# 1954–55 NCAA men's basketball rankings

The 1954–55 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 1 Dec. 7 | Week 2 Dec. 14 | Week 3 Dec. 21 | Week 4 Dec. 28 | Week 5 Jan. 4 | Week 6 Jan. 11 | Week 7 Jan. 18 | Week 8 Jan. 25 | Week 9 Feb. 1 | Week 10 Feb. 8 | Week 11 Feb. 15 | Week 12 Feb. 22 | Week 13 Mar. 1 | Final Mar. 8 | |
| 1. | La Salle (2–0) | La Salle (4–0) | Kentucky (3–0) | Kentucky (5–0) | Kentucky (7–0) (89) | Kentucky (7–1) (52) | Kentucky (9–1) | Kentucky (12–1) | Kentucky (12–1) | San Francisco (16–1) | San Francisco (18–1) | San Francisco (20–1) | San Francisco (21–1) | San Francisco (23–1) | 1. |
| 2. | Kentucky (1–0) | Kentucky (2–0) | Utah (7–0) | NC State (10–0) | Duquesne (8–1) (14) | NC State (13–1) (22) | NC State (15–2) | San Francisco (12–1) | San Francisco (14–1) | Kentucky (14–2) | Kentucky (16–2) | Kentucky (18–2) | Kentucky (20–2) | Kentucky (22–2) | 2. |
| 3. | Duquesne (1–0) | Illinois (3–0) | Illinois (5–0) | La Salle (6–2) | NC State (12–1) (3) | Duquesne (9–2) | San Francisco (12–1) | NC State (16–3) | La Salle (14–4) | La Salle (16–4) | La Salle (18–4) | La Salle (20–4) | La Salle (22–4) | La Salle (22–4) | 3. |
| 4. | Iowa (2–0) | NC State (3–0) | La Salle (5–1) | Dayton (7–0) | La Salle (9–3) (2) | La Salle (10–3) | La Salle (12–3) | Duquesne (11–3) | Duquesne (11–3) | Duquesne (12–3) | Duquesne (15–3) | Duquesne (17–3) | Marquette (22–1) | NC State (28–4) | 4. |
| 5. | Holy Cross (1–0) | Dayton (4–0) | NC State (8–0) | San Francisco (7–1) | San Francisco (8–1) (4) | San Francisco (9–1) | Duquesne (10–3) | La Salle (13–4) | Utah (14–2) | Utah (17–2) | George Washington (18–3) | Marquette (20–1) | NC State (25–4) | Iowa (17–4) | 5. |
| 6. | Indiana (0–0) | Missouri (3–1) | Dayton (6–0) | Illinois (6–1) | George Washington (8–2) | Missouri (9–2) | Maryland (12–2) | George Washington (13–3) | NC State (16–4) | George Washington (15–3) | Marquette (18–1) | NC State (23–4) | Minnesota (15–6) | Duquesne (19–4) | 6. |
| 7. | Dayton (2–0) | Indiana (2–2) | Missouri (4–1) | Utah (7–2) | UCLA (1) (9–2) | Illinois (7–2) | Illinois (9–2) | Utah (13–2) | George Washington (13–3) | NC State (18–4) | NC State (21–4) | Minnesota (14–5) | Utah (21–3) | Utah (23–3) | 7. |
| 8. | Niagara (3–0) | UCLA (3–0) | George Washington (4–1) | Duquesne (4–1) | Utah (7–2) | George Washington (9–3) | Missouri (10–2) | Maryland (13–3) | UCLA (13–3) | UCLA (15–3) | Minnesota (12–5) | Utah (19–3) | Duquesne (19–4) | Marquette (22–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Notre Dame (1–0) | Duquesne (2–1) | Duquesne (4–1) | George Washington (5–2) | Missouri (7–2) (2) | Utah (9–2) | George Washington (11–3) | UCLA (11–3) | Marquette (15–1) | Marquette (16–1) | UCLA (16–3) | UCLA (19–3) | UCLA (21–4) | Dayton (23–3) | 9. |
| 10. | NC State (2–0) | Niagara (3–1) | Niagara (6–1) | Niagara (6–1) | Dayton (8–2) | UCLA (10–3) | UCLA (11–2) | Illinois (9–3) | Illinois (10–3) | Illinois (11–3) | Utah (18–3) | George Washington (19–4) | Dayton (22–3) | Oregon State (21–7) | 10. |
| 11. | Oklahoma A&M (2–0) | George Washington (3–0) | Ohio State (4–0) | Missouri (4–2) | Maryland (7–2) | Maryland (10–2) | Utah (11–3) | Marquette (13–1) | Minnesota (10–5) | Maryland (14–3) | Maryland (15–4) | Dayton (20–3) | Alabama (18–4) | Minnesota (15–7) | 11. |
| 12. | Saint Louis (1–0) | Louisville (6–0) | West Virginia (4–1) | Alabama (5–1) | Illinois (6–2) | Dayton (8–3) | Alabama (11–2) | Missouri (10–3) | Maryland (13–3) | Minnesota (11–5) | Cincinnati (19–3) | Alabama (16–4) | Iowa (14–4) | Alabama (19–5) | 12. |
| 13. | UCLA (1–0) | Iowa (4–1) | USC (5–1) | Louisville (8–1) | Minnesota (5–4) | Richmond (8–3) | Richmond (12–3) | Holy Cross (11–2) | Alabama (12–2) | Alabama (13–3) | Dayton (18–3) | Illinois (14–4) | George Washington (21–5) | UCLA (21–5) | 13. |
| 14. | Illinois (2–0) | Ohio State (3–0) | Louisville (7–1) | USC (6–3) | Iowa (6–2) | Minnesota (7–4) | Minnesota (8–4) | Alabama (11–2) | Holy Cross (11–2) | Missouri (12–3) | Illinois (12–4) | Vanderbilt (14–5) | Oregon State (19–7) | George Washington (24–6) | 14. |
| 15. | Wichita (0–0) | Utah (6–0) | Wichita (3–0) | UCLA (6–1) | Niagara (7–3) | Niagara (8–3) | Marquette (13–1) | Dayton (13–3) | Dayton (14–3) | Iowa (11–4) | Iowa (12–4) | Memphis State (17–3) | Tulsa (14–6) | Colorado (16–5) | 15. |
| 16. | Utah (2–0) | St. John's (3–0) | Penn (6–0) | Kansas (4–0) | Louisville (1) (10–2) | Alabama (9–2) | Holy Cross (10–2) | Northwestern (8–4) | Niagara (13–3) | Dayton (16–3) | Oregon State (14–6) | Iowa (14–4) | Vanderbilt (15–6) | Tulsa (20–6) | 16. |
| 17. | Duke (1–0) т | Wake Forest (4–1) | San Francisco (4–1) | Penn (6–0) | Duke (6–3) | Purdue (8–1) | Vanderbilt (8–1) | Richmond (12–3) | Missouri (10–3) | Cincinnati (17–3) | Alabama (14–4) | Cincinnati (19–5) | Illinois (15–5) | Vanderbilt (16–6) | 17. |
| 18. | Wake Forest (2–0) т | Wichita (2–0) | UCLA (5–1) | Duke (5–1) | Villanova (5–2) | USC (9–4) | Dayton (11–3) | Vanderbilt (10–2) | Villanova (11–4) | Oregon State (14–6) | Tennessee (13–3) | Maryland (16–5) | Maryland (17–6) | Illinois (17–5) | 18. |
| 19. | Penn State (1–0) | Holy Cross (2–1) | Alabama (4–1) | Iowa (5–2) | Penn (6–1) | Iowa (7–3) | Iowa (8–3) | Iowa (9–4) | Oregon State (12–6) | Villanova (12–4) | Tulsa (12–6) | Tulsa (17–6) | Memphis State (18–3) | West Virginia (19–10) | 19. |
| 20. | Western Kentucky (1–1) | Notre Dame (3–1) | Iowa (5–2) т Kansas (4–0) т | Ohio State (4–2) | Alabama (5–4) т Notre Dame (7–2) т Seton Hall (8–1) т | Auburn (6–0) т Louisville (11–3) т | Niagara (11–3) т TCU (11–3) т | Niagara (12–3) | Vanderbilt (10–3) | Vanderbilt (11–3) | Vanderbilt (13–4) | Missouri (15–3) | Missouri (15–4) | Saint Louis (19–7) | 20. |
| | Week 1 Dec. 7 | Week 2 Dec. 14 | Week 3 Dec. 21 | Week 4 Dec. 28 | Week 5 Jan. 4 | Week 6 Jan. 11 | Week 7 Jan. 18 | Week 8 Jan. 25 | Week 9 Feb. 1 | Week 10 Feb. 8 | Week 11 Feb. 15 | Week 12 Feb. 22 | Week 13 Mar. 1 | Final Mar. 8 | |
| | | Dropped: Oklahoma A&M (3–1)Saint Louis (2–1)Duke (2–1)Penn StateWestern Kentucky | Dropped: Indiana (2–3)St. John'sWake ForestHoly Cross (4–1)Notre Dame | Dropped: West VirginiaWichita | Dropped: USCKansasOhio State | Dropped: DukeVillanovaPennNotre DameSeton Hall | Dropped: PurdueUSCAuburnLouisville | Dropped: Minnesota (8–5)TCU | Dropped: NorthwesternRichmondIowa | Dropped: Holy CrossNiagara (15–3) | Dropped: Missouri (12–4)Villanova | Dropped: Oregon State (17–7)Tennessee | Dropped: Cincinnati (19–6) | Dropped: Maryland (17–7)Memphis State (18–4)Missouri (15–5) | |

## UP Poll

| | Week 1 Dec. 7 | Week 2 Dec. 14 | Week 3 Dec. 21 | Week 4 Dec. 28 | Week 5 Jan. 4 | Week 6 Jan. 11 | Week 7 Jan. 18 | Week 8 Jan. 25 | Week 9 Feb. 1 | Week 10 Feb. 8 | Week 11 Feb. 15 | Week 12 Feb. 22 | Week 13 Mar. 1 | Final Mar. 8 | |
| 1. | La Salle (2–0) | La Salle (4–0) | Illinois (5–0) | Kentucky (5–0) | Kentucky (7–0) | Kentucky (7–1) | Kentucky (9–1) | Kentucky (11–1) | Kentucky (12–1) | San Francisco (16–1) | San Francisco (18–1) | San Francisco (20–1) | San Francisco (21–1) | San Francisco (23–1) | 1. |
| 2. | Iowa (2–0) | Kentucky (2–0) | Utah (7–0) | NC State (10–0) | Duquesne (8–1) | Duquesne (9–2) | La Salle (12–3) | NC State (16–3) | San Francisco (14–1) | Kentucky (14–2) | Kentucky (16–2) | Kentucky (18–2) | Kentucky (20–2) | Kentucky (22–2) | 2. |
| 3. | Duquesne (1–0) | Illinois (3–0) | Kentucky (3–0) | La Salle (6–2) | NC State (12–1) | La Salle (10–3) | Illinois (9–2) | San Francisco (12–1) | Utah (14–2) | La Salle (16–4) | La Salle (18–4) | La Salle (20–4) | La Salle (22–4) | La Salle (22–4) | 3. |
| 4. | Kentucky (1–0) | NC State (3–0) | La Salle (5–1) | Illinois (6–1) | La Salle (9–3) | NC State (13–1) | San Francisco (12–1) | Utah (13–2) | La Salle (14–4) | Utah (17–2) | Duquesne (15–3) | Minnesota (14–5) | NC State (25–4) т | Utah (23–3) | 4. |
| 5. | Indiana (0–0) | Indiana (2–2) | NC State (8–0) | Dayton (7–0) | San Francisco (8–1) | San Francisco (9–1) | NC State (15–2) | Duquesne (11–3) | Duquesne (11–3) | Duquesne (12–3) | Utah (18–3) | Duquesne (17–3) | Minnesota (15–6) т | Iowa (17–4) | 5. |
| 6. | Illinois (2–0) | UCLA (3–0) | Dayton (6–0) | San Francisco (7–1) | Missouri (7–2) | Illinois (7–2) | Duquesne (10–3) | La Salle (13–4) | NC State (16–4) | NC State (18–4) | UCLA (16–3) | UCLA (19–3) | Utah (21–3) | NC State (28–4) | 6. |
| 7. | NC State (2–0) | Duquesne (2–1) | Ohio State (4–0) | Utah (7–2) | Utah (7–2) | Utah (9–2) | Utah (11–2) | UCLA (11–3) | UCLA (13–3) | UCLA (15–3) | NC State (21–4) | NC State (23–4) | UCLA (21–4) | Duquesne (19–4) | 7. |
| 8. | Holy Cross (1–0) | Utah (6–0) | Missouri (4–1) | Duquesne (4–1) | Illinois (6–2) | Missouri (9–2) | Missouri (10–2) | George Washington (13–3) | George Washington (13–3) | George Washington (15–3) | Minnesota (12–5) | Utah (19–3) | Marquette (22–1) | Oregon State (21–7) | 8. |
| 9. | UCLA (1–0) | Missouri (3–1) | Niagara (6–1) | UCLA (6–1) | UCLA (9–2) | UCLA (10–3) | Minnesota (8–4) | Illinois (9–3) т | Minnesota (10–5) | Minnesota (11–5) | George Washington (18–3) | Marquette (20–1) | Duquesne (19–4) | Marquette (22–2) | 9. |
| 10. | Niagara (3–0) | Niagara (3–1) т | Duquesne (4–1) | Missouri (4–2) | Minnesota (5–4) | Minnesota (7–4) | UCLA (11–3) | Northwestern (8–4) т | Marquette (15–1) | Illinois (11–3) | Marquette (18–1) | George Washington (19–4) | Iowa (14–4) | Dayton (23–3) | 10. |
| 11. | Notre Dame (1–0) | Iowa (4–1) т | UCLA (5–1) | Niagara (6–1) | Dayton (8–2) | Dayton (8–3) | Maryland (12–2) | Missouri (10–3) | Illinois (10–3) | Marquette (16–1) | Illinois (12–4) | Illinois (14–4) | Dayton (22–3) | Colorado (16–5) | 11. |
| 12. | Dayton (2–0) | Dayton (4–0) | USC (5–1) | USC (6–3) | Niagara (7–3) | USC (9–4) | Iowa (8–3) | Maryland (13–3) | Missouri (10–3) | Iowa (11–4) | Missouri (12–4) | Iowa (14–4) | Oregon State (19–7) | UCLA (21–5) | 12. |
| 13. | Saint Louis (1–0) т | Ohio State (3–0) | Cincinnati (6–1) | Cincinnati (7–1) | George Washington (8–2) | Niagara (8–3) | Holy Cross (10–2) | Marquette (13–1) | Niagara (13–3) | Missouri (12–3) | Iowa (12–4) | Dayton (20–3) | Missouri (15–4) | Minnesota (15–7) | 13. |
| 14. | Utah (2–0) т | USC (3–1) | Iowa (5–2) | Kansas (4–0) | Maryland (7–2) т | Maryland (10–2) т | Marquette (13–1) | Holy Cross (11–2) т | Maryland (13–3) | Dayton (16–3) | Oregon State (14–6) | Oregon State (17–7) | George Washington (21–5) | Tulsa (20–6) | 14. |
| 15. | USC (1–0) | Notre Dame (3–1) | Wyoming (5–2) | California (7–1) | Iowa (6–2) т | Purdue (8–1) т | Dayton (11–3) | Niagara (12–3) т | Holy Cross (11–2) т | Oregon State (14–6) | Dayton (18–3) | Missouri (15–3) | Colorado (14–5) | George Washington (24–6) | 15. |
| 16. | DePaul (2–0) | Holy Cross (2–1) | Kansas (4–0) | Alabama (5–1) | Notre Dame (5–4) | Wichita (9–1) | Niagara (11–3) | Minnesota (8–5) т | Oregon State (12–6) т | Villanova (12–4) | Cincinnati (19–3) | Saint Louis (16–6) | Illinois (15–5) | Illinois (17–5) | 16. |
| 17. | Oklahoma A&M (2–0) т | Saint Louis (2–1) | Louisville (7–1) | Seton Hall (7–0) | Cincinnati (9–2) т | Iowa (7–3) т | Cincinnati (11–3) | Dayton (13–3) | Dayton (14–3) т | Cincinnati (17–3) | Maryland (15–4) | TCU (17–5) | Tulsa (14–6) | Niagara (20–5) | 17. |
| 18. | Oregon State (2–1) т | Oklahoma A&M (3–1) | Holy Cross (4–1) | Holy Cross (5–1) | Holy Cross (6–2) т | Xavier (7–3) т | George Washington (11–3) | Stanford (10–3) | Villanova (11–4) т | Maryland (14–3) т | Holy Cross (14–4) т | Colorado (12–5) т | Niagara (19–5) | Saint Louis (19–7) | 18. |
| 19. | Cincinnati (2–0) | George Washington (3–0) т | Wichita (3–0) т | Iowa (5–2) | Wisconsin (5–4) | George Washington (9–3) т | TCU (13–1) т | Oregon State (10–6) | Saint Louis (10–5) | Niagara (15–3) т | Saint Louis (13–6) т | Wyoming (16–7) т | Alabama (18–4) | Holy Cross (19–6) | 19. |
| 20. | Wichita (0–0) | Cincinnati (4–0) т | Alabama (4–1) т | Minnesota (4–2) | Alabama (7–2) | Louisville (11–3) т | Oregon State (8–6) т Saint Louis (8–5) т | Saint Louis (9–5) | Cincinnati (15–3) | Stanford (14–4) | Colorado (11–5) | Niagara (18–5) | Cincinnati (19–6) т Holy Cross (19–6) т Louisville (19–7) т Villanova (16–8) т | Cincinnati (19–7) SMU (15–8) | 20. |
| | Week 1 Dec. 7 | Week 2 Dec. 14 | Week 3 Dec. 21 | Week 4 Dec. 28 | Week 5 Jan. 4 | Week 6 Jan. 11 | Week 7 Jan. 18 | Week 8 Jan. 25 | Week 9 Feb. 1 | Week 10 Feb. 8 | Week 11 Feb. 15 | Week 12 Feb. 22 | Week 13 Mar. 1 | Final Mar. 8 | |
| | | Dropped: DePaulOregon StateWichita (2–0) | Dropped: Indiana (2–3)Notre DameSaint LouisOklahoma A&MGeorge Washington (4–1) | Dropped: Ohio StateWyomingLouisvilleWichita | Dropped: USCKansasCaliforniaSeton Hall (8–1) | Dropped: Notre DameCincinnatiHoly CrossWisconsinAlabama (9–2) | Dropped: USCPurdueWichitaXavierLouisville | Dropped: Iowa (9–4)CincinnatiTCU | Dropped: NorthwesternStanford | Dropped: Holy CrossSaint Louis | Dropped: VillanovaNiagaraStanford | Dropped: CincinnatiMarylandHoly Cross | Dropped: Saint LouisTCUWyoming | Dropped: Missouri (15–6)AlabamaLouisville (19–8)Villanova (16–9) | |