# 1981–82 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings

The 1981–82 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings was made up of two human polls, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various other preseason polls.

## 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

The final writers' poll was released on Monday, March 8.
| | Preseason | Week 1 Dec. 1 | Week 2 Dec. 8 | Week 3 Dec. 15 | Week 4 Dec. 22 | Week 5 Dec. 29 | Week 6 Jan. 5 | Week 7 Jan. 12 | Week 8 Jan. 19 | Week 9 Jan. 26 | Week 10 Feb. 2 | Week 11 Feb. 9 | Week 12 Feb. 16 | Week 13 Feb. 23 | Week 14 Mar. 2 | Final Mar. 9 | |
| 1. | North Carolina | North Carolina (1–0) | North Carolina (3–0) | North Carolina (4–0) | North Carolina (5–0) | North Carolina (6–0) | North Carolina (9–0) | North Carolina (12–0) | North Carolina (14–0) | Missouri (16–0) | Missouri (18–0) | Virginia (22–1) | Virginia (25–1) | Virginia (26–1) | North Carolina (24–2) | North Carolina (27–2) (47) | 1. |
| 2. | UCLA | Kentucky (1–0) | Kentucky (2–0) | Kentucky (4–0) | Kentucky (6–0) | Wichita State (7–0) | Virginia (11–0) | Missouri (11–0) | Missouri (14–0) | North Carolina (14–1) | North Carolina (16–1) | North Carolina (18–2) | North Carolina (20–2) | North Carolina (22–2) | DePaul (26–1) | DePaul (26–1) (10) | 2. |
| 3. | Kentucky | Louisville (0–0) | Louisville (2–0) | Louisville (4–0) | Wichita State (6–0) | Virginia (8–0) | Kentucky (8–1) | Virginia (12–1) | Virginia (16–1) | Virginia (18–1) | Virginia (20–1) | DePaul (20–1) | DePaul (23–1) | DePaul (24–1) | Virginia (27–2) | Virginia (29–3) (1) | 3. |
| 4. | Louisville | Wichita State (1–0) | Wichita State (3–0) | Wichita State (5–0) | Virginia (8–0) | Kentucky (6–1) | Missouri (9–0) | DePaul (12–1) | DePaul (15–1) | DePaul (16–1) | DePaul (18–1) | Missouri (19–1) | Missouri (21–1) | Oregon State (20–3) | Oregon State (22–3) | Oregon State (23–4) (1) | 4. |
| 5. | Georgetown | Virginia (3–0) | Virginia (5–0) | Virginia (6–0) | Minnesota (5–1) | Arkansas (7–0) | DePaul (11–1) | Iowa (10–1) | Minnesota (11–2) | Texas (14–0) | Iowa (15–2) | Iowa (17–2) | Oregon State (18–3) | Missouri (23–2) | Missouri (23–3) | Missouri (26–3) | 5. |
| 6. | Wichita State | Iowa (1–0) | Iowa (3–0) | Iowa (5–0) | Arkansas (6–0) | San Francisco (10–0) | Minnesota (8–1) | Kentucky (9–2) | Iowa (11–2) | Iowa (13–2) | Minnesota (14–3) | Oregon State (16–3) | Tulsa (18–4) | West Virginia (23–1) | Idaho (24–2) | Georgetown (26–6) | 6. |
| 7. | Virginia | DePaul (0–0) | DePaul (2–0) | DePaul (4–0) | San Francisco (7–0) | Missouri (7–0) | Iowa (8–1) | San Francisco (13–1) | Texas (13–0) | Kentucky (12–3) | San Francisco (19–2) | Tulsa (16–3) | Iowa (18–3) | Kentucky (19–5) | Minnesota (20–5) | Minnesota (22–5) | 7. |
| 8. | DePaul | UCLA (1–1) | Minnesota (3–0) | Minnesota (4–0) | Louisville (5–1) | DePaul (7–1) | San Francisco (11–1) | Georgetown (13–2) | Idaho (15–0) | Oregon State (14–2) | Alabama (16–2) | Arkansas (16–3) | Minnesota (17–4) | Tulsa (19–4) | Georgetown (23–6) | Idaho (26–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Iowa | Tulsa (1–0) | UAB (3–0) | Arkansas (5–0) | Missouri (6–0) | Minnesota (5–1) | Wichita State (10–2) | Arkansas (10–1) | Kentucky (10–3) | San Francisco (17–2) | Kentucky (14–4) | Minnesota (15–4) | West Virginia (21–1) | Idaho (23–2) | West Virginia (24–2) | Memphis State (23–4) | 9. |
| 10. | Minnesota | Minnesota (0–0) | Indiana (2–0) | San Francisco (5–0) | Iowa (6–1) | Iowa (6–1) | Tulsa (9–1) | Houston (11–1) | Tulsa (13–2) | Minnesota (12–3) | Oregon State (15–3) | Alabama (17–3) | Kentucky (17–5) | Memphis State (19–3) | Tulsa (21–5) | Tulsa (24–5) | 10. |
| 11. | Tulsa | UAB (2–0) | Arkansas (3–0) | Missouri (5–0) | Indiana (6–1) | Indiana (6–1) | Arkansas (8–1) | Minnesota (9–2) | San Francisco (15–2) | Idaho (16–1) | Tulsa (15–3) | West Virginia (19–1) | Idaho (21–2) | Iowa (19–4) | Iowa (20–5) | Fresno State (26–2) | 11. |
| 12. | Indiana | Indiana (1–0) | San Francisco (3–0) | Tulsa (5–1) | Alabama (7–0) | Alabama (7–0) | Louisville (8–2) | NC State (13–1) | Oregon State (12–2) | Arkansas (13–2) | Texas (14–3) | Kentucky (15–5) | Memphis State (18–3) | Georgetown (21–6) | Fresno State (24–2) | Arkansas (23–5) | 12. |
| 13. | Wake Forest | Arkansas (1–0) | Missouri (3–0) | Indiana (4–1) | DePaul (5–1) | Tulsa (7–1) | Georgetown (11–2) | Alabama (11–1) | Georgetown (14–3) | Alabama (14–2) | Wake Forest (14–4) | Idaho (19–2) | Georgetown (20–5) | Minnesota (18–5) | Memphis State (21–4) | Alabama (23–6) | 13. |
| 14. | UAB | San Francisco (1–0) | Tulsa (2–1) | Alabama (5–0) | Tulsa (6–1) | Louisville (6–2) | Houston (10–1) | Idaho (13–0) | NC State (14–2) | Kansas State (14–2) | Arkansas (15–3) | Memphis State (16–3) | Wake Forest (17–5) | Fresno State (22–2) | Arkansas (21–5) | West Virginia (26–3) | 14. |
| 15. | Missouri | BYU (2–1) | UNLV (4–0) | Southwestern Louisiana (8–0) | UCLA (4–2) | Oregon State (6–1) | NC State (11–1) | Oregon State (10–2) | Arkansas (11–2) | Tennessee (13–3) | Idaho (17–2) | Kansas State (16–4) | Fresno State (20–2) | Arkansas (19–5) | Kentucky (20–6) | Kentucky (22–7) | 15. |
| 16. | Georgia | Missouri (0–0) | Alabama (4–0) | UAB (3–1) | Oregon State (5–1) | UCLA (5–2) | Alabama (9–1) | Wichita State (11–3) | Alabama (12–2) | Tulsa (13–3) | Tennessee (14–4) | Wake Forest (15–5) | San Francisco (21–4) | San Francisco (23–4) | Wake Forest (19–7) | Iowa (20–7) | 16. |
| 17. | LSU | Alabama (1–0) | UCLA (2–2) | UCLA (3–2) | Georgetown (7–2) | Georgetown (8–2) | Oregon State (9–2) | Louisville (10–3) | Louisville (11–4) | NC State (15–3) | Fresno State (17–1) | San Francisco (19–4) | Arkansas (18–5) | Alabama (19–5) | Kansas State (20–6) | UAB (23–5) | 17. |
| 18. | Arkansas | UNLV (2–0) | Southwestern Louisiana (5–0) | Villanova (5–0) | Houston (7–1) | Houston (7–1) | Idaho (11–0) | Tulsa (10–2) | Kansas State (12–2) | Wake Forest (13–3) | West Virginia (17–1) | Fresno State (18–2) | Kansas State (17–5) | Wake Forest (18–6) | Alabama (20–6) | Wake Forest (20–8) | 18. |
| 19. | Notre Dame | Notre Dame (1–0) | Oregon State (2–0) | Georgetown (5–2) | UAB (5–2) | Villanova (7–1) | UCLA (6–4) | Texas (10–0) | Houston (11–3) | Fresno State (15–1) | Kansas State (14–4) | Washington (17–3) | Alabama (17–5) | Tennessee (18–6) | UCLA (19–6) | UCLA (21–6) | 19. |
| 20. | Alabama | Georgetown (1–2) | Georgetown (3–2) | Oregon State (3–1) | Villanova (6–1) | NC State (7–0) | St. John's (9–1) | Virginia Tech (10–1) | Tennessee (11–3) | Villanova (13–3) | Memphis State (14–3) | Georgetown (18–5) | Indiana (14–7) | UCLA (18–5) | UAB (23–5) | Louisville (20–9) | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 1 Dec. 1 | Week 2 Dec. 8 | Week 3 Dec. 15 | Week 4 Dec. 22 | Week 5 Dec. 29 | Week 6 Jan. 5 | Week 7 Jan. 12 | Week 8 Jan. 19 | Week 9 Jan. 26 | Week 10 Feb. 2 | Week 11 Feb. 9 | Week 12 Feb. 16 | Week 13 Feb. 23 | Week 14 Mar. 2 | Final Mar. 9 | |
| | | Dropped: Wake ForestGeorgiaLSU | Dropped: BYUNotre Dame | Dropped: UNLV | Dropped: Southwestern Louisiana | Dropped: UAB | Dropped: Indiana (6–3)Villanova | Dropped: UCLASt. John's | Dropped: Wichita StateVirginia Tech | Dropped: LouisvilleHoustonTennessee | Dropped: NC StateVillanova | Dropped: Texas (14–5)Tennessee | Dropped: Washington | Dropped: Kansas State (18–6)Indiana | Dropped: San FranciscoTennessee (18–8) | Dropped: Kansas State (21–7) | |

## UPI Poll

The final coaches' poll was released on Monday, March 8.
| | Preseason | Week 2 Dec. 8 | Week 3 Dec. 15 | Week 4 Dec. 22 | Week 5 Dec. 29 | Week 6 Jan. 5 | Week 7 Jan. 12 | Week 8 Jan. 19 | Week 9 Jan. 26 | Week 10 Feb. 2 | Week 11 Feb. 9 | Week 12 Feb. 16 | Week 13 Feb. 23 | Week 14 Mar. 2 | Final Mar. 9 | |
| 1. | North Carolina | North Carolina (3–0) | North Carolina (4–0) | North Carolina (5–0) | North Carolina (6–0) | North Carolina (9–0) | North Carolina (12–0) | North Carolina (14–0) | Missouri (16–0) | Missouri (18–0) | Virginia (22–1) | Virginia (25–1) | Virginia (26–1) | North Carolina (24–2) | North Carolina (27–2) (38) | 1. |
| 2. | UCLA | Kentucky (2–0) | Kentucky (4–0) | Kentucky (6–0) | Virginia (8–0) | Virginia (11–0) | Virginia (12–1) | Missouri (14–0) | North Carolina (14–1) | North Carolina (16–1) | North Carolina (16–1) | North Carolina (20–2) | North Carolina (22–2) | DePaul (26–1) | DePaul (26–1) (4) | 2. |
| 3. | Kentucky | Louisville (2–0) | Louisville (4–0) | Virginia (8–0) | Kentucky (6–1) | Kentucky (8–1) | Missouri (11–0) | Virginia (16–1) | Virginia (18–1) | DePaul (18–1) | DePaul (20–1) | DePaul (23–1) | DePaul (24–1) | Virginia (27–2) | Virginia (29–3) | 3. |
| 4. | Louisville | Virginia (5–0) | Wichita State (5–0) | Wichita State (6–0) | Wichita State (7–0) | DePaul (11–1) | DePaul (12–1) | DePaul (15–1) | DePaul (16–1) | Virginia (20–1) | Missouri (19–1) | Missouri (21–1) | Oregon State (20–3) | Oregon State (22–3) | Oregon State (23–4) | 4. |
| 5. | Georgetown | Iowa (3–0) | Iowa (5–0) | Minnesota (5–1) | DePaul (7–1) | Missouri (9–0) | Iowa (10–1) | Texas (13–0) | Texas (14–0) | Iowa (15–2) | Iowa (17–2) | Oregon State (18–3) | Missouri (23–2) | Missouri (23–3) | Missouri (26–3) | 5. |
| 6. | Virginia | Wichita State (3–0) | Virginia (6–0) | Arkansas (6–0) | Arkansas (7–0) | Minnesota (8–1) | Kentucky (9–2) | Minnesota (11–2) т | Iowa (13–2) | Minnesota (14–3) | Oregon State (16–3) | Iowa (18–3) | West Virginia (23–1) | Idaho (24–2) | Minnesota (22–5) | 6. |
| 7. | Wichita State | DePaul (2–0) | DePaul (4–0) | Indiana (6–1) | Missouri (7–0) | Iowa (8–1) | Georgetown (13–2) | Iowa (11–2) т | Oregon State (14–2) | Oregon State (15–3) | Tulsa (16–3) | Tulsa (18–4) | Iowa (19–4) | Minnesota (20–5) | Georgetown (26–6) | 7. |
| 8. | Iowa | Indiana (2–0) | Arkansas (5–0) | San Francisco (7–0) | San Francisco (10–0) | Louisville (8–2) | San Francisco (13–1) | Idaho (15–0) | Kentucky (12–3) | San Francisco (19–2) | Minnesota (15–4) | Minnesota (17–4) | Idaho (23–2) | Georgetown (23–6) | Idaho (26–2) | 8. |
| 9. | DePaul | Minnesota (3–0) | Minnesota (4–0) | Louisville (5–1) | Iowa (6–1) | Georgetown (11–2) | Minnesota (9–2) | Kentucky (10–3) | Minnesota (12–3) | Kentucky (14–4) | Kentucky (15–5) | Kentucky (17–5) | Kentucky (19–5) | Fresno State (24–2) | Memphis State (23–4) | 9. |
| 10. | Minnesota | Arkansas (3–0) | Missouri (5–0) | Missouri (6–0) | Indiana (6–1) | San Francisco (11–1) | Arkansas (10–1) | Oregon State (12–2) | Idaho (16–1) | Alabama (16–2) | Arkansas (16–3) | West Virginia (21–1) | Tulsa (19–4) | Iowa (20–5) | Fresno State (26–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Indiana | Missouri (3–0) | Indiana (4–1) | Iowa (6–1) | Minnesota (5–1) | Arkansas (8–1) | Idaho (13–0) | Georgetown (14–3) | Arkansas (13–2) | Texas (14–3) | Alabama (17–3) | Idaho (21–2) | Georgetown (21–6) | Memphis State (21–4) | Tulsa (24–5) | 11. |
| 12. | Tulsa | UAB (3–0) | San Francisco (5–0) | DePaul (5–1) | Oregon State (6–1) | Wichita State (10–2) | Houston (11–1) | Tulsa (13–2) | San Francisco (17–2) | Tulsa (15–3) | Idaho (19–2) | Georgetown (20–5) | Fresno State (22–2) | Kentucky (20–6) | Alabama (23–6) | 12. |
| 13. | Georgia | UNLV (4–0) | Louisiana-Lafayette (8–0) | Georgetown (7–2) | Louisville (6–2) | Idaho (11–0) | Louisville (10–3) | San Francisco (15–2) | Kansas State (14–2) | Fresno State (17–1) | West Virginia (19–1) | Memphis State (18–3) | Memphis State (19–3) | West Virginia (24–2) | Arkansas (23–5) | 13. |
| 14. | Wake Forest | San Francisco (3–0) | Tulsa (5–1) | Alabama (7–0) | Alabama (7–0) | Tulsa (9–1) | Oregon State (10–2) | Arkansas (11–2) | Alabama (14–2) | Arkansas (15–3) | Kansas State (16–4) | Fresno State (20–2) | Minnesota (18–5) | Tulsa (21–5) | Kentucky (22–7) | 14. |
| 15. | Missouri | Oregon State (2–0) | Alabama (5–0) | Oregon State (5–1) | Georgetown (8–2) | NC State (11–1) | NC State (13–1) | NC State (14–2) | Tennessee (13–3) | Idaho (17–2) | San Francisco (19–4) | Alabama (17–5) | Arkansas (19–5) | Arkansas (21–5) | Wyoming (23–5) | 15. |
| 16. | San Francisco | Tulsa (2–1) | Villanova (5–0) | Tulsa (6–1) | Tulsa (7–1) | Houston (10–1) | Alabama (11–1) | Kansas State (12–2) | Tulsa (13–3) | Wake Forest (14–4) | Fresno State (18–2) | Kansas State (17–5) | Alabama (19–5) | Kansas State (20–6) | Iowa (20–7) | 16. |
| 17. | UAB | Louisiana-Lafayette (5–0) | Georgetown (5–2) | Houston (7–1) | Houston (7–1) | Alabama (9–1) | Wichita State (11–3) | Alabama (12–2) | NC State (15–3) | Tennessee (14–4) | Georgetown (18–5) | Arkansas (18–5) | San Francisco (23–4) | Wyoming (20–6) | West Virginia (26–3) | 17. |
| 18. | LSU | Villanova (3–0) | Georgia (3–1) | NC State (7–0) | NC State (7–0) | St. John's (9–1) | Texas (10–0) | Louisville (11–4) | Fresno State (15–1) | Kansas State (14–4) | Memphis State (16–3) | Wake Forest (17–5) | Tennessee (18–6) | Wake Forest (19–7) т | Kansas State (21–7) | 18. |
| 19. | Arkansas | Alabama (4–0) | UAB (3–1) | Kansas (5–2) | Villanova (7–1) | Oregon State (9–2) | Tulsa (10–2) | Villanova (12–2) | Villanova (13–3) | West Virginia (17–1) | Wake Forest (15–5) | San Francisco (21–4) | Kansas State (18–6) | Louisville (18–8) т | Wake Forest (20–8) | 19. |
| 20. | UNLV | UCLA (2–2) | UC Irvine (6–0) | Villanova (6–1) | Wake Forest (6–1) | Indiana (6–3) | Kansas State (10–2) | Fresno State (13–1) | Wake Forest (13–3) | Georgetown (16–5) | Wyoming (17–5) | Tennessee (16–6) | Wake Forest (18–6) | Pepperdine (20–6) т Tennessee (18–8) т | Louisville (20–9) | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 2 Dec. 8 | Week 3 Dec. 15 | Week 4 Dec. 22 | Week 5 Dec. 29 | Week 6 Jan. 5 | Week 7 Jan. 12 | Week 8 Jan. 19 | Week 9 Jan. 26 | Week 10 Feb. 2 | Week 11 Feb. 9 | Week 12 Feb. 16 | Week 13 Feb. 23 | Week 14 Mar. 2 | Final Mar. 9 | |
| | | Dropped: Georgetown (3–2)GeorgiaWake ForestLSU | Dropped: UNLVOregon StateUCLA | Dropped: Louisiana-LafayetteGeorgiaUABUC Irvine | Dropped: Kansas | Dropped: VillanovaWake Forest | Dropped: St. John'sIndiana | Dropped: Houston (11–3)Wichita State | Dropped: GeorgetownLouisville | Dropped: NC StateVillanova | Dropped: TexasTennessee | Dropped: Wyoming | None | Dropped: Alabama (20–6)San Francisco | Dropped: PepperdineTennessee | |