# 1958–59 NCAA University Division men's basketball rankings

The 1958–59 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. 9 | Week 2 Dec. 16 | Week 3 Dec. 23 | Week 4 Dec. 30 | Week 5 Jan. 6 | Week 6 Jan. 13 | Week 7 Jan. 20 | Week 8 Jan. 27 | Week 9 Feb. 3 | Week 10 Feb. 10 | Week 11 Feb. 17 | Week 12 Feb. 24 | Week 13 Mar. 2 | Final Mar. 9 | |
| 1. | Cincinnati (2–0) | Cincinnati (3–0) | Kentucky (8–0) | Kentucky (8–0) | Kentucky (11–0) | NC State (11–1) | Kentucky (14–1) | Kentucky (14–1) | Kentucky (17–1) | Kentucky (18–1) | North Carolina (16–1) | Kentucky (21–2) | Kentucky (23–2) | Kansas State (24–1) | 1. |
| 2. | Kentucky (2–0) | Kentucky (5–0) | Cincinnati (5–0) | Cincinnati (5–0) | NC State (9–1) | Kentucky (12–1) | North Carolina (10–1) | North Carolina (10–1) | North Carolina (12–1) | North Carolina (14–1) | Auburn (18–0) | Kansas State (21–1) | Kansas State (22–1) | Kentucky (23–2) | 2. |
| 3. | Kansas State (2–0) | Kansas State (4–0) | North Carolina (5–0) | Kansas State (7–1) | North Carolina (8–1) | North Carolina (9–1) | Kansas State (13–1) | Kansas State (13–1) | Kansas State (15–1) | Kansas State (17–1) | Kentucky (19–2) | North Carolina (17–2) | Cincinnati (21–2) | Mississippi State (24–1) | 3. |
| 4. | West Virginia (3–0) | NC State (4–0) | Kansas State (6–1) | North Carolina (5–0) | Kansas State (9–1) | Kansas State (11–1) | NC State (12–2) | Auburn (12–0) | Auburn (14–0) | Auburn (16–0) | Kansas State (19–1) | Cincinnati (18–2) | Mississippi State (24–1) | Bradley (23–3) | 4. |
| 5. | NC State (3–0) | Tennessee (4–0) | West Virginia (7–2) | NC State (6–1) | Michigan State (7–1) | Auburn (10–0) | Auburn (11–0) | Cincinnati (11–2) | Cincinnati (13–2) | Cincinnati (16–2) | Mississippi State (20–1) | Mississippi State (22–1) | North Carolina (18–3) | Cincinnati (23–3) | 5. |
| 6. | Tennessee (3–0) | Northwestern (3–0) | NC State (6–1) | Northwestern (6–1) | Auburn (8–0) | Cincinnati (8–2) | Cincinnati (10–2) | NC State (12–2) | NC State (14–2) | NC State (16–2) | Cincinnati (16–2) | Auburn (19–1) | Michigan State (16–3) | NC State (22–4) | 6. |
| 7. | Kansas (2–0) | West Virginia (5–1) | Mississippi State (7–0) | Michigan State (4–0) | Cincinnati (6–2) | Bradley (9–1) | St. John's (11–1) | St. John's (12–1) | Michigan State (11–2) | Bradley (17–2) | NC State (18–2) | NC State (19–3) | Auburn (20–2) | Michigan State (18–3) | 7. |
| 8. | Mississippi State (3–0) | Mississippi State (5–0) | Auburn (5–0) | Mississippi State (7–0) | Northwestern (8–1) | Michigan State (8–2) | Michigan State (8–2) | Michigan State (10–2) | Bradley (14–2) | Saint Louis (12–4) | Saint Louis (14–5) | Michigan State (15–3) | West Virginia (25–4) | Auburn (20–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Saint Louis (2–0) | Xavier (4–0) | Michigan State (4–0) | Auburn (6–0) | Bradley (8–0) | St. John's (10–1) | Bradley (11–2) | Bradley (11–2) | Saint Louis (12–4) | West Virginia (18–3) | Michigan State (13–3) | Bradley (19–3) | Bradley (21–3) | North Carolina (20–4) | 9. |
| 10. | Northwestern (2–0) | North Carolina (2–0) | Xavier (5–0) | Bradley (7–0) | St. John's (9–1) | West Virginia (12–3) | West Virginia (13–3) | West Virginia (14–3) | West Virginia (16–3) | Mississippi State (18–1) | Bradley (17–3) | West Virginia (22–4) | NC State (19–4) | West Virginia (25–4) | 10. |
| 11. | Notre Dame (1–0) | Bradley (2–0) т | Tennessee (5–1) | West Virginia (7–3) | West Virginia (9–3) | Northwestern (9–2) | Mississippi State (13–1) | Mississippi State (18–1) | Mississippi State (18–1) | Marquette (17–1) | West Virginia (19–4) | Saint Louis (14–6) | California (20–4) | California (21–4) | 11. |
| 12. | Auburn (2–0) | Michigan State (4–0) т | Northwestern (4–1) | Saint Joseph's (8–1) | Mississippi State (10–1) | Mississippi State (11–1) | Marquette (13–1) | Marquette (13–1) | Marquette (14–1) | Michigan State (12–3) | Seattle (16–5) | California (17–4) | Saint Louis (15–6) | Saint Louis (17–7) | 12. |
| 13. | North Carolina (2–0) | Auburn (2–0) | Bradley (5–0) | St. John's (7–1) | Oklahoma City (8–1) | Marquette (12–1) | St. Bonaventure (9–0) | Seattle (12–3) | Oklahoma City (15–2) | Seattle (15–3) | Marquette (17–3) | Marquette (18–3) | Marquette (21–3) | Seattle (22–6) | 13. |
| 14. | Saint Mary's (2–0) | Saint Joseph's (4–0) | California (5–1) | Tennessee (6–1) | Saint Louis (5–3) | St. Bonaventure (7–0) | Saint Louis (7–4) | Oklahoma City (12–2) | Seattle (15–3) | Oklahoma City (16–4) | St. Bonaventure (17–3) | TCU (18–4) | Oklahoma City (20–5) | Saint Joseph's (22–3) | 14. |
| 15. | Michigan State (1–0) | California (3–1) | Villanova (6–0) | Marquette (9–1) | Marquette (10–1) | Saint Louis (7–3) | Oklahoma City (11–2) | Saint Louis (9–4) | St. John's (12–3) | Indiana (9–6) | California (15–4) | Oklahoma City (19–5) | TCU (18–5) | Saint Mary's (19–6) | 15. |
| 16. | Xavier (2–0) | Seattle (4–0) | Saint Louis (3–2) | Saint Louis (3–3) | Seattle (8–2) | Seattle (9–3) | Seattle (11–3) | St. Bonaventure (9–1) | Utah (13–4) | TCU (14–4) | TCU (16–4) | Seattle (17–5) | Utah (19–5) | TCU (19–5) | 16. |
| 17. | Marquette (2–0) | Saint Louis (2–1) | Marquette (7–1) | Oklahoma City (7–1) | Tennessee (7–2) | Oklahoma City (10–1) | Portland (12–2) | Louisville (9–8) | TCU (12–4) | Utah (15–4) | Utah (16–4) | St. John's (14–5) | Saint Mary's (18–4) | Oklahoma City (20–5) | 17. |
| 18. | SMU (1–1) | Pittsburgh (3–1) | Memphis State (5–0) | Purdue (7–1) | Villanova (7–0) | Portland (10–2) | Northwestern (9–3) | Illinois (8–4) | St. Bonaventure (11–1) | California (13–4) | Oklahoma City (17–5) | St. Bonaventure (17–2) | St. John's (15–6) | Utah (21–5) | 18. |
| 19. | Indiana (4–1) | UCLA (1–2) | Washington (5–2) | TCU (7–1) | Texas A&M (9–1) | Indiana (5–5) | Villanova (10–1) | TCU (11–4) | California (11–4) | St. John's (13–3) | Indiana (10–7) | Portland (17–7) | St. Bonaventure (18–2) | St. Bonaventure (20–2) | 19. |
| 20. | St. John's (1–0) т Oklahoma State (1–0) т | SMU (3–2) | Dayton (4–0) | California (6–2) | Illinois (6–2) | California (9–3) | Utah (11–4) | California (10–4) | Saint Joseph's (12–3) | Purdue (11–4) | Purdue (12–5) | St. Mary's (17–4) | Saint Joseph's (20–3) | Marquette (22–4) | 20. |
| | Week 1 Dec. 9 | Week 2 Dec. 16 | Week 3 Dec. 23 | Week 4 Dec. 30 | Week 5 Jan. 6 | Week 6 Jan. 13 | Week 7 Jan. 20 | Week 8 Jan. 27 | Week 9 Feb. 3 | Week 10 Feb. 10 | Week 11 Feb. 17 | Week 12 Feb. 24 | Week 13 Mar. 2 | Final Mar. 9 | |
| | | Dropped: Kansas (2–3)Notre DameSaint Mary'sMarquetteIndiana (4–1)St. John'sOklahoma State | Dropped: Saint Joseph's (6–1)SeattlePittsburghUCLASMU | Dropped: Xavier (6–2)VillanovaMemphis StateWashington (6–3)Dayton | Dropped: Saint Joseph'sPurdue (7–3)TCU (8–2)California (7–3) | Dropped: TennesseeVillanovaTexas A&MIllinois | Dropped: IndianaCalifornia (10–4) | Dropped: PortlandNorthwestern (10–4)VillanovaUtah (12–4) | Dropped: LouisvilleIllinois | Dropped: St. Bonaventure (13–1)Saint Joseph's | Dropped: St. John's (13–5) | Dropped: Utah (17–5)IndianaPurdue | Dropped: SeattlePortland | Dropped: St. John's (16–6) | |

## UPI Poll

| | Preseason | Week 1 Dec. 9 | Week 2 Dec. 16 | Week 3 Dec. 23 | Week 4 Dec. 30 | Week 5 Jan. 6 | Week 6 Jan. 13 | Week 7 Jan. 20 | Week 8 Jan. 27 | Week 9 Feb. 3 | Week 10 Feb. 10 | Week 11 Feb. 17 | Week 12 Feb. 24 | Week 13 Mar. 2 | Final Mar. 9 | |
| 1. | Cincinnati | Cincinnati (2–0) | Cincinnati (3–0) | Cincinnati (5–0) | Cincinnati (5–0) | Kentucky (11–0) | Kentucky (12–1) | Kentucky (14–1) | Kentucky (14–1) | Kentucky (17–1) | Kentucky (18–1) | North Carolina (16–1) | Kentucky (21–2) | Kansas State (22–1) | Kansas State (24–1) | 1. |
| 2. | Kansas State | Kansas State (2–0) | Kansas State (4–0) | Kentucky (8–0) | Kentucky (8–0) | NC State (9–1) | NC State (11–1) | North Carolina (10–1) | North Carolina (10–1) | North Carolina (12–1) | North Carolina (14–1) | Kansas State (19–1) | Kansas State (21–1) | Kentucky (23–2) | Kentucky (23–2) | 2. |
| 3. | Notre Dame | Kentucky (2–0) | Kentucky (5–0) | Kansas State (6–1) | Kansas State (7–1) | Kansas State (9–1) | Kansas State (11–1) | Kansas State (13–1) | Kansas State (13–1) | Kansas State (15–1) | Kansas State (17–1) | Kentucky (19–2) | Cincinnati (18–2) | Cincinnati (21–2) | Michigan State (18–3) | 3. |
| 4. | Kentucky | Michigan State (1–0) | NC State (4–0) | Michigan State (4–0) | Michigan State (4–0) | North Carolina (8–1) | North Carolina (9–1) | NC State (12–2) | NC State (12–2) | Cincinnati (13–2) | Cincinnati (16–2) | Cincinnati (16–2) | North Carolina (17–2) | Michigan State (16–3) | Cincinnati (23–3) | 4. |
| 5. | Michigan State | Notre Dame (1–0) | Northwestern (3–0) | North Carolina (5–0) | North Carolina (5–0) | Michigan State (7–1) | Cincinnati (8–2) | Cincinnati (10–2) | Cincinnati (11–2) | NC State (14–2) | NC State (16–2) | NC State (18–2) | NC State (19–3) | North Carolina (18–3) | NC State (22–4) | 5. |
| 6. | Washington | NC State (3–0) | Michigan State (2–0) | NC State (6–1) | NC State (6–1) | Cincinnati (6–2) | Michigan State (8–2) | Auburn (11–0) | Auburn (12–0) | Michigan State (11–2) | Auburn (16–0) | Auburn (18–0) | Michigan State (15–3) | Mississippi State (24–1) | Mississippi State (24–1) т | 6. |
| 7. | West Virginia | West Virginia (3–0) т | West Virginia (5–1) | West Virginia (7–2) | Northwestern (6–1) | Northwestern (8–1) | Auburn (10–0) | St. John's (11–1) т | Michigan State (10–2) | Auburn (14–0) | Michigan State (12–3) | Michigan State (13–3) | Mississippi State (22–1) | NC State (19–4) | North Carolina (20–4) т | 7. |
| 8. | Xavier | Northwestern (2–0) т | Xavier (4–0) | Xavier (5–0) | Bradley (7–0) | Bradley (8–0) | Bradley (9–1) | Michigan State (8–2) т | St. John's (12–1) | Bradley (14–2) | Bradley (17–2) | Saint Louis (14–5) | Auburn (19–1) | California (20–4) | Bradley (23–3) | 8. |
| 9. | Oklahoma State | Saint Louis (2–0) | Saint Joseph's (4–0) | Auburn (5–0) | TCU (7–1) | Auburn (8–0) | Northwestern (9–2) | Bradley (11–2) | Bradley (11–2) | Saint Louis (12–4) | Saint Louis (12–4) | California (15–4) | California (17–4) | Bradley (21–3) | California (21–4) | 9. |
| 10. | St. John's | St. John's (1–0) | TCU (4–1) | Northwestern (4–1) т | Auburn (6–0) | St. John's (9–1) | St. John's (10–1) | West Virginia (13–3) | West Virginia (14–3) | West Virginia (16–3) | West Virginia (18–3) | Mississippi State (20–1) | Bradley (19–3) | Auburn (20–2) | Auburn (20–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Maryland | Saint Mary's (2–0) | Indiana (4–1) | California (5–1) т | Purdue (7–1) | West Virginia (9–3) | TCU (10–2) | TCU (11–3) | Saint Louis (9–4) | St. John's (12–3) | Marquette (17–1) | TCU (16–4) | TCU (18–4) | West Virginia (25–4) | West Virginia (25–4) | 11. |
| 12. | NC State | Kansas (2–0) | Tennessee (4–0) | Bradley (5–0) | St. John's (7–1) | Texas A&M (9–1) | West Virginia (12–3) | Mississippi State (13–1) | Marquette (13–1) | California (11–4) | California (13–4) | Bradley (17–3) | Saint Louis (14–6) | Saint Louis (15–6) | TCU (19–5) | 12. |
| 13. | Northwestern | Xavier (2–0) т | Utah (4–1) | TCU (5–1) | Saint Joseph's (8–1) | TCU (8–2) | St. Bonaventure (7–0) | Marquette (13–1) т | Mississippi State (18–1) т | Marquette (14–1) | Utah (15–4) | Utah (16–4) | West Virginia (22–4) | TCU (18–5) | Saint Louis (17–7) | 13. |
| 14. | North Carolina | Utah (2–0) т | North Carolina (2–0) т | Mississippi State (7–0) | West Virginia (7–3) | California (7–3) | Marquette (12–1) | California (10–4) т | California (10–4) т | Utah (13–4) | TCU (14–4) | West Virginia (19–4) | Utah (17–5) | Utah (19–5) | Utah (21–5) | 14. |
| 15. | Saint Joseph's | TCU (2–0) | USC (3–0) т | St. John's (5–1) | California (6–2) | Mississippi State (10–1) т | California (9–3) | Northwestern (9–3) | Utah (12–4) т | Oklahoma City (15–2) | Mississippi State (18–1) | Marquette (17–3) | Marquette (18–3) | Marquette (21–3) | Marquette (22–4) | 15. |
| 16. | Saint Louis | Tennessee (3–0) | Bradley (4–0) | Purdue (5–1) | Mississippi State (7–0) | Purdue (7–3) т | Saint Louis (7–3) | St. Bonaventure (9–0) т | Northwestern (10–4) | TCU (12–4) | Indiana (9–6) т | Louisville (13–9) т | Maryland (8–12) | Saint Mary's (18–4) | Tennessee A&I State (27–1) | 16. |
| 17. | Mississippi State | Mississippi State (3–0) | Mississippi State (5–0) | St. Bonaventure (4–0) | Saint Louis (3–3) | St. Bonaventure (6–0) | Mississippi State (11–1) | Saint Louis (7–4) т | TCU (11–4) т | Mississippi State (18–1) | Memphis State (12–5) т | St. John's (13–5) т | Navy (14–5) | St. John's (15–6) | St. John's (16–6) | 17. |
| 18. | Purdue | Oklahoma State (1–0) | UCLA (1–2) | Washington (5–2) т | Xavier (6–2) | Marquette (10–1) | Indiana (5–5) | Utah (11–4) | UCLA (10–5) т | Memphis State (12–4) | Tennessee A&I State т | St. Bonaventure (17–3) | St. Bonaventure (17–2) | Oklahoma City (20–5) т | Saint Mary's (19–6) т | 18. |
| 19. | Louisville | North Carolina (2–0) т | Purdue (3–1) | Utah (4–2) т | Marquette (9–1) | Oklahoma City (8–1) т | Utah (9–4) т | Illinois (8–3) т | Utah State (12–4) | Northwestern (10–5) | Seattle (15–3) т | Oklahoma City (17–5) т | Louisville (14–10) | St. Bonaventure (18–2) т | Navy (16–5) т | 19. |
| 20. | Iowa | Texas Tech (3–0) | Kansas (2–3) | Saint Joseph's (6–2) | Washington (6–3) | Utah State (9–3) т | Vanderbilt (7–5) т | Michigan (9–2) т | Oklahoma City (12–2) | UCLA (10–5) | Oklahoma City (16–4) т Notre Dame (9–10) т St. Bonaventure (13–1) т | Saint Mary's (14–4) т | Saint Mary's (17–4) | Louisville (16–10) т | Saint Joseph's (22–3) т St. Bonaventure (20–2) т | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 1 Dec. 9 | Week 2 Dec. 16 | Week 3 Dec. 23 | Week 4 Dec. 30 | Week 5 Jan. 6 | Week 6 Jan. 13 | Week 7 Jan. 20 | Week 8 Jan. 27 | Week 9 Feb. 3 | Week 10 Feb. 10 | Week 11 Feb. 17 | Week 12 Feb. 24 | Week 13 Mar. 2 | Final Mar. 9 | |
| | | Dropped: WashingtonMarylandSaint Joseph'sPurdueLouisvilleIowa | Dropped: Notre DameSaint LouisSt. John'sSaint Mary'sOklahoma StateTexas Tech | Dropped: IndianaTennesseeUSCUCLAKansas | Dropped: St. BonaventureUtah | Dropped: Saint Joseph'sSaint LouisXavierWashington | Dropped: Texas A&MPurdueOklahoma CityUtah State | Dropped: IndianaVanderbilt | Dropped: St. BonaventureIllinoisMichigan | Dropped: Utah State | Dropped: St. John'sNorthwesternUCLA | Dropped: IndianaMemphis StateTennessee A&I StateSeattleNotre Dame | Dropped: St. John'sOklahoma City | Dropped: MarylandNavy | Dropped: Oklahoma CityLouisville | |