# 1965–66 NCAA University Division men's basketball rankings

The 1965–66 NCAA University Division 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

All AP polls for this season included only ten ranked teams.
| | Preseason | Week 2 Dec. 7 | Week 3 Dec. 14 | Week 4 Dec. 21 | Week 5 Dec. 28 | Week 6 Jan. 4 | Week 7 Jan. 11 | Week 8 Jan. 18 | Week 9 Jan. 25 | Week 10 Feb. 1 | Week 11 Feb. 8 | Week 12 Feb. 15 | Week 13 Feb. 22 | Week 14 Mar. 1 | Final Mar. 8 | |
| 1. | UCLA | UCLA (2–0) | Duke (4–1) | Duke (6–1) | Duke (7–1) | Duke (9–1) | Duke (11–1) | Duke (14–1) | Duke (14–1) | Duke (15–1) | Kentucky (17–0) | Kentucky (19–0) | Kentucky (21–0) | Kentucky (23–0) | Kentucky (23–1) | 1. |
| 2. | Michigan | Michigan (3–0) | Saint Joseph's (4–0) | Saint Joseph's (6–0) | Vanderbilt (8–0) | Kentucky (8–0) | Kentucky (10–0) | Kentucky (12–0) | Kentucky (12–0) | Kentucky (14–0) | Duke (15–1) | Duke (17–2) | Duke (19–2) | Texas Western (22–0) | Duke (23–3) | 2. |
| 3. | Duke | Saint Joseph's (2–0) | Michigan (4–1) | Michigan (4–1) | Bradley (10–0) | Vanderbilt (10–1) | Vanderbilt (12–1) | Saint Joseph's (11–2) | Providence (12–1) | Vanderbilt (15–2) | Loyola-Chicago (16–1) | Texas Western (18–0) | Texas Western (20–0) | Duke (20–3) | Texas Western (23–1) | 3. |
| 4. | Saint Joseph's | Vanderbilt (1–0) | Kansas (5–0) | Vanderbilt (6–0) | Iowa (7–0) | Saint Joseph's (9–2) | Saint Joseph's (10–2) | Providence (12–1) | Vanderbilt (14–2) | Providence (13–1) | Texas Western (16–0) | Loyola-Chicago (17–2) | Loyola-Chicago (20–2) | Loyola-Chicago (21–2) | Kansas (21–3) | 4. |
| 5. | Vanderbilt | Minnesota (2–0) | Vanderbilt (4–0) | Bradley (8–0) | Kentucky (7–0) | Bradley (10–1) | Bradley (13–1) | Vanderbilt (14–2) | Saint Joseph's (13–3) | Loyola-Chicago (15–1) | Vanderbilt (16–3) | Vanderbilt (17–3) | Vanderbilt (19–3) | Vanderbilt (21–3) | St. Joseph's (22–4) | 5. |
| 6. | Providence | Duke (2–0) | Minnesota (3–0) | Minnesota (4–0) | BYU (6–0) | Providence (8–1) | Providence (10–1) | Kansas (13–2) | Texas Western (12–0) | Texas Western (14–0) | Providence (15–1) | Providence (17–2) | Kansas (18–3) | Kansas (20–3) | Loyola-Chicago (21–2) | 6. |
| 7. | Minnesota | Kansas (2–0) | Providence (3–0) | Providence (5–0) | Michigan (4–3) | Iowa (8–1) | BYU (10–1) | Bradley (14–2) | Loyola-Chicago (13–1) | Kansas (14–3) | Kansas (15–3) | Kansas (16–3) | Saint Joseph's (19–4) | Saint Joseph's (21–4) | Cincinnati (21–5) | 7. |
| 8. | Kansas | Providence (1–0) | UCLA (2–2) | Wichita State (4–0) | Saint Joseph's (6–2) | BYU (8–1) | Texas Western (12–0) | Texas Western (12–0) | Cincinnati (13–2) | Saint Joseph's (13–4) | Saint Joseph's (15–4) | Saint Joseph's (17–4) | Nebraska (17–3) | Providence (21–3) | Vanderbilt (22–4) | 8. |
| 9. | Bradley | Bradley (1–0) | Bradley (6–0) | Iowa (7–0) | Minnesota (5–1) | Texas Western (10–0) | UCLA (9–3) | Loyola-Chicago (13–1) | Kansas (14–3) | Michigan (11–4) | Nebraska (14–2) | Nebraska (16–3) | Providence (19–3) | Nebraska (18–4) | Michigan (17–6) | 9. |
| 10. | Kansas State | South Carolina (2–0) | Wichita State (3–0) | Kentucky (6–0) | Providence (5–1) | UCLA (7–3) | Kansas (11–2) | UCLA (10–4) | UCLA (10–4) | Cincinnati (14–3) | Michigan (12–5) | Michigan (13–5) | Michigan (14–5) | Cincinnati (20–5) | Western Kentucky (24–2) | 10. |
| | Preseason | Week 2 Dec. 7 | Week 3 Dec. 14 | Week 4 Dec. 21 | Week 5 Dec. 28 | Week 6 Jan. 4 | Week 7 Jan. 11 | Week 8 Jan. 18 | Week 9 Jan. 25 | Week 10 Feb. 1 | Week 11 Feb. 8 | Week 12 Feb. 15 | Week 13 Feb. 22 | Week 14 Mar. 1 | Final Mar. 8 | |
| | | Dropped: Kansas State | Dropped: South Carolina (4–0) | Dropped: Kansas (5–2)UCLA (3–3) | Dropped: Wichita State (4–2) | Dropped: Michigan (6–4)Minnesota (7–3) | Dropped: Iowa (8–2) | Dropped: BYU (10–3) | Dropped: Bradley (14–3) | Dropped: UCLA (10–5) | Dropped: Cincinnati (14–5) | None | None | Dropped: Michigan (15–6) | Dropped: Providence (22–4)Nebraska (20–5) | |

## UPI Poll

| | Preseason | Week 2 Dec. 6 | Week 3 Dec. 13 | Week 4 Dec. 20 | Week 5 Dec. 27 | Week 6 Jan. 3 | Week 7 Jan. 10 | Week 8 Jan. 17 | Week 9 Jan. 24 | Week 10 Jan. 31 | Week 11 Feb. 7 | Week 12 Feb. 14 | Week 13 Feb. 21 | Week 14 Feb. 28 | Final Mar. 7 | |
| 1. | UCLA | UCLA (2–0) | Duke (4–1) | Duke (6–1) | Duke (7–1) | Duke (9–1) | Duke (11–1) | Duke (14–1) | Duke (14–1) | Duke (15–1) | Kentucky (17–0) | Kentucky (19–0) | Kentucky (21–0) | Kentucky (23–0) | Kentucky (23–1) | 1. |
| 2. | Michigan | Michigan (3–0) | Saint Joseph's (4–0) | Saint Joseph's (6–0) | Vanderbilt (8–0) | Kentucky (8–0) | Kentucky (10–0) | Kentucky (12–0) | Kentucky (12–0) | Kentucky (14–0) | Duke (15–1) | Duke (17–2) | Duke (19–2) | Duke (20–3) | Duke (23–3) | 2. |
| 3. | Minnesota | Saint Joseph's (2–0) | Vanderbilt (4–0) | Vanderbilt (6–0) | BYU (6–0) | Vanderbilt (10–1) | Vanderbilt (12–1) | Saint Joseph's (11–2) | Providence (12–1) | Vanderbilt (15–2) | Loyola-Chicago (16–1) | Texas Western (18–0) | Texas Western (20–0) | Texas Western (22–0) | Texas Western (23–1) | 3. |
| 4. | Saint Joseph's | Duke (2–0) | Kansas (5–0) | Minnesota (4–0) | Bradley (10–0) | Saint Joseph's (9–2) | Saint Joseph's (10–2) | Providence (12–1) | Vanderbilt (14–2) | Providence (13–1) | Providence (15–1) | Providence (17–2) | Loyola-Chicago (20–2) | Loyola-Chicago (21–2) | Kansas (21–3) | 4. |
| 5. | Duke | Minnesota (2–0) | Michigan (4–1) | Michigan (4–1) | Kentucky (7–0) | BYU (8–1) | Bradley (13–1) | Vanderbilt (14–2) | Saint Joseph's (13–3) | Loyola-Chicago (15–1) | Texas Western (16–0) | Loyola-Chicago (17–2) | Kansas (18–3) | Kansas (20–3) | Loyola-Chicago (21–2) | 5. |
| 6. | Vanderbilt | Vanderbilt (1–0) | Minnesota (3–0) | Providence (5–0) | Iowa (7–0) | Providence (8–1) | BYU (10–1) | Bradley (14–2) | Texas Western (12–0) | Texas Western (14–0) | Kansas (15–3) | Saint Joseph's (17–4) | Vanderbilt (19–3) | Saint Joseph's (21–4) | St. Joseph's (22–4) | 6. |
| 7. | Providence | Kansas (2–0) | Providence (3–0) | Wichita State (4–0) | Saint Joseph's (6–2) | Bradley (10–1) | Providence (10–1) | Kansas (13–2) | Loyola-Chicago (13–1) | Kansas (14–3) | Vanderbilt (16–3) | Kansas (16–3) | Saint Joseph's (19–4) | Vanderbilt (21–3) | Michigan (17–6) | 7. |
| 8. | Kansas | Providence (1–0) | UCLA (2–2) | BYU (4–0) | Providence (5–1) | UCLA (7–3) | UCLA (9–3) | Texas Western (12–0) | Bradley (14–3) | Saint Joseph's (13–4) | Saint Joseph's (15–4) | Vanderbilt (17–3) | Providence (19–3) | Providence (21–3) | Vanderbilt (22–4) | 8. |
| 9. | Bradley | BYU (1–0) | BYU (2–0) | Iowa (7–0) т | Michigan (4–3) | Iowa (8–1) т | Texas Western (12–0) | Loyola-Chicago (13–1) | Kansas (14–3) | Michigan (11–4) | Nebraska (14–2) | Nebraska (16–3) | Michigan (14–5) | Michigan (15–6) | Cincinnati (21–5) | 9. |
| 10. | BYU | Bradley (1–0) | Wichita State (3–0) | Kentucky (6–0) т | Minnesota (5–1) | Kansas (9–2) т | Kansas (11–2) | Utah (12–3) | Cincinnati (13–2) | Cincinnati (14–3) | Michigan (12–5) | Michigan (13–5) | Nebraska (17–3) | Cincinnati (20–5) | Providence (22–4) | 10. |
| 11. | San Francisco | San Francisco (2–1) | Bradley (6–0) | Bradley (8–0) | UCLA (5–3) | Texas Western (10–0) | Loyola-Chicago (11–1) | BYU (10–3) | Michigan State (10–4) | Utah (14–3) | Cincinnati (14–5) т | San Francisco (16–3) | Cincinnati (18–5) | Utah (20–5) | Nebraska (20–5) | 11. |
| 12. | Kansas State | Iowa (3–0) | Iowa (5–0) | Kansas (5–2) | Kansas (6–2) | Cincinnati (8–1) | Iowa (8–2) | UCLA (10–4) | Utah (13–3) | Nebraska (13–2) | San Francisco (15–2) т | Cincinnati (16–5) | Utah (18–5) | San Francisco (20–4) | Utah (21–6) | 12. |
| 13. | NC State | Kentucky (2–0) | Kentucky (4–0) | UCLA (3–3) | Syracuse (7–0) | Syracuse (9–2) | New Mexico (10–1) | Michigan (9–4) | Nebraska (13–2) | Bradley (14–4) т | Utah (14–4) | Syracuse (15–3) | San Francisco (18–3) | Nebraska (18–4) | Oklahoma City (18–5) | 13. |
| 14. | Dayton | Louisville (2–0) | South Carolina (4–0) | Syracuse (7–0) | NC State (3–2) т | Loyola-Chicago (9–1) | Dayton (10–1) | Cincinnati (11–2) | UCLA (10–4) | St. John's (11–3) т | Dayton (15–3) | BYU (14–3) т | Western Kentucky (19–2) | Oregon State (17–6) | Houston (21–5) | 14. |
| 15. | Boston College т | NC State (1–0) | Oklahoma City (5–0) | Cincinnati (5–1) т | Utah (7–0) т | Minnesota (7–3) | Tulsa (12–3) т | New Mexico (11–2) т | St. John's (10–3) | Dayton (14–3) | St. John's (12–4) т | Utah (17–4) т | Houston (18–4) | Syracuse (19–5) | Oregon State (20–6) | 15. |
| 16. | St. John's т | New Mexico (2–0) т | New Mexico (4–0) т | Utah (6–0) т | Cincinnati (6–1) т | Michigan (6–4) | Utah (10–3) т | San Francisco (12–2) т | San Francisco (12–2) | San Francisco (13–2) | Syracuse (13–3) т | Houston (17–4) | Syracuse (18–4) | Dayton (21–4) | Syracuse (21–5) | 16. |
| 17. | Louisville т | Ohio State (1–2) т | Saint Louis (4–0) т | Dayton (6–0) т | Wichita State (4–2) т | Utah (8–2) | Louisville (9–3) | Michigan State (10–3) | BYU (11–3) | BYU (11–3) | BYU (12–3) | St. John's (14–4) | St. John's (16–4) | Western Kentucky (21–2) | Pacific (22–4) | 17. |
| 18. | Tennessee т | Boston College (1–0) т | Florida (3–0) | NC State (2–1) т | Dayton (7–0) | DePaul (8–1) т | Western Kentucky (10–1) | Nebraska (12–2) | Dayton (13–3) т | New Mexico (12–2) | Illinois (9–7) | Oklahoma City (12–4) | Oklahoma City (15–5) | Pacific (20–4) | Davidson (20–5) | 18. |
| 19. | West Virginia | Tennessee (0–1) т | NC State (1–1) т | Colorado State (5–0) т | New Mexico (6–1) | New Mexico (9–1) т | Temple (12–1) т | Iowa (9–3) | Tulsa (13–4) т | Oklahoma City (9–4) т | Bradley (15–4) | Western Kentucky (17–2) | Oregon State (16–6) | Oklahoma City (17–5) | BYU (17–5) т | 19. |
| 20. | Iowa т New Mexico т Princeton т | Dayton (2–0) | Utah (4–0) т | San Francisco (5–2) т | North Carolina (6–2) | Oregon State (6–3) | Texas A&M (7–4) т | NC State (8–4) | Iowa (10–3) т Syracuse (11–3) т | Tulsa (13–6) т | Michigan State (13–4) | Dayton (17–3) | Boston College (16–4) т Tennessee (17–6) т | Boston College (19–4) т Michigan State (16–6) т | Dayton (23–4) т | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 2 Dec. 6 | Week 3 Dec. 13 | Week 4 Dec. 20 | Week 5 Dec. 27 | Week 6 Jan. 3 | Week 7 Jan. 10 | Week 8 Jan. 17 | Week 9 Jan. 24 | Week 10 Jan. 31 | Week 11 Feb. 7 | Week 12 Feb. 14 | Week 13 Feb. 21 | Week 14 Feb. 28 | Final Mar. 7 | |
| | | Dropped: Kansas StateSt. John'sWest VirginiaPrinceton | Dropped: San FranciscoLouisvilleOhio StateBoston CollegeTennesseeDayton | Dropped: South CarolinaOklahoma CityNew MexicoSaint LouisFlorida | Dropped: Colorado StateSan Francisco | Dropped: NC StateWichita StateDaytonNorth Carolina | Dropped: CincinnatiSyracuseMinnesotaMichiganDePaulOregon State | Dropped: TulsaLouisvilleWestern KentuckyTempleTexas A&M | Dropped: MichiganNC State | Dropped: UCLAIowaSyracuse | Dropped: New MexicoOklahoma CityTulsa | Dropped: IllinoisBradleyMichigan State | Dropped: BYUDayton | Dropped: HoustonTennessee | Dropped: San Francisco (20–5)Western KentuckyBoston College (19–5)Michigan State (16–7) | |