# 1960–61 NCAA University Division men's basketball rankings

The 1960–61 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

The December AP polls included 20 ranked teams, while AP polls for the remainder of the season included only 10 ranked teams.
| | Week 2 Dec. 13 | Week 3 Dec. 20 | Week 4 Dec. 27 | Week 5 Jan. 3 | Week 6 Jan. 10 | Week 7 Jan. 17 | Week 8 Jan. 24 | Week 9 Jan. 31 | Week 10 Feb. 7 | Week 11 Feb. 14 | Week 12 Feb. 21 | Week 13 Feb. 28 | Final Mar. 7 | |
| 1. | Ohio State (3–0) | Ohio State (4–0) | Ohio State (6–0) | Ohio State (9–0) | Ohio State (10–0) | Ohio State (12–0) | Ohio State (13–0) | Ohio State (14–0) | Ohio State (16–0) | Ohio State (18–0) | Ohio State (20–0) | Ohio State (22–0) | Ohio State (23–0) | 1. |
| 2. | Bradley (3–0) | Bradley (6–0) | Bradley (8–0) | Bradley (10–0) | Bradley (12–0) | St. Bonaventure (13–1) | St. Bonaventure (14–1) | St. Bonaventure (14–1) | St. Bonaventure (16–1) | St. Bonaventure (18–1) | St. Bonaventure (20–1) | St. Bonaventure (21–2) | Cincinnati (23–3) | 2. |
| 3. | Detroit (3–0) | St. Bonaventure (6–0) | St. Bonaventure (7–0) | St. Bonaventure (9–1) | St. Bonaventure (11–1) | Bradley (13–1) | Bradley (13–1) | Bradley (14–2) | Duke (16–1) | Duke (17–2) | Cincinnati (19–3) | Cincinnati (21–3) | St. Bonaventure (22–3) | 3. |
| 4. | Indiana (2–1) | Indiana (4–1) | Indiana (5–1) | Louisville (11–0) | Louisville (13–0) | Iowa (11–1) | North Carolina (12–2) | Duke (14–1) | Bradley (14–3) | Cincinnati (17–3) | Bradley (19–4) | Bradley (21–4) | Kansas State (20–4) | 4. |
| 5. | North Carolina (2–0) | Louisville (8–0) | Louisville (9–0) | St. John's (8–1) | St. John's (9–1) | Louisville (13–1) | Duke (13–1) | North Carolina (12–2) | Cincinnati (16–3) | Bradley (16–4) | Iowa (14–4) | North Carolina (19–4) | North Carolina (19–4) | 5. |
| 6. | St. Bonaventure (4–0) | St. John's (4–0) | Duke (7–0) | North Carolina (7–2) | Iowa (9–1) | North Carolina (10–2) | Iowa (12–2) | Iowa (12–2) | North Carolina (14–3) | Kansas State (15–3) | Duke (18–4) | Iowa (16–4) | Bradley (21–5) | 6. |
| 7. | St. John's (3–0) | Duke (5–0) | St. John's (6–0) | Iowa (8–1) | North Carolina (8–2) | DePaul (11–0) | St. John's (10–2) | St. John's (10–3) | Kansas State (14–3) | North Carolina (15–4) | North Carolina (18–4) | Kansas State (18–4) | USC (19–5) | 7. |
| 8. | Duke (3–0) | Detroit (4–1) | Saint Louis (7–1) | Duke (9–1) | Duke (11–1) | Duke (13–1) | Louisville (14–2) | Louisville (15–2) | USC (15–3) | USC (16–3) | Kansas State (16–4) | West Virginia (22–3) | Iowa (17–5) | 8. |
| 9. | Louisville (5–0) | Auburn (5–0) | Auburn (5–0) | UCLA (7–2) | Kansas State (10–2) | St. John's (10–2) | USC (12–2) | USC (14–2) | Iowa (12–3) | Iowa (13–3) | West Virginia (20–3) | Duke (20–5) | West Virginia (23–4) | 9. |
| 10. | NC State (4–0) | North Carolina (3–2) т | NC State (6–1) | Auburn (6–0) | UCLA (8–3) | Kansas State (11–2) | Purdue (9–3) | Kansas State (12–3) | Louisville (17–2) | West Virginia (18–3) | USC (16–4) | USC (17–5) | Duke (22–6) | 10. |
| 11. | Auburn (3–0) | NC State (5–1) т | North Carolina (4–2) | | | | | | | | | | | 11. |
| 12. | Maryland (4–0) | Kansas State (5–2) | Kansas State (6–2) | | | | | | | | | | | 12. |
| 13. | UCLA (3–1) | Providence (6–0) | Detroit (5–2) | | | | | | | | | | | 13. |
| 14. | Utah State (2–2) | UCLA (5–1) | Drake (6–0) | | | | | | | | | | | 14. |
| 15. | Georgia Tech (3–0) | Colorado (7–0) | Providence (7–0) | | | | | | | | | | | 15. |
| 16. | Kansas (2–1) т | Saint Louis (4–1) | UCLA (5–1) т | | | | | | | | | | | 16. |
| 17. | Wichita (4–0) т | Vanderbilt (5–0) | Vanderbilt (7–0) т | | | | | | | | | | | 17. |
| 18. | Utah (3–2) | Utah (4–2) | Wichita (7–2) | | | | | | | | | | | 18. |
| 19. | Illinois (2–0) | Wake Forest (5–2) | Memphis State (7–0) т | | | | | | | | | | | 19. |
| 20. | Kansas State (2–2) т Kentucky (2–1) т | Drake (5–0) т Kansas (3–2) т | Kentucky (4–3) т | | | | | | | | | | | 20. |
| | Week 2 Dec. 13 | Week 3 Dec. 20 | Week 4 Dec. 27 | Week 5 Jan. 3 | Week 6 Jan. 10 | Week 7 Jan. 17 | Week 8 Jan. 24 | Week 9 Jan. 31 | Week 10 Feb. 7 | Week 11 Feb. 14 | Week 12 Feb. 21 | Week 13 Feb. 28 | Final Mar. 7 | |
| | | Dropped: Maryland (4–2)Utah State (4–3)Georgia Tech (3–2)Wichita (5–2)Illinois (2–2)Kentucky (2–3) | Dropped: Colorado (7–2)Utah (6–2)Wake Forest (5–2)Kansas (4–3) | Dropped: Indiana (6–3)Saint Louis (8–2)NC State (8–2)Kansas State (9–2)Detroit (7–2)Drake (8–1)Providence (7–2)Vanderbilt (8–2)Wichita (10–2)Memphis State (8–1)Kentucky (6–3) | Dropped: Auburn (7–1) | Dropped: UCLA (10–3) | Dropped: DePaul (11–2)Kansas State (11–3) | Dropped: Purdue (9–5) | Dropped: St. John's (11–4) | Dropped: Louisville (17–4) | None | None | None | |

## UPI Poll

| | Week 1 Dec. 5 | Week 2 Dec. 13 | Week 3 Dec. 20 | Week 4 Dec. 27 | Week 5 Jan. 3 | Week 6 Jan. 10 | Week 7 Jan. 17 | Week 8 Jan. 24 | Week 9 Jan. 31 | Week 10 Feb. 7 | Week 11 Feb. 14 | Week 12 Feb. 21 | Week 13 Feb. 28 | Final Mar. 7 | |
| 1. | Ohio State (1–0) | Ohio State (3–0) | Ohio State (4–0) | Ohio State (6–0) | Ohio State (9–0) | Ohio State (10–0) | Ohio State (12–0) | Ohio State (13–0) | Ohio State (14–0) | Ohio State (16–0) | Ohio State (18–0) | Ohio State (20–0) | Ohio State (22–0) | Ohio State (23–0) | 1. |
| 2. | Bradley (1–0) | Bradley (3–0) | Bradley (6–0) | Bradley (8–0) | Bradley (10–0) | Bradley (12–0) | St. Bonaventure (13–1) | St. Bonaventure (14–1) | Bradley (14–2) | St. Bonaventure (16–1) | St. Bonaventure (18–1) | St. Bonaventure (20–1) | St. Bonaventure (21–2) | Cincinnati (23–3) | 2. |
| 3. | Indiana (1–0) | North Carolina (2–0) | Indiana (4–1) | St. John's (6–0) | St. Bonaventure (9–1) | St. Bonaventure (11–1) | Bradley (13–1) | Bradley (13–1) | St. Bonaventure (14–1) | Duke (16–1) | Duke (17–2) | Bradley (19–4) | Cincinnati (21–3) | St. Bonaventure (22–3) | 3. |
| 4. | Kansas (1–0) | Indiana (2–1) | St. John's (4–0) | Indiana (5–1) | St. John's (8–1) | Louisville (13–0) | Iowa (11–1) | North Carolina (12–2) | North Carolina (12–2) | Bradley (14–3) | USC (16–3) | Cincinnati (19–3) | Bradley (21–4) | Kansas State (20–4) | 4. |
| 5. | North Carolina (1–0) | Detroit (3–0) | St. Bonaventure (6–0) | St. Bonaventure (7–0) | North Carolina (7–2) | St. John's (9–1) | Kansas State (11–2) | St. John's (10–2) | Duke (14–1) | North Carolina (14–3) | Bradley (16–4) | North Carolina (18–4) | Kansas State (18–4) | USC (19–5) | 5. |
| 6. | St. Bonaventure (2–0) т | St. John's (3–0) | Detroit (4–1) | Saint Louis (7–1) | Louisville (11–0) | Kansas State (10–2) | North Carolina (10–2) | Duke (13–1) | USC (14–2) | USC (15–3) | Cincinnati (17–3) | USC (16–4) | North Carolina (19–4) | North Carolina (19–4) | 6. |
| 7. | Utah State (1–0) т | St. Bonaventure (4–0) | North Carolina (3–2) | UCLA (5–1) | Kansas State (9–2) | North Carolina (8–2) | St. John's (10–2) | Louisville (14–2) | Iowa (12–2) т | Kansas State (14–3) | North Carolina (15–4) | Kansas State (16–4) | Duke (20–5) | Bradley (21–5) | 7. |
| 8. | Cincinnati (2–0) | Kansas (2–1) | UCLA (5–1) | Detroit (5–2) | UCLA (7–2) | Iowa (9–1) | Duke (13–1) | Iowa (12–2) | Louisville (15–2) т | Iowa (12–3) | Kansas State (15–3) | Duke (18–4) | Iowa (16–4) | St. John's (19–4) | 8. |
| 9. | Detroit (1–0) | Providence (3–0) | Louisville (8–0) | Louisville (9–0) | Iowa (8–1) | Duke (11–1) | Louisville (13–1) | USC (12–2) | St. John's (10–3) | Cincinnati (16–3) т | St. John's (13–4) | Iowa (14–4) | St. John's (17–4) | Duke (22–6) | 9. |
| 10. | St. John's (1–0) | Cincinnati (3–1) | Kansas (3–2) | Duke (7–0) | Duke (9–1) | UCLA (8–3) | DePaul (11–0) | Kansas State (11–3) | Kansas State (12–3) | Louisville (17–2) т | Louisville (17–4) | St. John's (15–4) | USC (17–5) | Iowa (17–5) т | 10. |
| 11. | Kansas State (1–0) | UCLA (3–1) | Kansas State (5–2) | North Carolina (4–2) | Detroit (7–2) | Indiana (7–3) | UCLA (10–3) | UCLA (10–3) | UCLA (12–3) | Kansas (11–5) | Iowa (13–3) | Kansas (15–5) | West Virginia (22–3) | Wake Forest (17–10) т | 11. |
| 12. | Georgia Tech (2–0) | Georgia Tech (3–0) | Duke (5–0) | Kansas State (6–2) | Saint Louis (8–2) | Utah (8–4) | USC (12–2) | Kansas (10–5) | Kansas (10–5) | UCLA (13–4) | Kansas (13–5) | Utah (17–5) | Utah (19–5) | West Virginia (23–4) | 12. |
| 13. | Providence (1–0) | Duke (3–0) | Saint Louis (4–1) | Auburn (5–0) т | Indiana (6–3) | USC (10–2) | Kansas (9–4) | Indiana (8–3) т | Indiana (9–3) | St. John's (11–4) | Utah (15–5) | Louisville (18–5) | Louisville (18–6) | Utah (20–6) | 13. |
| 14. | Auburn (2–0) | Auburn (3–0) | California (4–0) | Kansas (4–3) т | Vanderbilt (8–0) т | Detroit (9–3) | Indiana (8–3) | Memphis State (13–1) т | Cincinnati (14–3) | Indiana (10–5) | UCLA (13–5) | West Virginia (20–3) | Dayton (17–7) | Saint Louis (20–7) | 14. |
| 15. | Utah (0–2) | Maryland (4–0) | Colorado (7–0) | California (6–1) | Utah (7–4) т | Memphis State (9–1) т | Utah (10–4) | DePaul (11–2) | Memphis State (14–1) | Utah (14–5) | West Virginia (18–3) | UCLA (14–6) | UCLA (15–6) | Louisville (18–7) | 15. |
| 16. | Duke (1–0) | California (3–0) | Auburn (5–0) | Providence (7–0) т | West Virginia (6–2) т | Vanderbilt (10–0) т | Memphis State (11–1) | Cincinnati (13–3) | Utah (12–5) | West Virginia (16–3) | Memphis State (17–2) | Dayton (15–7) | Memphis State (20–2) | Saint Joseph's (22–4) | 16. |
| 17. | California (1–0) | Utah State (2–2) | Providence (6–0) | Vanderbilt (7–0) | Wichita (10–2) | Wichita (11–3) | Wake Forest (9–5) | Utah (11–5) | Wake Forest (11–5) | Wichita (15–4) | Wichita (16–4) | Memphis State (19–2) | Kentucky (15–7) | Dayton (19–7) | 17. |
| 18. | Washington (1–1) | Utah (3–2) | NC State (5–1) | Utah (6–2) | Kansas (6–4) | DePaul (9–0) т | Cincinnati (11–3) | Xavier (11–3) | Detroit (11–5) | Mississippi State (14–3) | Indiana (10–7) | Kentucky (13–7) | Vanderbilt (18–4) т | Kentucky (17–7) | 18. |
| 19. | Western Kentucky (2–0) | Illinois (2–0) | Wake Forest (5–2) | Memphis State (7–0) | Auburn (6–0) | Kansas (7–4) т | Wichita (12–4) | West Virginia (12–3) | West Virginia (13–3) | Saint Louis (12–5) т | Saint Joseph's (16–4) | Wichita (16–7) | Wichita (16–8) т | Texas Tech (14–9) | 19. |
| 20. | Dayton (0–0) | Washington (2–1) | Utah State (4–3) | NC State (6–1) | Providence (7–2) т Memphis State (8–1) т NC State (8–2) т USC (8–2) т Iowa State (5–4) т | West Virginia (8–2) | Detroit (9–5) | Wake Forest (10–5) т Wichita (13–4) т | Wichita (14–4) | Oregon (12–5) т | Ohio (15–4) т Providence (16–3) т | Saint Louis (14–7) | Texas Tech (13–8) | Memphis State (20–2) | 20. |
| | Week 1 Dec. 5 | Week 2 Dec. 13 | Week 3 Dec. 20 | Week 4 Dec. 27 | Week 5 Jan. 3 | Week 6 Jan. 10 | Week 7 Jan. 17 | Week 8 Jan. 24 | Week 9 Jan. 31 | Week 10 Feb. 7 | Week 11 Feb. 14 | Week 12 Feb. 21 | Week 13 Feb. 28 | Final Mar. 7 | |
| | | Dropped: Kansas State (2–2)Western Kentucky (3–1)Dayton (1–1) | Dropped: Cincinnati (3–2)Georgia Tech (3–4)Maryland (4–2)Utah (4–2)Illinois (3–2)Washington (3–2) | Dropped: Colorado (7–2)Wake Forest (5–2)Utah State (5–3) | Dropped: California (8–2) | Dropped: Saint Louis (8–4)Auburn (7–1)Providence (9–2)NC State (8–3)Iowa State (6–5) | Dropped: Vanderbilt (10–2)West Virginia (9–3) | Dropped: Detroit | Dropped: DePaulXavier | Dropped: Memphis StateWake ForestDetroit | Dropped: Mississippi StateSaint LouisOregon | Dropped: IndianaSaint Joseph'sOhioProvidence | Dropped: KansasSaint Louis | Dropped: UCLA (18–8)Vanderbilt (18–5)Wichita (16–9) | |