoming | LSU (2–0) | Navy (4–0) | St. Bonaventure (5–0) | DePaul (8–2) | BYU (11–3) | Western Kentucky (11–2) | Holy Cross (7–4) | BYU (15–4) | Western Kentucky (16–3) | BYU (18–5) | Saint Louis (12–8) | Notre Dame (16–4) | Wyoming (19–8) т | 15. |
| 16. | St. John's | Saint Louis (0–1) | California (4–0) | Navy (6–0) т | Navy (6–0) | Western Kentucky (9–2) | Holy Cross (7–3) | Saint Louis (6–7) | Saint Louis (7–7) | North Carolina (15–3) т | UCLA (13–5) | Notre Dame (14–4) | Saint Louis (13–10) | Saint Louis (15–10) | 16. |
| 17. | BYU т | BYU (4–0) | St. Bonaventure (4–0) т | Saint Louis (2–1) т | Michigan State (3–1) | USC (10–0) | Tulsa (11–2) | USC (11–3) | North Carolina (13–3) | BYU (17–4) т | Minnesota (11–5) | Duke (15–6) т | Manhattan (18–2) | Holy Cross (18–5) | 17. |
| 18. | Minnesota т | NYU (4–0) т | BYU (5–0) т | Michigan State (2–1) т | BYU (8–2) | Saint Louis (4–5) | California (7–5) | Western Kentucky (12–3) т | USC (11–3) | Holy Cross (8–4) | Saint Louis (10–8) | Duquesne (15–7) т | Duquesne (15–7) | Oklahoma City (17–4) | 18. |
| 19. | Kansas | Santa Clara (2–0) т | DePaul (5–0) | Missouri (3–1) т | Fordham (7–0) | Navy (6–0) | UCLA (8–5) | Minnesota (7–4) т | Minnesota (8–4) | Minnesota (9–5) | Tulsa (14–5) т | UCLA (14–6) т | Seattle (22–3) | BYU (20–7) | 19. |
| 20. | St. Bonaventure | St. John's (1–0) т | Missouri (1–0) т NYU (5–0) т | Vanderbilt (3–1) | LSU (6–1) т Saint Louis (2–4) т | UCLA (7–4) | Michigan State (5–3) | DePaul (12–4) т UCLA (10–5) т | Holy Cross (7–4) | Oklahoma (6–5) т Saint Louis (8–8) т | Wyoming (15–6) т | Oklahoma City (14–3) | USC (15–5) | Duquesne (18–7) | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 1 Dec. 9 | Week 2 Dec. 16 | Week 3 Dec. 23 | Week 4 Dec. 30 | Week 5 Jan. 6 | Week 6 Jan. 13 | Week 7 Jan. 20 | Week 8 Jan. 27 | Week 9 Feb. 3 | Week 10 Feb. 10 | Week 11 Feb. 17 | Week 12 Feb. 24 | Final Mar. 3 | |
| | | Dropped: DuquesneWyomingKansas | Dropped: Ohio StateSanta ClaraSt. John's | Dropped: CaliforniaBYUDePaulNYU | Dropped: ColoradoMissouriVanderbilt | Dropped: TulsaSt. BonaventureDePaulMichigan State | Dropped: NavySaint Louis | Dropped: BYUMichigan State | Dropped: TulsaWestern KentuckyUCLA | Dropped: USC | Dropped: FordhamNorth CarolinaHoly CrossOklahoma | Dropped: MinnesotaTulsaWyoming | Dropped: DukeUCLAOklahoma City | Dropped: ManhattanSeattleUSC | |