# 1989–90 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings

The 1989–90 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 AP poll expanded to 25 teams beginning with the 1989–90 season.
| | Preseason Pre | Week 2 Nov. 27 | Week 3 Dec. 5 | Week 4 Dec. 12 | Week 5 Dec. 19 | Week 6 Dec. 26 | Week 7 Jan. 2 | Week 8 Jan. 9 | Week 9 Jan. 16 | Week 10 Jan. 23 | Week 11 Jan. 30 | Week 12 Feb. 6 | Week 13 Feb. 13 | Week 14 Feb. 20 | Week 15 Feb. 27 | Week 16 Mar. 6 | Final Mar. 13 | |
| 1. | UNLV | Syracuse (0–0) | Syracuse (4–0) | Syracuse (6–0) | Syracuse (7–0) | Syracuse (8–0) | Syracuse (9–0) | Kansas (15–0) | Kansas (18–0) | Missouri (17–1) | Missouri (19–1) | Missouri (21–1) | Kansas (24–1) | Missouri (24–2) | Kansas (27–2) | Oklahoma (23–4) | Oklahoma (26–4) (57) | 1. |
| 2. | LSU | Arizona (1–0) | Kansas (6–0) | Kansas (9–0) | Kansas (10–0) | Kansas (11–0) | Kansas (13–0) | Georgetown (11–0) | Georgetown (13–0) | Kansas (19–1) | Kansas (20–1) | Kansas (22–1) | Missouri (22–2) | Kansas (25–2) | UNLV (24–4) | Kansas (28–3) | UNLV (29–5) (3) | 2. |
| 3. | Syracuse | Georgetown (2–0) | Georgetown (3–0) | Georgetown (5–0) | Georgetown (7–0) | Georgetown (8–0) | Georgetown (9–0) | Michigan (10–1) | Oklahoma (12–0) | Georgetown (14–1) | Arkansas (17–2) | Arkansas (19–2) | Georgetown (19–2) | Duke (22–4) | Missouri (25–3) | UNLV (26–5) | Michigan State (26–5) (3) | 3. |
| 4. | Michigan | Kansas (4–0) | Missouri (4–0) | Missouri (7–0) | Missouri (9–0) | Illinois (8–0) | Illinois (10–0) | Oklahoma (10–0) | Missouri (15–1) | Louisville (14–2) | Michigan (15–3) | Duke (18–3) | Syracuse (18–3) | UNLV (22–4) | Connecticut (24–4) | Syracuse (22–5) | Connecticut (28–5) | 4. |
| 5. | Georgetown | Missouri (3–0) | UNLV (3–1) | Illinois (5–0) | Illinois (6–0) | Michigan (8–1) | Michigan (10–1) | Missouri (13–1) | Syracuse (12–1) | UNLV (12–3) | Duke (16–3) | Georgetown (17–2) | Michigan (18–4) | Georgetown (20–3) | Duke (23–5) | Georgetown (22–5) | Kansas (29–4) | 5. |
| 6. | Arizona | UNLV (3–1) | Duke (3–0) | Michigan (5–1) | Michigan (7–1) | Oklahoma (5–0) | Oklahoma (8–0) | Syracuse (10–1) | Michigan (11–2) | Arkansas (14–2) | Georgetown (15–2) | Syracuse (16–3) | Duke (19–4) | Connecticut (22–4) | Oklahoma (21–4) | Missouri (26–4) | Syracuse (24–6) | 6. |
| 7. | North Carolina | Duke (1–0) | Illinois (2–0) | Arkansas (5–0) | Oklahoma (4–0) | Missouri (9–1) | Missouri (10–1) | UNLV (9–2) | Illinois (12–1) | Michigan (13–3) | Syracuse (14–3) | Michigan (16–4) | UNLV (19–4) | Michigan (19–5) | Georgetown (21–4) | Michigan State (24–5) | Arkansas (26–4) | 7. |
| 8. | Illinois | Illinois (0–0) | Michigan (3–1) | Oklahoma (4–0) | LSU (4–1) | Louisville (8–1) | Louisville (9–1) | Illinois (11–1) | Duke (12–2) | Duke (13–3) | Purdue (15–2) | Connecticut (19–3) | Arkansas (20–3) | Georgia Tech (19–4) | Michigan (20–5) | Connecticut (25–5) | Georgetown (23–6) | 8. |
| 9. | Arkansas | LSU (1–1) | LSU (2–1) | LSU (4–1) | Louisville (7–1) | LSU (6–1) | Indiana (10–0) | Georgia Tech (10–0) | UNLV (10–3) | Oklahoma (12–2) | Oklahoma (14–2) | UNLV (16–4) | LSU (19–4) | Purdue (18–4) | Purdue (20–5) | Arkansas (23–4) | Georgia Tech (24–6) | 9. |
| 10. | Duke | Michigan (0–1) | Arkansas (3–0) | Louisville (6–1) | Arkansas (5–1) | Indiana (8–0) | UNLV (7–2) | Duke (10–2) | Louisville (12–2) | Illinois (13–3) | Louisville (14–3) | Purdue (16–3) | Connecticut (20–4) | Oklahoma (19–4) | Syracuse (20–5) | Purdue (21–6) | Purdue (21–7) | 10. |
| 11. | Missouri | Arkansas (2–0) | Louisville (3–1) | Indiana (6–0) | Indiana (7–0) | Arkansas (7–1) | LSU (6–1) | Louisville (10–2) | Georgia Tech (11–1) | Syracuse (12–3) | Illinois (15–3) | LSU (16–4) | Oklahoma (17–3) | Syracuse (18–5) | Georgia Tech (20–5) | La Salle (28–1) | Missouri (26–5) | 11. |
| 12. | Louisville | North Carolina (2–1) | Oklahoma (2–0) | Duke (3–2) | Duke (3–2) | UNLV (5–2) | Georgia Tech (8–0) | Arkansas (10–2) | Arkansas (12–2) | Indiana (13–2) | UNLV (14–4) | Illinois (16–4) | Purdue (17–4) | LSU (20–5) | Arkansas (22–4) | Duke (23–7) | La Salle (29–1) | 12. |
| 13. | UCLA | Louisville (2–1) | UCLA (3–0) | UCLA (4–0) | UNLV (4–2) | Duke (5–2) | Duke (8–2) | Indiana (10–1) | LSU (10–2) | Georgia Tech (12–2) | Connecticut (17–3) | Oklahoma (15–3) | Georgia Tech (16–4) | Arkansas (21–4) | La Salle (25–1) | Michigan (20–7) | Michigan (22–7) | 13. |
| 14. | Indiana | Indiana (1–0) | Indiana (3–0) | UNLV (3–2) | Georgia Tech (5–0) | Georgia Tech (6–0) | Arkansas (8–2) | LSU (8–2) | Indiana (12–2) | Purdue (13–2) | LSU (14–4) | La Salle (16–1) | La Salle (19–1) | La Salle (22–1) | Michigan State (22–5) | Georgia Tech (21–6) | Arizona (24–6) | 14. |
| 15. | Temple | UCLA (1–0) | St. John's (4–1) | Georgia Tech (3–0) | NC State (6–1) | Memphis State (6–1) | UCLA (8–1) | St. John's (13–2) | St. John's (14–3) | St. John's (16–3) | La Salle (15–1) | Louisville (16–4) | Illinois (17–5) | Michigan State (21–5) | LSU (21–6) | Arizona (21–6) | Duke (24–8) | 15. |
| 16. | Oklahoma | Temple (0–0) | Memphis State (3–0) | NC State (6–1) | Iowa (6–0) | UCLA (6–1) | St. John's (9–2) | Minnesota (10–1) | UCLA (11–2) | LSU (12–3) | UCLA (14–3) | Georgia Tech (14–4) | Oregon State (18–3) | Louisville (20–5) | Oregon State (21–4) | LSU (22–7) | Louisville (26–7) | 16. |
| 17. | Notre Dame | Oklahoma (0–0) | North Carolina (4–2) | Memphis State (4–1) | Memphis State (4–1) | St. John's (9–2) | La Salle (7–0) | NC State (11–2) | La Salle (10–1) | Oregon State (14–2) | Georgia Tech (12–4) | Minnesota (15–4) | Minnesota (16–5) | Oregon State (19–4) | Minnesota (19–6) | Clemson (23–6) | Clemson (24–8) | 17. |
| 18. | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh (0–0) | Georgia Tech (2–0) | St. John's (5–2) | UCLA (4–1) | Iowa (7–1) | NC State (7–2) | Arizona (8–2) | Oregon State (12–2) | La Salle (12–1) | St. John's (17–4) | Oregon State (17–3) | Louisville (18–5) | Minnesota (17–6) | Illinois (19–6) | Louisville (23–7) | Illinois (21–7) | 18. |
| 19. | NC State | Notre Dame (0–0) | NC State (4–1) | Alabama (5–1) | St. John's (8–2) | NC State (7–2) | Arizona (5–2) | UCLA (9–2) | NC State (12–3) | Arizona (11–3) | Minnesota (14–4) | UCLA (15–4) | Loyola Marymount (19–4) | Illinois (18–6) | Xavier (23–2) | Minnesota (20–7) | LSU (22–8) | 19. |
| 20. | Minnesota | St. John's (3–1) | Arizona (1–2) | Arizona (2–2) | Alabama (6–1) | La Salle (6–0) | Iowa (8–1) | Memphis State (9–3) | Xavier (11–1) | Connecticut (15–3) | Loyola Marymount (15–3) | Loyola Marymount (17–4) | Arizona (16–4) | Xavier (21–2) | Clemson (22–5) | Illinois (20–7) | Minnesota (20–8) | 20. |
| 21. | Oklahoma State | Georgia Tech (1–0) | Alabama (4–0) | Iowa (6–0) | Oregon State (5–1) | Arizona (3–2) | Memphis State (7–3) | La Salle (8–1) | Loyola Marymount (11–3) | Minnesota (12–3) | Oregon State (15–3) | Xavier (17–2) | Michigan State (19–5) | Arizona (17–5) | Louisville (20–7) | Loyola Marymount (23–5) | Loyola Marymount (23–5) | 21. |
| 22. | Georgia Tech | Memphis State (2–0) | Pittsburgh (2–1) | Oklahoma State (4–1) | Arizona (2–2) | Alabama (7–2) | Alabama (9–2) | Oregon State (11–2) | Minnesota (10–3) | Loyola Marymount (13–3) | Indiana (13–4) | Arizona (14–4) | Xavier (19–2) | Loyola Marymount (20–5) | Loyola Marymount (22–5) | Oregon State (22–5) | Oregon State (22–6) | 22. |
| 23. | Florida | Oklahoma State (0–0) | Temple (2–1) | Oregon State (4–1) | La Salle (4–0) | Oregon State (6–2) | Oregon State (9–2) | Loyola Marymount (9–3) | Arizona (9–3) | UCLA (12–3) | Xavier (15–2) | Michigan State (17–5) | UCLA (16–5) | Clemson (20–5) | Arizona (19–6) | New Mexico State (25–3) | Alabama (24–8) | 23. |
| 24. | Memphis State | Florida (0–0) | Oregon State (3–0) | Florida (2–1) | Oklahoma State (6–2) | North Carolina (6–4) | Minnesota (8–1) | Alabama (10–3) | Purdue (11–2) | Alabama (13–4) | Arizona (12–4) | St. John's (17–6) | St. John's (19–6) | New Mexico State (21–3) | New Mexico State (23–3) | Xavier (24–3) | New Mexico State (26–4) | 24. |
| 25. | St. John's | NC State (1–1) | Florida (1–0) | Michigan State (6–0) | Michigan State (7–1) | Minnesota (7–1) | Loyola Marymount (7–2) | Xavier (9–1) | Alabama (12–3) | Xavier (13–2) | North Carolina (15–6) | Indiana (14–5) | New Mexico State (20–2) | Indiana (16–6) | Georgia (19–6) | Georgia (20–7) | Xavier (26–4) | 25. |
| | Preseason Pre | Week 2 Nov. 27 | Week 3 Dec. 5 | Week 4 Dec. 12 | Week 5 Dec. 19 | Week 6 Dec. 26 | Week 7 Jan. 2 | Week 8 Jan. 9 | Week 9 Jan. 16 | Week 10 Jan. 23 | Week 11 Jan. 30 | Week 12 Feb. 6 | Week 13 Feb. 13 | Week 14 Feb. 20 | Week 15 Feb. 27 | Week 16 Mar. 6 | Final Mar. 13 | |
| | | Dropped: Minnesota (0–1) | Dropped: Notre Dame (1–1)Oklahoma State (2–1) | Dropped: North Carolina (4–4)Pittsburgh (2–3)Temple (2–2) | Dropped: Florida (3–2) | Dropped: Oklahoma State (7–3)Michigan State (9–2) | Dropped: North Carolina (7–5) | Dropped: Iowa (8–3) | Dropped: Memphis State (10–4) | Dropped: NC State (12–5) | Dropped: Alabama (14–5) | Dropped: North Carolina (16–7) | Dropped: Indiana (14–6) | Dropped: St. John's (20–7) | Dropped: Indiana (16–8) | None | Dropped: Georgia (20–8) | |

## Coaches Poll

| | Preseason | Week 2 Nov. 27 | Week 3 Dec. 5 | Week 4 Dec. 12 | Week 5 Dec. 19 | Week 6 Dec. 26 | Week 7 Jan. 2 | Week 8 Jan. 9 | Week 9 Jan. 16 | Week 10 Jan. 23 | Week 11 Jan. 30 | Week 12 Feb. 6 | Week 13 Feb. 13 | Week 14 Feb. 20 | Week 15 Feb. 27 | Week 16 Mar. 6 | Final Mar. 13 | |
| 1. | UNLV | Syracuse (0–0) | Syracuse (4–0) | Syracuse (6–0) | Syracuse (7–0) | Syracuse (8–0) | Syracuse (9–0) | Kansas (15–0) | Kansas (18–0) | Missouri (17–1) | Missouri (19–1) | Missouri (21–1) | Kansas (24–1) | Missouri (24–2) | Kansas (27–2) | Oklahoma (23–4) | Oklahoma (26–4) (34) | 1. |
| 2. | Syracuse | Kansas (4–0) | Kansas (6–0) | Kansas (9–0) | Kansas (10–0) | Kansas (11–0) | Kansas (13–0) | Georgetown (11–0) | Georgetown (13–0) | Kansas (19–1) | Kansas (20–1) | Kansas (22–1) | Georgetown (19–2) | Kansas (25–2) | Missouri (25–3) | Kansas (28–3) | UNLV (29–5) (3) | 2. |
| 3. | LSU | Arizona (1–0) | Georgetown (3–0) | Georgetown (5–0) | Georgetown (7–0) | Georgetown (8–0) | Georgetown (9–0) | Oklahoma (10–0) | Oklahoma (12–0) | Georgetown (14–1) | Arkansas (17–2) | Arkansas (19–2) | Syracuse (18–3) | Georgetown (20–3) | UNLV (24–4) | UNLV (26–5) | Connecticut (28–5) | 3. |
| 4. | Georgetown | Georgetown (2–0) | Missouri (4–0) | Missouri (7–0) | Missouri (9–0) | Illinois (8–0) | Illinois (10–0) | Michigan (10–1) | Missouri (15–1) | Louisville (14–2) | Michigan (15–3) | Duke (18–3) | Missouri (22–2) | Duke (22–4) | Duke (23–5) | Syracuse (22–5) | Michigan State (26–5) (1) | 4. |
| 5. | Michigan | UNLV (3–1) | UNLV (3–1) | Illinois (5–0) | Illinois (6–0) | Oklahoma (5–0) | Oklahoma (8–0) т | Missouri (13–1) | Syracuse (12–1) | UNLV (12–3) | Duke (16–3) | Georgetown (17–2) | Duke (19–4) | UNLV (22–4) | Georgetown (21–4) | Missouri (26–4) | Kansas (29–4) | 5. |
| 6. | Arizona | Missouri (3–0) | Duke (3–0) | Arkansas (5–0) | Michigan (7–1) | Michigan (8–1) т | Michigan (10–1) т | Syracuse (10–1) | Illinois (12–1) | Oklahoma (12–2) | Georgetown (15–2) | Syracuse (16–3) | Michigan (18–4) | Georgia Tech (19–4) | Connecticut (24–4) | Georgetown (22–5) | Syracuse (24–6) (1) | 6. |
| 7. | North Carolina | LSU (1–1) | Illinois (2–0) | Michigan (5–1) | Oklahoma (4–0) | Missouri (9–1) т | Missouri (10–1) | Illinois (11–1) | Michigan (11–2) | Duke (13–3) | Syracuse (14–3) | UNLV (16–4) | UNLV (19–4) | Purdue (18–4) | Oklahoma (21–4) | Connecticut (25–5) | Georgia Tech (24–6) | 7. |
| 8. | Illinois | Illinois (0–0) | LSU (2–1) | Oklahoma (4–0) | LSU (4–1) | Indiana (8–0) | Indiana (10–0) | UNLV (9–2) | Duke (12–2) | Michigan (13–3) | Oklahoma (14–2) | Michigan (16–4) | Arkansas (20–3) | Connecticut (22–4) | Michigan (20–5) | Michigan State (24–5) | Arkansas (26–4) | 8. |
| 9. | Duke | Arkansas (2–0) | Arkansas (3–0) | LSU (4–1) | Indiana (7–0) | UNLV (5–2) | UNLV (7–2) | Georgia Tech (10–0) | UNLV (10–3) | Arkansas (14–2) | Purdue (15–2) | Purdue (16–3) | LSU (19–4) | Syracuse (18–5) | Syracuse (20–5) | Purdue (21–6) | Georgetown (23–6) | 9. |
| 10. | Arkansas т | North Carolina (2–1) | Michigan (3–1) | Indiana (6–0) | Louisville (7–1) | Arkansas (7–1) | Louisville (9–1) | Louisville (10–2) | Louisville (12–2) | Syracuse (12–3) | UNLV (14–4) | Oklahoma (15–3) | Oklahoma (17–3) | Michigan (19–5) | Purdue (20–5) | Arkansas (23–4) | Purdue (21–7) | 10. |
| 11. | Missouri т | Duke (1–0) | Louisville (3–1) | Louisville (6–1) | Arkansas (5–1) | Louisville (8–1) | LSU (6–1) | Duke (10–2) | Georgia Tech (11–1) | Georgia Tech (12–2) | Illinois (15–3) | Connecticut (19–3) | Georgia Tech (16–4) | Oklahoma (19–4) | Georgia Tech (20–5) | Duke (23–7) | Missouri (26–5) | 11. |
| 12. | Indiana | Michigan (0–1) | Oklahoma (2–0) | UNLV (3–2) | UNLV (4–2) | LSU (6–1) | Georgia Tech (8–0) | Indiana (10–1) | LSU (10–2) | Illinois (13–3) | Louisville (14–3) | LSU (16–4) | Purdue (17–4) | Arkansas (21–4) | Arkansas (22–4) | La Salle (28–1) | Arizona (24–6) | 12. |
| 13. | UCLA | UCLA (1–0) | Indiana (3–0) | Duke (3–2) | Georgia Tech (5–0) | Georgia Tech (6–0) | Duke (8–2) | LSU (8–2) | Arkansas (12–2) | Purdue (13–2) т | LSU (14–4) | Illinois (16–4) | Connecticut (20–4) | LSU (20–5) | Michigan State (22–5) | Georgia Tech (21–6) | La Salle (29–1) (1) | 13. |
| 14. | Louisville | Indiana (1–0) | UCLA (3–0) | UCLA (4–0) | Duke (3–2) | Duke (5–2) | Arkansas (8–2) | Arkansas (10–2) | Indiana (12–2) | LSU (12–3) т | Connecticut (17–3) | Louisville (16–4) | La Salle (19–1) | La Salle (22–1) | La Salle (25–1) | Michigan (20–7) | Duke (24–8) | 14. |
| 15. | Georgia Tech | Louisville (2–1) | North Carolina (4–2) | NC State (6–1) | Iowa (6–0) | UCLA (6–1) | UCLA (8–1) | Minnesota (10–1) | UCLA (11–2) | Indiana (13–2) | La Salle (15–1) т | Georgia Tech (14–4) | Minnesota (16–5) | Louisville (20–5) | LSU (21–6) т | Clemson (23–6) | Michigan (22–7) | 15. |
| 16. | Oklahoma | Oklahoma (0–0) | Alabama (4–0) | Georgia Tech (3–0) | UCLA (4–1) | La Salle (6–0) | Colorado State (10–2) | St. John's (13–2) | Purdue (11–2) | Oregon State (14–2) | Georgia Tech (12–4) т | La Salle (16–1) | Oregon State (18–3) | Michigan State (21–5) | Oregon State (21–4) т | Arizona (21–6) | Louisville (26–7) | 16. |
| 17. | Temple | Temple (0–0) | Arizona (1–2) | Iowa (6–0) | Oregon State (5–1) | Arizona (3–2) | Iowa (8–1) | Arizona (8–2) | St. John's (14–3) | St. John's (16–3) | UCLA (14–3) | Oregon State (17–3) | Illinois (17–5) | Minnesota (17–6) | Illinois (19–6) | New Mexico State (25–3) | Clemson (24–8) | 17. |
| 18. | Pittsburgh | Oklahoma State (0–0) | Georgia Tech (2–0) т | Michigan State (6–0) | Alabama (6–1) | Virginia (8–1) | Alabama (9–2) | Loyola Marymount (9–3) | Xavier (11–1) | La Salle (12–1) | North Carolina (15–6) | Minnesota (15–4) | New Mexico State (20–2) | Oregon State (19–4) | Xavier (23–2) | Louisville (23–7) | Illinois (21–7) | 18. |
| 19. | Notre Dame | Georgia Tech (1–0) | NC State (4–1) т | Alabama (5–1) | St. John's (8–2) | North Carolina (6–4) | La Salle (7–0) т | UCLA (9–2) | Michigan State (14–2) | Connecticut (15–3) | St. John's (17–4) | New Mexico State (18–2) | Xavier (19–2) | Xavier (21–2) т | New Mexico State (23–3) | Illinois (20–7) | Alabama (24–8) | 19. |
| 20. | Oklahoma State | Florida (0–0) | Oregon State (3–0) | Oklahoma State (4–1) | Memphis (4–1) т Arkansas-Little Rock (3–0) т North Carolina (5–4) т | Iowa (7–1) | Arizona (5–2) т | Alabama (10–3) | La Salle (10–1) | Alabama (13–4) | Minnesota (14–4) | UCLA (15–4) | Loyola Marymount (19–4) | New Mexico State (21–3) т | Minnesota (19–6) | Minnesota (20–7) | New Mexico State (26–4) | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 2 Nov. 27 | Week 3 Dec. 5 | Week 4 Dec. 12 | Week 5 Dec. 19 | Week 6 Dec. 26 | Week 7 Jan. 2 | Week 8 Jan. 9 | Week 9 Jan. 16 | Week 10 Jan. 23 | Week 11 Jan. 30 | Week 12 Feb. 6 | Week 13 Feb. 13 | Week 14 Feb. 20 | Week 15 Feb. 27 | Week 16 Mar. 6 | Final Mar. 13 | |
| | | Dropped: Pittsburgh (0–0)Notre Dame (0–0) | Dropped: Temple (2–1)Oklahoma State (2–1)Florida (1–0) | Dropped: North Carolina (4–4)Arizona (2–2)Oregon State (4–1) | Dropped: NC State (6–1)Michigan State (7–1)Oklahoma State (6–2) | Dropped: Oregon State (6–2)Alabama (7–2)St. John's (9–2)Memphis (6–1)Arkansas-Little Rock (4–2) | Dropped: Virginia (8–1)North Carolina (8–5) | Dropped: Colorado State (10–3)Iowa (8–3)La Salle (8–1) | Dropped: Minnesota (10–3)Arizona (9–3)Loyola Marymount (11–3)Alabama (12–3) | Dropped: UCLA (12–3)Xavier (13–2)Michigan State (15–3) | Dropped: Indiana (13–4)Oregon State (15–3)Alabama (14–5) | Dropped: North Carolina (16–7)St. John's (17–6) | Dropped: Louisville (18–5)UCLA (16–5) | Dropped: Illinois (18–6)Loyola Marymount (20–5) | Dropped: Louisville (20–7) | Dropped: LSU (22–7)Oregon State (22–5)Xavier (24–3) | Dropped: Minnesota (20–8) | |