# 1987–88 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings

The 1987–88 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

| | Preseason | Week 2 Dec. 1 | Week 3 Dec. 8 | Week 4 Dec. 15 | Week 5 Dec. 22 | Week 6 Dec. 29 | Week 7 Jan. 5 | Week 8 Jan. 12 | Week 9 Jan. 19 | Week 10 Jan. 26 | Week 11 Feb. 2 | Week 12 Feb. 9 | Week 13 Feb. 16 | Week 14 Feb. 23 | Week 15 Mar. 1 | Week 16 Mar. 8 | Final Mar. 15 | |
| 1. | Syracuse | North Carolina (3–0) | Kentucky (3–0) | Kentucky (4–0) | Arizona (9–0) | Arizona (10–0) | Kentucky (9–0) | Arizona (14–1) | Arizona (16–1) | Arizona (18–1) | Arizona (20–1) | Temple (18–1) (23) | Temple (20–1) | Temple (22–1) | Temple (25–1) | Temple (27–1) | Temple (29–1) | 1. |
| 2. | Purdue | Kentucky (1–0) | Pittsburgh (2–0) | Arizona (7–0) | Kentucky (6–0) | Kentucky (6–0) | Pittsburgh (9–0) | North Carolina (11–1) | North Carolina (13–1) | Purdue (17–1) | UNLV (19–1) | Purdue (19–2) (16) | Purdue (20–2) | Purdue (22–2) | Purdue (24–2) | Purdue (26–2) | Arizona (31–2) | 2. |
| 3. | North Carolina | Syracuse (2–1) | Iowa (6–0) | Pittsburgh (4–0) | Pittsburgh (4–0) | Pittsburgh (6–0) | Arizona (12–1) | Oklahoma (14–0) | Temple (12–0) | North Carolina (14–2) | BYU (15–0) | Arizona (21–2) (15) | Arizona (23–2) | Arizona (25–2) | Arizona (26–2) | Arizona (26–2) | Purdue (27–3) | 3. |
| 4. | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh (1–0) | Arizona (5–0) | North Carolina (5–1) | North Carolina (7–1) | North Carolina (7–1) | North Carolina (9–1) | Temple (10–0) | Kentucky (12–1) | UNLV (17–1) | Duke (13–2) | Oklahoma (20–2) (9) | Oklahoma (22–2) | Oklahoma (24–2) | Oklahoma (26–2) | Oklahoma (27–3) | Oklahoma (30–3) | 4. |
| 5. | Kentucky | Indiana (1–0) | North Carolina (4–1) | Indiana (5–1) | Wyoming (6–0) | Wyoming (8–0) | Wyoming (11–0) | Kentucky (10–1) | Purdue (15–1) | Duke (12–2) | Temple (16–1) | Pittsburgh (16–2) (2) | North Carolina (18–3) | Duke (20–3) | UNLV (25–3) | Pittsburgh (22–5) | Duke (24–6) | 5. |
| 6. | Indiana | Iowa (3–0) | Indiana (2–1) | Wyoming (4–0) | Temple (5–0) | Temple (5–0) | Temple (7–0) | Pittsburgh (10–1) | Pittsburgh (13–1) | Temple (14–1) | Purdue (17–2) | North Carolina (16–3) | Duke (18–3) | Pittsburgh (19–3) | North Carolina (21–4) | Kentucky (22–5) | Kentucky (25–5) | 6. |
| 7. | Kansas | Florida (4–0) | Wyoming (3–0) | Iowa (6–1) | Syracuse (7–2) | Syracuse (8–2) | Syracuse (10–2) | Duke (9–1) | Michigan (14–1) | BYU (14–0) | Oklahoma (18–2) | UNLV (20–2) | BYU (20–1) | Michigan (21–4) | Pittsburgh (20–4) | UNLV (26–4) | North Carolina (24–6) | 7. |
| 8. | Missouri | Missouri (0–0) | Syracuse (4–2) | Temple (4–0) | Florida (6–1) | Florida (7–1) | Oklahoma (12–0) | Purdue (13–1) | UNLV (14–1) | Michigan (14–2) | North Carolina (15–3) | BYU (17–1) | Pittsburgh (17–3) | UNLV (23–3) | Kentucky (20–5) | Duke (21–6) | Pittsburgh (23–6) | 8. |
| 9. | Michigan | Arizona (2–0) | Missouri (2–0) | Syracuse (6–2) | Duke (4–0) | Duke (5–0) | Duke (6–1) | Syracuse (12–2) | Duke (10–2) | Kentucky (13–2) | Pittsburgh (15–2) | Duke (16–3) | Kentucky (18–3) | North Carolina (20–4) | Duke (20–5) | North Carolina (22–5) | Syracuse (25–8) | 9. |
| 10. | Wyoming | Wyoming (1–0) | Duke (3–0) | Duke (4–0) | Purdue (7–1) | Oklahoma (10–0) | Purdue (10–1) | Michigan (13–1) | Iowa State (15–2) | Oklahoma (16–2) | Kentucky (14–3) | Kentucky (16–3) | Michigan (20–4) | Syracuse (20–6) | Michigan (22–5) | Michigan (23–6) | Michigan (24–7) | 10. |
| 11. | Iowa | Purdue (1–1) | Temple (1–0) | Florida (5–1) | Michigan (8–1) | Purdue (8–1) | Michigan (11–1) | Georgetown (11–1) | Oklahoma (14–2) | Pittsburgh (13–2) | Michigan (17–3) | Syracuse (17–5) | UNLV (21–3) | BYU (21–2) | Iowa (20–7) | NC State (23–6) | Bradley (26–4) | 11. |
| 12. | Temple | Temple (0–0) | Florida (4–1) | Purdue (6–1) | Oklahoma (7–0) | Michigan (9–1) | Indiana (8–2) | Wyoming (11–2) | BYU (12–0) | Iowa State (16–3) | Syracuse (15–5) | Michigan (18–4) | Syracuse (18–6) | Kentucky (18–5) | Syracuse (21–7) | Bradley (25–4) | UNLV (27–5) | 12. |
| 13. | Louisville | Duke (1–0) | Purdue (4–1) | Michigan (7–1) | Indiana (6–2) | Indiana (7–2) | UNLV (10–0) | UNLV (12–1) | Illinois (13–3) | Illinois (14–4) | Iowa (15–5) | Iowa (16–6) | Iowa (17–6) | Iowa (18–7) | Georgia Tech (21–6) | Syracuse (22–8) | Wyoming (26–5) | 13. |
| 14. | Florida | Louisville (0–0) | Georgetown (3–0) | Oklahoma (6–0) | Iowa (6–2) | Iowa (7–2) | Georgetown (9–1) | Iowa State (13–2) | Syracuse (12–4) | Florida (14–4) | Georgetown (14–4) | Kansas State (14–4) | NC State (16–5) | Bradley (19–4) | Bradley (22–4) | Wyoming (23–5) | NC State (24–7) | 14. |
| 15. | Duke | Michigan (2–1) | Michigan (4–1) | UNLV (5–0) | UNLV (5–0) | UNLV (7–0) | Florida (8–3) | Indiana (8–3) | Georgetown (11–3) | Georgetown (12–4) | Vanderbilt (13–4) | Bradley (14–3) | Missouri (16–5) | Missouri (17–6) | BYU (23–3) | Iowa (21–8) | Loyola Marymount (27–3) | 15. |
| 16. | Georgetown | Kansas (1–2) | Oklahoma (3–0) | Missouri (3–1) | Iowa State (8–1) | Iowa State (9–1) | Iowa (8–3) | Kansas (11–3) | Kansas (12–4) | Iowa (12–5) | Iowa State (15–5) | NC State (14–4) | Vanderbilt (16–5) | Wyoming (20–5) | NC State (20–6) | Loyola Marymount (26–3) | Illinois (22–9) | 16. |
| 17. | Arizona | Georgetown (2–0) | UNLV (3–0) | Kansas (6–2) | Missouri (4–1) | Kansas (7–2) | Iowa State (11–2) | Iowa (9–4) | Wyoming (12–3) | Syracuse (13–5) | Illinois (14–6) | Vanderbilt (14–5) | Bradley (16–4) | Vanderbilt (17–6) | Wyoming (22–5) | BYU (24–4) | Iowa (22–9) | 17. |
| 18. | Georgia Tech | Oklahoma (1–0) | Kansas (4–2) | Georgetown (4–1) | Kansas (7–2) | Georgetown (7–1) | Kansas (8–3) | New Mexico (14–3) | UTEP (15–2) | UTEP (16–3) | Bradley (13–2) | Wyoming (17–4) | Georgetown (16–6) | Southern Miss (16–6) | Loyola Marymount (24–3) | Georgia Tech (21–8) | Xavier (26–3) | 18. |
| 19. | Oklahoma | UNLV (0–0) | Notre Dame (1–1) | Memphis State (4–1) | Georgetown (6–1) | Memphis State (6–2) | Illinois (9–2) | Auburn (9–2) | Iowa (11–5) | Villanova (14–4) | Florida (15–5) | Indiana (13–6) | Wyoming (18–5) | Loyola Marymount (22–3) | Vanderbilt (18–7) | Illinois (20–9) | BYU (25–5) | 19. |
| 20. | DePaul | Memphis State (2–0) | Memphis State (3–0) | Iowa State (7–1) | Memphis State (5–1) | Louisville (3–2) | St. John's (8–1) | Illinois (11–3) | NC State (10–2) | Southern Miss (14–2) | St. John's (14–3) | Villanova (16–6) | Loyola Marymount (20–3) | Georgia Tech (19–6) | Xavier (22–3) | Xavier (24–3) | Kansas State (22–8) | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 2 Dec. 1 | Week 3 Dec. 8 | Week 4 Dec. 15 | Week 5 Dec. 22 | Week 6 Dec. 29 | Week 7 Jan. 5 | Week 8 Jan. 12 | Week 9 Jan. 19 | Week 10 Jan. 26 | Week 11 Feb. 2 | Week 12 Feb. 9 | Week 13 Feb. 16 | Week 14 Feb. 23 | Week 15 Mar. 1 | Week 16 Mar. 8 | Final Mar. 15 | |
| | | Dropped: Georgia TechDePaul | Dropped: Louisville (0–1) | Dropped: Notre Dame (3–2) | None | Dropped: Missouri (4–2) | Dropped: Memphis State (7–2)Louisville | Dropped: Florida (10–4)St. John's (9–3) | Dropped: IndianaNew MexicoAuburn | Dropped: KansasWyomingNC State | Dropped: UTEP (17–4)VillanovaSouthern Miss | Dropped: Georgetown (14–6)Iowa StateFlorida (16–6)St. John'sUTEP | Dropped: Kansas StateIndianaVillanova | Dropped: NC State (18–6)Georgetown | Dropped: MissouriSouthern Miss | Dropped: Vanderbilt | Dropped: Georgia Tech (21–9) | |

## Coaches Poll

| | 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. 1 | Week 15 Mar. 8 | Final Mar. 15 | |
| 1. | North Carolina (3–0) | Kentucky (3–0) | Kentucky (4–0) | Kentucky (6–0) | Arizona (10–0) | Kentucky (9–0) | Arizona (14–1) | Arizona (16–1) | Arizona (18–1) | Arizona (20–1) | Temple (18–1) | Temple (20–1) | Temple (22–1) | Temple (25–1) | Temple (27–1) | Temple (29–1) | 1. |
| 2. | Syracuse (2–1) | Arizona (5–0) | Arizona (7–0) | Arizona (9–0) | Kentucky (6–0) | Pittsburgh (9–0) | North Carolina (11–1) | North Carolina (13–1) | Purdue (17–1) | BYU (15–0) | Purdue (19–2) | Arizona (23–2) | Purdue (22–2) | Arizona (26–2) | Purdue (26–2) | Arizona (31–2) | 2. |
| 3. | Indiana (1–0) | Iowa (6–0) | Pittsburgh (4–0) | Pittsburgh (4–0) | North Carolina (7–1) | North Carolina (9–1) | Oklahoma (14–0) | Kentucky (12–1) | North Carolina (14–2) | UNLV (19–1) | Arizona (21–2) | Purdue (20–2) | Arizona (25–2) | Oklahoma (26–2) | Arizona (26–2) | Oklahoma (30–3) | 3. |
| 4. | Pittsburgh (1–0) | North Carolina (4–1) | North Carolina (5–1) | North Carolina (7–1) | Pittsburgh (6–0) | Arizona (12–1) | Temple (10–0) | Purdue (15–1) | Duke (12–2) | Temple (16–1) | Oklahoma (20–2) | Oklahoma (22–2) | Oklahoma (24–2) | Purdue (24–2) | Oklahoma (27–3) | Purdue (27–3) | 4. |
| 5. | Kentucky (1–0) | Pittsburgh (2–0) | Indiana (5–1) | Wyoming (6–0) | Wyoming (8–0) | Wyoming (11–0) | Kentucky (10–1) | Temple (12–0) | UNLV (17–1) | Duke (13–2) | North Carolina (16–3) | North Carolina (18–3) | Duke (20–3) | North Carolina (21–4) | Pittsburgh (22–5) | Kentucky (25–5) | 5. |
| 6. | Florida (4–0) | Indiana (2–1) | Wyoming (4–0) | Duke (4–0) | Duke (5–0) | Temple (7–0) | Duke (9–1) | Pittsburgh (13–1) | Temple (14–1) | Purdue (17–2) | BYU (17–1) | Duke (18–3) | Pittsburgh (19–3) | UNLV (25–3) | Kentucky (22–5) | Duke (24–6) | 6. |
| 7. | Arizona (2–0) | Syracuse (4–2) | Duke (4–0) | Syracuse (7–2) | Syracuse (8–2) | Syracuse (10–2) | Pittsburgh (10–1) | UNLV (14–1) | BYU (14–0) | North Carolina (15–3) | UNLV (20–2) | BYU (20–1) | BYU (21–2) | Pittsburgh (20–4) | Duke (21–6) | North Carolina (24–6) | 7. |
| 8. | Missouri (0–0) | Wyoming (3–0) | Iowa (6–1) | Temple (5–0) | Temple (5–0) | Oklahoma (12–0) | Purdue (13–1) | Michigan (14–1) | Michigan (14–2) | Oklahoma (18–2) | Pittsburgh (16–2) | Pittsburgh (17–3) | UNLV (23–3) | Duke (20–5) | UNLV (26–4) | Pittsburgh (23–6) | 8. |
| 9. | Duke (1–0) | Duke (3–0) | Syracuse (6–2) | Florida (6–1) | Florida (7–1) | Duke (6–1) | Syracuse (12–2) | Duke (10–2) т | Kentucky (13–2) | Pittsburgh (15–2) | Duke (16–3) | Kentucky (18–3) | North Carolina (20–4) | Michigan (22–5) | North Carolina (22–5) | Syracuse (25–8) | 9. |
| 10. | Iowa (3–0) | Missouri (2–0) | Temple (4–0) | Purdue (7–1) | Oklahoma (10–0) | Purdue (10–1) | Michigan (13–1) | BYU (12–0) т | Oklahoma (16–2) | Kentucky (14–3) | Kentucky (16–3) | Michigan (20–4) | Michigan (21–4) | Kentucky (20–5) | Michigan (23–6) | Michigan (24–7) | 10. |
| 11. | Wyoming (1–0) | Georgetown (3–0) | Florida (5–1) | Michigan (8–1) | Purdue (8–1) | Michigan (11–1) | Georgetown (11–1) | Oklahoma (14–2) | Pittsburgh (13–2) | Michigan (17–3) | Syracuse (17–5) | UNLV (21–3) | Syracuse (20–6) | Iowa (20–7) | NC State (23–6) | NC State (24–7) | 11. |
| 12. | Georgetown (2–0) | Florida (4–1) | Michigan (7–1) | Indiana (6–2) | Michigan (9–1) | UNLV (10–0) | Wyoming (11–2) | Iowa State (15–2) | Florida (14–4) | Syracuse (15–5) | Michigan (18–4) | Syracuse (18–6) | Kentucky (18–5) | NC State (20–6) | Bradley (25–4) | Bradley (26–4) | 12. |
| 13. | Michigan (2–1) | Temple (1–0) | Purdue (6–1) | Oklahoma (7–0) | Indiana (7–2) | Indiana (8–2) | UNLV (12–1) | Syracuse (12–4) | Syracuse (13–5) | Georgetown (14–4) | NC State (14–4) | Iowa (17–6) | Iowa (18–7) | Syracuse (21–7) | Syracuse (22–8) | Wyoming (26–5) | 13. |
| 14. | Purdue (1–1) | Purdue (4–1) | Oklahoma (6–0) | UNLV (5–0) | UNLV (7–0) | Georgetown (9–1) | BYU (11–0) | Illinois (13–3) | Illinois (14–4) | Iowa (15–5) | Kansas State (14–4) | NC State (16–5) | Bradley (19–4) | Georgia Tech (21–6) | BYU (24–4) | Loyola Marymount (27–3) | 14. |
| 15. | Temple (0–0) | Michigan (4–1) | UNLV (5–0) | Georgetown (6–1) | Iowa (7–2) | Florida (8–3) | Indiana (8–3) | Georgetown (11–3) | Georgetown (12–4) | Vanderbilt (13–4) | Iowa (16–6) | Georgetown (16–6) | Loyola Marymount (22–3) | BYU (23–3) | Iowa (21–8) | UNLV (27–5) | 15. |
| 16. | Louisville (0–0) | Oklahoma (3–0) | Georgetown (4–1) | Iowa State (8–1) | Georgetown (7–1) | Iowa (8–3) | Kansas (11–3) | Wyoming (12–3) т | UTEP (16–3) | Bradley (13–2) | Wyoming (17–4) | Vanderbilt (16–5) | Georgia Tech (19–6) | Loyola Marymount (24–3) | Loyola Marymount (26–3) | Iowa (22–9) | 16. |
| 17. | Oklahoma (1–0) | UNLV (3–0) | Missouri (3–1) | Iowa (6–2) | Iowa State (9–1) т | Kansas (8–3) | Iowa State (13–2) | UTEP (15–2) т | Iowa State (16–3) | Illinois (14–6) | Indiana (13–6) | Missouri (16–5) | Missouri (17–6) | Bradley (22–4) | Wyoming (23–5) | Illinois (22–9) | 17. |
| 18. | UNLV (0–0) | Notre Dame (1–1) | Kansas (6–2) | Kansas (7–2) | Kansas (7–2) т | Illinois (9–2) | Iowa (9–4) | Kansas (12–4) | Iowa (12–5) | St. John's (14–3) | Vanderbilt (14–5) | Bradley (16–4) т | NC State (18–6) | Vanderbilt (18–7) | Georgia Tech (21–8) | DePaul (21–7) | 18. |
| 19. | Kansas (1–2) | Kansas (4–2) | Illinois (7–1) | Missouri (4–1) | Illinois (4–2) | Iowa State (11–2) т | New Mexico (14–3) | Iowa (11–5) | Villanova (14–4) | UTEP (17–4) | Florida (16–6) | Wyoming (18–5) т | Vanderbilt (17–6) | Wyoming (22–5) | Illinois (20–9) | Xavier (26–3) | 19. |
| 20. | NC State (0–0) | Auburn (2–0) | Memphis State (3–1) | Georgia Tech (6–1) | Missouri (4–2) | St. John's (8–1) т | Florida (10–4) | NC State (10–2) т Florida (12–4) т | Southern Miss (14–2) т Missouri (11–4) т | Florida (15–5) | Bradley (14–3) т Georgetown (14–6) т | Loyola Marymount (20–3) | Wyoming (20–5) | Xavier (22–3) | UTEP (21–8) | Kansas State (22–8) | 20. |
| | 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. 1 | Week 15 Mar. 8 | Final Mar. 15 | |
| | | Dropped: Louisville (0–1)NC State (2–0) | Dropped: Notre Dame (3–2)Auburn | Dropped: Illinois (7–2)Memphis State (3–1) | Dropped: Georgia Tech (6–2) | Dropped: Missouri | Dropped: Illinois (11–3)St. John's (9–3) | Dropped: Indiana (9–5)New Mexico | Dropped: WyomingKansasNC State | Dropped: Iowa State (15–5)VillanovaSouthern MissMissouri | Dropped: Illinois (14–8)St. John'sUTEP | Dropped: Kansas StateIndianaFlorida | Dropped: Georgetown | Dropped: Missouri | Dropped: VanderbiltXavier (24–3) | Dropped: BYU (25–5)Georgia Tech (21–9)UTEP (23–9) | |