# 1950–51 NCAA men's basketball rankings

The 1950–51 NCAA men's basketball rankings was made up of two human polls, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll. This was the first season with both polls, as the Coaches Poll (UP) was introduced.

## 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. 18 | Week 3 Dec. 25 | Week 4 Jan. 3 | Week 5 Jan. 8 | Week 6 Jan. 15 | Week 7 Jan. 22 | Week 8 Jan. 29 | Week 9 Feb. 5 | Week 10 Feb. 12 | Week 11 Feb. 19 | Week 12 Feb. 26 | Final Mar. 5 | |
| 1. | Kentucky (5–0) | Kentucky (6–0) | Bradley (13–0) | Bradley (15–0) | Oklahoma A&M (15–0) | Kentucky (13–1) | Kentucky (14–1) | Kentucky (18–1) | Kentucky (19–1) | Kentucky (22–1) | Kentucky (24–1) | Kentucky (27–2) | 1. |
| 2. | Bradley (6–0) | Bradley (9–0) | Oklahoma A&M (12–0) | Oklahoma A&M (13–0) | Kentucky (10–1) | Long Island (15–0) | Oklahoma A&M (16–1) | Oklahoma A&M (19–1) | Oklahoma A&M (21–1) | Oklahoma A&M (23–1) | Oklahoma State (25–1) | Oklahoma A&M (26–3) | 2. |
| 3. | NC State (6–0) | Oklahoma A&M (9–0) | Kentucky (7–1) | Kentucky (9–1) | Bradley (16–2) | Oklahoma A&M (16–1) | Indiana (13–1) | Indiana (13–1) | Kansas State (17–2) | Columbia (17–0) | Columbia (19–0) | Columbia (21–0) | 3. |
| 4. | Indiana (4–0) | Long Island (6–0) | Long Island (8–0) | Long Island (9–0) | Long Island (11–0) | Bradley (18–2) | Long Island (16–1) | Kansas State (16–2) | Columbia (15–0) | Indiana (15–3) | Kansas State (18–3) | Kansas State (21–3) | 4. |
| 5. | Oklahoma A&M (5–0) | Indiana (6–0) | Saint Louis (9–2) | Saint Louis (11–2) | St. John's (11–2) | Indiana (12–1) | Bradley (18–3) | Bradley (20–3) | Saint Louis (18–4) | Kansas State (17–3) | Bradley (26–4) | Illinois (19–3) | 5. |
| 6. | CCNY (4–1) | NC State (7–1) | Indiana (7–1) | Indiana (8–1) | Indiana (9–1) | St. John's (12–2) | Columbia (12–0) | Columbia (12–0) | Indiana (13–2) | Saint Louis (19–5) | Illinois (17–3) | Bradley (28–4) | 6. |
| 7. | Long Island (3–0) | Villanova (6–0) | NC State (11–1) | NC State (13–1) | Columbia (10–0) | Columbia (12–0) | Kansas State (13–2) | St. John's (15–2) | St. John's (18–2) | Bradley (24–4) | Indiana (16–3) | Indiana (19–3) | 7. |
| 8. | Missouri (3–1) | Columbia (7–0) | Villanova (8–0) | Columbia (8–0) | Saint Louis (12–3) | NC State (17–2) | NC State (19–2) | Saint Louis (16–4) | Bradley (21–4) | St. John's (19–3) | NC State (25–4) | NC State (28–4) | 8. |
| 9. | UCLA (4–1) | Missouri (4–1) | Kansas State (9–2) | Kansas State (10–2) | NC State (15–2) | Kansas State (12–2) | St. John's (13–2) | Villanova (16–1) | NC State (21–4) | NC State (23–4) | St. John's (20–3) | St. John's (22–3) | 9. |
| 10. | Toledo (7–0) | Kansas (5–1) | Wyoming (12–0) | Wyoming (12–1) | Kansas State (11–2) | Saint Louis (13–4) | Saint Louis (14–4) | NC State (19–4) | Villanova (18–2) | Illinois (16–3) | Saint Louis (20–6) | Saint Louis (21–7) | 10. |
| 11. | Kansas (4–1) | CCNY (6–2) | St. John's (9–2) | St. John's (10–2) | Villanova (12–1) | Villanova (13–1) | Villanova (14–1) | Cincinnati (11–1) | Illinois (13–3) | Arizona (21–4) | BYU (23–5) | BYU (24–7) | 11. |
| 12. | Washington (4–0) | St. John's (7–2) | Washington (7–0) | Washington (9–0) | Toledo (12–2) | USC (14–2) | BYU (16–4) | Long Island (16–4) | BYU (20–4) | BYU (21–5) | Arizona (22–4) | Arizona (24–4) | 12. |
| 13. | St. John's (5–1) | Toledo (8–1) | Duquesne (9–0) | USC (10–1) | Wyoming (14–1) | Siena (13–1) | USC (14–2) | Arizona (16–3) | USC (18–2) | USC (19–3) | Toledo (20–6) | Dayton (23–4) | 13. |
| 14. | Notre Dame (4–0) | Wyoming (9–0) | Columbia (7–0) | Illinois (9–2) | Illinois (10–2) | Arizona (13–2) | Illinois (11–3) | BYU (18–4) | Louisville (17–2) | Dayton (20–4) | Dayton (23–4) | Toledo (23–6) | 14. |
| 15. | BYU (5–1) | Washington (6–0) | Cornell (9–0) | Duquesne (10–1) | Washington (10–1) | Cincinnati (10–1) | Arizona (14–3) | USC (16–2) | Cincinnati (12–2) | Villanova (20–4) | Villanova (22–4) | Washington (20–5) | 15. |
| 16. | Oklahoma (3–0) | La Salle (6–1) | Arizona (8–2) | Villanova (10–1) | Cincinnati (9–1) | Illinois (11–3) | Cincinnati (10–1) | Illinois (11–3) | Arizona (18–3) | Long Island (20–4) | Beloit (17–4) | Murray State (21–6) | 16. |
| 17. | Cincinnati (3–0) | Cincinnati (5–0) | Cincinnati (6–0) | Kansas (9–2) | St. Bonaventure (10–0) | La Salle (12–3) | Kansas (11–3) | Louisville (14–2) | Dayton (18–4) | Oklahoma (13–7) | UCLA (16–8) | Cincinnati (17–3) | 17. |
| 18. | Villanova (4–0) | Cornell (6–0) | Princeton (7–0) | Toledo (11–1) | Siena (13–1) | Oklahoma (9–5) | Oklahoma (9–6) | Dayton (15–3) | Beloit (14–3) | Cincinnati (13–2) | USC (20–4) | Siena (18–6) | 18. |
| 19. | Cornell (5–0) | West Virginia (6–0) | Toledo (9–1) | La Salle (9–1) | USC (12–2) | BYU (14–4) | UCLA (9–7) | Siena (15–2) | Long Island (17–4) | Washington (17–4) | Washington (18–5) | USC (21–5) | 19. |
| 20. | Kansas State (4–2) | Illinois (5–1) | Kansas (7–2) | Princeton (8–0) | Duquesne (11–1) | Wyoming (15–4) | Toledo (14–3) | Kansas (11–5) | Seattle (27–2) | Beloit (15–3) | Murray State (21–6) | Villanova (23–5) | 20. |
| | Week 2 Dec. 18 | Week 3 Dec. 25 | Week 4 Jan. 3 | Week 5 Jan. 8 | Week 6 Jan. 15 | Week 7 Jan. 22 | Week 8 Jan. 29 | Week 9 Feb. 5 | Week 10 Feb. 12 | Week 11 Feb. 19 | Week 12 Feb. 26 | Final Mar. 5 | |
| | | Dropped: UCLA (4–4)Notre DameBYU (7–1)OklahomaKansas State (6–2) | Dropped: Missouri (5–3)CCNY (6–4)La SalleWest VirginiaIllinois (7–2) | Dropped: CornellArizona (9–2)Cincinnati (8–1) | Dropped: Kansas (10–2)La SallePrinceton | Dropped: ToledoWashingtonSt. BonaventureDuquesne | Dropped: SienaLa SalleWyoming | Dropped: OklahomaUCLAToledo | Dropped: SienaKansas | Dropped: LouisvilleSeattle | Dropped: Long IslandOklahomaCincinnati | Dropped: Beloit (18–5)UCLA (19–8) | |

## UP Poll

| | Preseason | Week 1 Dec. 12 | Week 2 Dec. 19 | Week 3 Dec. 26 | Week 4 Jan. 3 | Week 5 Jan. 9 | Week 6 Jan. 16 | Week 7 Jan. 23 | Week 8 Jan. 30 | Week 9 Feb. 6 | Week 10 Feb. 13 | Week 11 Feb. 20 | Week 12 Feb. 27 | Final Mar. 6 | |
| 1. | CCNY | Kentucky (2–0) | Kentucky (5–0) | Kentucky (6–0) | Bradley (13–0) | Bradley (15–0) | Oklahoma A&M (15–0) | Kentucky (13–1) | Kentucky (14–1) | Kentucky (18–1) | Kentucky (19–1) | Kentucky (22–1) | Kentucky (24–1) | Oklahoma A&M (26–3) | 1. |
| 2. | Bradley | Bradley (4–0) | Bradley (6–0) | Bradley (9–0) | Kentucky (7–1) | Oklahoma A&M (13–0) | Kentucky (10–1) | Long Island (15–0) | Oklahoma A&M (16–1) | Oklahoma A&M (19–1) | Oklahoma A&M (21–1) | Oklahoma A&M (23–1) | Oklahoma State (25–1) | Kentucky (27–2) | 2. |
| 3. | Kentucky | NC State (4–0) | NC State (6–0) | Oklahoma A&M (9–0) | Oklahoma A&M (12–0) | Kentucky (9–1) | Long Island (11–0) | Oklahoma A&M (16–1) | Long Island (16–1) | Indiana (13–1) | Kansas State (17–2) | Indiana (15–3) | Kansas State (18–3) | Kansas State (21–3) | 3. |
| 4. | NC State | Kansas (3–0) | Oklahoma A&M (5–0) | Long Island (6–0) | Long Island (8–0) | Long Island (9–0) | Bradley (16–2) | Indiana (12–1) | Indiana (13–1) | Kansas State (16–2) | Columbia (15–0) | Columbia (17–0) | Columbia (19–0) | Illinois (19–3) | 4. |
| 5. | Kansas | Oklahoma A&M (3–0) | Indiana (4–0) | Indiana (6–0) | Indiana (7–1) | Indiana (8–1) | Indiana (9–1) | Bradley (18–2) | Kansas State (13–2) | Bradley (20–3) | Indiana (13–2) | Kansas State (17–3) | Illinois (17–3) | Columbia (21–0) | 5. |
| 6. | Oklahoma A&M | CCNY (3–1) | CCNY (4–1) | NC State (7–1) | NC State (11–1) | Saint Louis (11–2) | St. John's (11–2) | St. John's (12–2) | Bradley (18–3) | Columbia (12–0) | St. John's (18–2) | Saint Louis (19–5) | Indiana (16–3) | NC State (28–4) | 6. |
| 7. | Long Island | Long Island (2–0) | Long Island (3–0) | Missouri (4–1) | Saint Louis (9–2) | NC State (13–1) | Kansas State (11–2) | Kansas State (12–2) | St. John's (13–2) | St. John's (15–2) | Saint Louis (18–4) | Bradley (24–4) | St. John's (20–3) | Bradley (28–4) | 7. |
| 8. | Iowa | St. John's (4–0) | St. John's (5–1) | St. John's (7–2) | Kansas State (9–2) | Kansas State (10–2) | Saint Louis (12–3) | Columbia (12–0) | Columbia (12–0) | Saint Louis (16–4) | BYU (20–4) | NC State (23–4) | Bradley (26–4) | Indiana (19–3) | 8. |
| 9. | St. John's | Kansas State (3–1) | Missouri (3–1) | CCNY (6–2) | St. John's (9–2) | Columbia (8–0) | NC State (15–2) | NC State (17–2) | NC State (19–2) | BYU (18–4) | Bradley (21–4) | St. John's (19–3) | NC State (25–4) | St. John's (22–3) | 9. |
| 10. | Indiana | Indiana (2–0) | Kansas (4–1) | Kansas (5–1) | Wyoming (12–0) | St. John's (10–2) | Columbia (10–0) | Saint Louis (13–4) | Saint Louis (14–4) | NC State (19–4) | NC State (21–4) | BYU (21–5) | BYU (23–5) | BYU (24–7) | 10. |
| 11. | UCLA | Missouri (2–1) | Washington (4–0) | Washington (6–0) | Villanova (8–0) т | Wyoming (12–1) | Villanova (12–1) т | BYU (14–4) | BYU (16–4) | USC (16–2) | USC (18–2) | Illinois (16–3) | Saint Louis (20–6) | Saint Louis (21–7) | 11. |
| 12. | Kansas State | BYU (5–1) | Duquesne (5–0) | Villanova (6–0) | Washington (7–0) т | Washington (9–0) | Illinois (10–2) т | Illinois (11–3) | Villanova (14–1) | Villanova (16–1) | Illinois (13–3) | Long Island (20–4) | USC (20–4) | Washington (20–5) | 12. |
| 13. | Arkansas т | Washington (2–0) | Saint Louis (6–0) | BYU (7–1) | Cincinnati (6–0) | Villanova (10–1) | Wyoming (14–1) | Cincinnati (10–1) | USC (14–2) | Illinois (11–3) | Villanova (18–2) | USC (19–3) | Arizona (22–4) т | Arizona (24–4) | 13. |
| 14. | Syracuse т | UCLA (2–1) т | Oklahoma (3–0) | Wyoming (9–0) | Columbia (7–0) | Kansas (9–2) | Cincinnati (9–1) | Villanova (13–1) | Illinois (11–3) т | Long Island (16–4) | Cincinnati (12–2) | Washington (17–4) | Washington (18–5) т | Beloit (18–5) | 14. |
| 15. | Western Kentucky т | Minnesota (2–1) т | BYU (5–1) | Kansas State (6–2) | Kansas (7–2) | Duquesne (10–1) | Kansas (10–2) | USC (14–2) | Cincinnati (10–1) т | Cincinnati (11–1) | Long Island (17–4) | Cincinnati (13–2) | Villanova (22–4) | USC (21–5) | 15. |
| 16. | Washington | Syracuse (3–1) | UCLA (4–1) т | Duquesne (6–0) | CCNY (6–4) | La Salle (9–1) т | Washington (10–1) | Arizona (13–2) | Kansas (11–3) | Washington (13–4) | Washington (15–4) | Oregon (16–11) | Oregon (17–12) | Vanderbilt (19–8) | 16. |
| 17. | DePaul т | DePaul (3–2) | Toledo (7–0) т | Cincinnati (5–0) | Oklahoma (4–3) | Arizona (9–2) т | USC (12–2) | NYU (6–2) | Washington State (14–8) | Kansas (11–5) | Arizona (18–3) | Villanova (20–4) | Beloit (17–4) | Siena (18–6) т | 17. |
| 18. | Illinois т | Iowa (1–2) | Cincinnati (3–0) | Toledo (8–1) | Arizona (8–2) | Cincinnati (8–1) т | Duquesne (11–1) | Wyoming (15–4) | UCLA (9–7) | Arizona (16–3) | NYU (10–3) | Arizona (21–4) | Cincinnati (14–3) | Villanova (23–5) т | 18. |
| 19. | Ohio State | Saint Louis (4–0) | Kansas State (4–2) | Saint Louis (7–1) | Duquesne (9–0) т | USC (10–1) т | Arizona (12–2) т | Kansas (10–3) т | NYU (7–2) | NYU (9–2) | Kansas (10–3) | Oklahoma (13–7) | St. Bonaventure (17–4) | Dayton (23–4) т | 19. |
| 20. | BYU | Illinois (2–1) т Holy Cross (1–0) т | Illinois (3–1) | La Salle (6–1) | Missouri (5–3) т | Iowa (6–2) т | BYU (12–4) т | Washington State (13–8) т | Arizona (14–3) | Holy Cross (12–3) т Texas A&M (10–7) т Washington State (15–9) т | Oklahoma (11–7) | Beloit (15–3) | | St. Bonaventure (18–5) т | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 1 Dec. 12 | Week 2 Dec. 19 | Week 3 Dec. 26 | Week 4 Jan. 3 | Week 5 Jan. 9 | Week 6 Jan. 16 | Week 7 Jan. 23 | Week 8 Jan. 30 | Week 9 Feb. 6 | Week 10 Feb. 13 | Week 11 Feb. 20 | Week 12 Feb. 27 | Final Mar. 6 | |
| | | Dropped: ArkansasWestern KentuckyOhio State | Dropped: MinnesotaSyracuseDePaulIowaHoly Cross | Dropped: UCLA (4–4)OklahomaIllinois (5–1) | Dropped: BYUToledo (9–1)La Salle | Dropped: CCNYOklahomaMissouri | Dropped: La SalleIowa | Dropped: WashingtonDuquesne | Dropped: Wyoming | Dropped: UCLA | Dropped: Holy CrossTexas A&MWashington State | Dropped: NYUKansas | Dropped: Oklahoma | Dropped: OregonCincinnati (17–3) | |