# 1973–74 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings

The 1973–74 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 January 21, 1974 poll was the first where UCLA was not ranked #1 since the rankings on February 1, 1971 – a string of 46 consecutive AP polls that stretched across parts of four seasons. The Bruins would regain the top ranking for three more weeks before NC State would grab the top spot for the final six weeks.
| | Preseason | Week 1 Dec. 3 | Week 2 Dec. 10 | Week 3 Dec. 17 | Week 4 Dec. 24 | Week 5 Dec. 31 | Week 6 Jan. 7 | Week 7 Jan. 14 | Week 8 Jan. 21 | Week 9 Jan. 28 | Week 10 Feb. 4 | Week 11 Feb. 11 | Week 12 Feb. 18 | Week 13 Feb. 25 | Week 14 Mar. 4 | Week 15 Mar. 11 | Week 16 Mar. 18 | Final Mar. 26 | |
| 1. | UCLA | UCLA (2–0) | UCLA (3–0) | UCLA (4–0) | UCLA (6–0) | UCLA (8–0) | UCLA (9–0) | UCLA (11–0) | Notre Dame (10–0) | UCLA (15–1) | UCLA (16–1) | UCLA (18–1) | NC State (20–1) | NC State (22–1) | NC State (24–1) | NC State (26–1) | NC State (28–1) | NC State (30–1) | 1. |
| 2. | NC State | NC State (0–0) | NC State (2–0) | Maryland (2–1) | Maryland (4–1) | Notre Dame (7–0) | Notre Dame (7–0) | Notre Dame (8–0) | UCLA (13–1) | NC State (13–1) | NC State (15–1) | NC State (17–1) | Notre Dame (20–1) | Notre Dame (22–1) | Notre Dame (24–1) | UCLA (23–3) | UCLA (25–3) | UCLA (26–4) | 2. |
| 3. | Indiana | Indiana (1–0) | Indiana (3–0) | Notre Dame (5–0) | Notre Dame (6–0) | Maryland (5–1) | Maryland (7–1) | NC State (9–1) | NC State (11–1) | Notre Dame (12–1) | Notre Dame (15–1) | Notre Dame (18–1) | UCLA (18–3) | UCLA (20–3) | UCLA (22–3) | Notre Dame (25–2) | Marquette (25–4) | Marquette (26–5) | 3. |
| 4. | Maryland | Maryland (0–1) | Maryland (1–1) | North Carolina (5–0) | North Carolina (6–0) | North Carolina (7–0) | NC State (7–1) | Maryland (8–2) | North Carolina (12–1) | North Carolina (14–2) | North Carolina (15–2) | North Carolina (17–2) | Vanderbilt (20–1) | North Carolina (20–3) | Maryland (21–4) | Maryland (23–5) | Maryland (23–5) | Maryland (23–5) | 4. |
| 5. | North Carolina | North Carolina (1–0) | North Carolina (2–0) | NC State (2–1) | NC State (3–1) | NC State (6–1) | North Carolina (7–1) | North Carolina (9–1) | Maryland (10–2) | Marquette (16–1) | Vanderbilt (16–1) | Vanderbilt (18–1) | Maryland (17–4) | Maryland (19–4) | Vanderbilt (23–2) | Providence (27–3) | Notre Dame (26–3) | Notre Dame (26–3) | 5. |
| 6. | Providence | Providence (1–0) | Notre Dame (4–0) | Marquette (5–0) | Marquette (7–0) | Marquette (9–0) | Vanderbilt (9–0) | Marquette (12–1) | Marquette (14–1) | Maryland (11–3) | Marquette (17–2) | Maryland (15–4) | North Carolina (18–3) | Vanderbilt (21–2) | North Carolina (21–4) | Vanderbilt (23–3) | Kansas (23–5) | Michigan (22–5) | 6. |
| 7. | Marquette | Marquette (1–0) | Marquette (4–0) | Indiana (4–1) | Indiana (5–1) | Alabama (6–1) | Marquette (10–1) | Providence (11–2) | Vanderbilt (12–1) | Vanderbilt (14–1) | Maryland (13–4) | Pittsburgh (19–1) | Pittsburgh (21–1) | Alabama (20–3) | USC (22–3) | Marquette (23–4) | Michigan (22–5) | Kansas (23–7) | 7. |
| 8. | Notre Dame | Notre Dame (1–0) | Providence (1–0) | Louisville (4–1) | Louisville (6–1) | Indiana (7–2) | New Mexico (12–0) | Vanderbilt (10–1) | Providence (13–2) | Alabama (13–2) | Alabama (15–2) | Alabama (16–3) | Alabama (18–3) | Marquette (21–3) | Providence (25–3) | North Carolina (22–5) | Providence (28–4) | Providence (28–4) | 8. |
| 9. | Louisville | Louisville (0–1) | Louisville (3–1) | Providence (3–1) | Providence (6–1) | Long Beach State (9–1) | Long Beach State (10–1) | Long Beach State (12–1) | Alabama (10–2) | Providence (15–2) | Long Beach State (16–2) | Marquette (18–3) | Marquette (19–3) | Indiana (18–3) | Long Beach State (23–2) | Long Beach State (23–2) | Long Beach State (23–2) | Indiana (23–5) | 9. |
| 10. | Kentucky | Kentucky (1–0) | Memphis State (4–0) | Alabama (3–0) | Long Beach State (7–1) | Vanderbilt (8–0) | Providence (9–2) | Alabama (9–2) | Long Beach State (12–1) | Long Beach State (14–2) | Pittsburgh (17–1) | Long Beach State (18–2) | Indiana (16–3) | USC (20–3) | South Carolina (21–4) | Indiana (20–4) | North Carolina (22–6) | Long Beach State (23–2) | 10. |
| 11. | San Francisco | San Francisco (1–1) | Penn (3–0) | Long Beach State (5–1) | Vanderbilt (7–0) | USC (9–1) | Louisville (8–2) | South Carolina (9–2) | Indiana (11–3) | USC (14–2) | Providence (16–3) | Providence (18–3) | Providence (21–3) | Pittsburgh (22–2) | Marquette (22–4) | Alabama (22–4) | Indiana (21–5) | Purdue (21–9) | 11. |
| 12. | Long Beach State | Long Beach State (1–0) | Long Beach State (2–1) | Memphis State (6–1) | Arizona (5–1) | New Mexico (10–0) | Alabama (6–2) | Indiana (9–3) | USC (12–2) | Indiana (12–3) | Indiana (13–3) | Indiana (14–3) | USC (18–3) | Providence (23–3) | Alabama (21–4) | Michigan (20–4) | Vanderbilt (23–5) | North Carolina (22–6) | 12. |
| 13. | Kansas | Kansas State (1–0) | Alabama (2–0) | Kansas State (5–1) | Alabama (4–1) | Louisville (7–2) | Indiana (7–3) | USC (12–2) | South Carolina (10–3) | Pittsburgh (14–1) | South Carolina (13–3) | USC (16–3) | Long Beach State (20–2) | Long Beach State (21–2) | Indiana (19–4) | Pittsburgh (24–3) | Alabama (22–4) | Vanderbilt (23–5) | 13. |
| 14. | Houston | Houston (0–1) | Arizona (3–1) | Arizona (5–1) | USC (6–1) | Providence (8–2) | Wisconsin (8–1) | Michigan (10–2) | Louisville (10–3) | South Carolina (12–3) | USC (14–3) | South Carolina (16–3) | South Carolina (16–4) | South Carolina (19–4) | Pittsburgh (23–3) | Kansas (21–5) | USC (23–4) | Alabama (22–4) | 14. |
| 15. | Arizona | Arizona (1–1) | Kansas State (3–1) | South Carolina (4–0) | Syracuse (5–0) | Arizona (8–2) | South Carolina (7–2) | New Mexico (12–2) | Michigan (11–2) | Louisville (11–3) | Louisville (14–3) | Michigan (15–3) | Creighton (19–4) | Kansas (17–5) | Kansas (19–5) | USC (22–4) | Pittsburgh (25–4) | Utah (22–8) | 15. |
| 16. | Penn | Penn (1–0) | South Carolina (3–0) | USC (4–1) | Memphis State (7–2) | UNLV (9–1) | UNLV (9–1) | Louisville (9–3) | Pittsburgh (13–1) | Wisconsin (11–2) | Michigan (14–3) | Kansas (15–4) | Kansas (16–5) | Creighton (21–5) | Michigan (19–4) | Louisville (21–5) | Dayton (20–9) | Pittsburgh (25–4) | 16. |
| 17. | Jacksonville | Jacksonville (1–1) | San Francisco (1–2) | Vanderbilt (6–0) | New Mexico (8–0) | Wisconsin (7–1) | USC (9–2) | Pittsburgh (12–1) | Wisconsin (10–2) | New Mexico (14–3) | Kansas (13–4) | Creighton (18–4) | Utah (17–5) | Michigan (17–4) | New Mexico (20–6) | New Mexico (21–6) | South Carolina (22–5) | USC (24–5) | 17. |
| 18. | Alabama | Alabama (1–0) | Syracuse (3–0) | Syracuse (4–0) | Kansas State (5–2) | Memphis State (8–3) | Michigan (9–2) | Missouri (10–3) | Centenary (12–0) | Kansas (12–3) | UTEP (15–3) | Louisville (14–4) | Kansas State (17–5) | Arizona (19–6) | Louisville (19–5) | South Carolina (22–5) | Oral Roberts (23–5) | Oral Roberts (23–5) | 18. |
| 19. | UNLV | UNLV (0–1) | Jacksonville (3–1) | Jacksonville (4–1) | UNLV (7–1) | Syracuse (7–1) | Memphis State (10–3) | Wisconsin (9–2) | New Mexico (12–3) | Oral Roberts (16–2) | Oral Roberts (16–3) | Utah (16–5) | Michigan (16–4) | New Mexico (19–6) | Creighton (21–5) | Creighton (22–6) | Purdue (18–9) | South Carolina (22–5) | 19. |
| 20. | Memphis State | Memphis State (2–0) | USC (2–1) | Cincinnati (5–0) | Austin Peay (5–1) | Austin Peay (5–1) | Hawaii (11–0) | Cincinnati (10–3) | Arizona State (11–4) | Michigan (12–3) | Maryland Eastern Shore (19–0) | Arizona (16–5) | Louisville (15–5) | Louisville (17–5) | Oral Roberts (21–4) | Dayton (20–7) | New Mexico (22–7) | Dayton (20–9) | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 1 Dec. 3 | Week 2 Dec. 10 | Week 3 Dec. 17 | Week 4 Dec. 24 | Week 5 Dec. 31 | Week 6 Jan. 7 | Week 7 Jan. 14 | Week 8 Jan. 21 | Week 9 Jan. 28 | Week 10 Feb. 4 | Week 11 Feb. 11 | Week 12 Feb. 18 | Week 13 Feb. 25 | Week 14 Mar. 4 | Week 15 Mar. 11 | Week 16 Mar. 18 | Final Mar. 26 | |
| | | Dropped: Kansas | Dropped: KentuckyHoustonUNLV | Dropped: PennSan Francisco | Dropped: South CarolinaJacksonvilleCincinnati | Dropped: Kansas State | Dropped: ArizonaSyracuseAustin Peay | Dropped: UNLVMemphis StateHawaii | Dropped: MissouriCincinnati | Dropped: CentenaryArizona State | Dropped: WisconsinNew Mexico | Dropped: UTEPOral RobertsMaryland Eastern Shore | Dropped: Arizona | Dropped: UtahKansas State | Dropped: Arizona | Dropped: Oral Roberts | Dropped: LouisvilleCreighton | Dropped: New Mexico | |

## UPI Poll

| | Week 2 Dec. 11 | Week 3 Dec. 18 | Week 4 Dec. 25 | Week 5 Jan. 2 | Week 6 Jan. 8 | Week 7 Jan. 15 | Week 8 Jan. 22 | Week 9 Jan. 29 | Week 10 Feb. 5 | Week 11 Feb. 12 | Week 12 Feb. 19 | Week 13 Feb. 26 | Week 14 Mar. 5 | Final Mar. 12 | |
| 1. | UCLA (3–0) | UCLA (4–0) | UCLA (6–0) | UCLA (8–0) | UCLA (9–0) | UCLA (11–0) | Notre Dame (10–0) | UCLA (15–1) | UCLA (16–1) | UCLA (18–1) | NC State (20–1) | NC State (22–1) | NC State (24–1) | NC State (26–1) | 1. |
| 2. | NC State (2–0) | North Carolina (5–0) | Notre Dame (6–0) | Notre Dame (7–0) | Notre Dame (7–0) | Notre Dame (8–0) | UCLA (13–1) | NC State (13–1) | NC State (15–1) | NC State (17–1) | Notre Dame (20–1) | Notre Dame (22–1) | Notre Dame (24–1) | UCLA (23–3) | 2. |
| 3. | Indiana (3–0) | Notre Dame (5–0) | North Carolina (6–0) | Maryland (5–1) | Maryland (7–1) | NC State (9–1) | NC State (11–1) | Notre Dame (12–1) | Notre Dame (15–1) | Notre Dame (18–1) | UCLA (18–3) | UCLA (20–3) | UCLA (22–3) | Notre Dame (25–2) | 3. |
| 4. | North Carolina (2–0) | Marquette (5–0) | Maryland (4–1) | North Carolina (7–0) | NC State (7–1) | Maryland (8–2) | Maryland (10–2) | North Carolina (14–2) | North Carolina (15–2) | North Carolina (17–2) | North Carolina (18–3) | North Carolina (20–3) | North Carolina (21–4) | Maryland (23–5) | 4. |
| 5. | Maryland (1–1) | Maryland (2–1) | NC State (3–1) | NC State (6–1) | North Carolina (7–1) | North Carolina (9–1) | North Carolina (12–1) | Marquette (16–1) | Marquette (17–2) | Vanderbilt (18–1) | Vanderbilt (20–1) | Maryland (19–4) | Maryland (21–4) | Marquette (23–4) | 5. |
| 6. | Marquette (4–0) | NC State (2–1) | Marquette (7–0) | Marquette (9–0) | Marquette (10–1) | Marquette (12–1) | Marquette (14–1) | Maryland (11–3) | Vanderbilt (16–1) | Maryland (15–4) | Maryland (17–4) | Indiana (18–3) | Vanderbilt (23–2) | Providence (27–3) | 6. |
| 7. | Notre Dame (4–0) | Indiana (4–1) | Indiana (5–1) | USC (9–1) | New Mexico (12–0) | Providence (11–2) | Providence (13–2) | Vanderbilt (14–1) | Maryland (13–4) | Maryland (18–3) | Marquette (19–3) | Marquette (21–3) | USC (22–3) | Vanderbilt (23–3) | 7. |
| 8. | Providence (1–0) | Providence (3–1) | Providence (6–1) | Indiana (7–2) | Vanderbilt (9–0) | Vanderbilt (10–1) | Vanderbilt (12–1) | Providence (15–2) | Alabama (15–2) | Pittsburgh (19–1) | Pittsburgh (21–1) | Vanderbilt (21–2) | Providence (25–3) | North Carolina (22–5) | 8. |
| 9. | Memphis State (4–0) | Louisville (4–1) | Louisville (6–1) | New Mexico (10–0) | Long Beach State (10–1) т | Indiana (9–3) | Long Beach State (12–1) | Alabama (13–2) | Pittsburgh (17–1) | Indiana (14–3) | USC (18–3) | USC (20–3) | Marquette (22–4) | Indiana (20–4) | 9. |
| 10. | Louisville (3–1) | USC (4–1) | USC (6–1) | Alabama (6–1) | Louisville (8–2) т | Long Beach State (12–1) | Alabama (10–2) | Pittsburgh (14–1) | USC (14–3) | Long Beach State (18–2) | Indiana (16–3) | Alabama (20–3) | Indiana (19–4) | Kansas (21–5) | 10. |
| 11. | Alabama (2–0) | Alabama (3–0) т | Vanderbilt (7–0) | Long Beach State (9–1) | Providence (9–2) | Alabama (9–2) | USC (12–2) | USC (14–2) | Indiana (13–3) | Alabama (16–3) | Alabama (18–3) | Pittsburgh (22–2) | South Carolina (21–4) | Long Beach State (23–2) | 11. |
| 12. | Long Beach State (2–1) | Kansas State (5–1) т | Long Beach State (7–1) | Vanderbilt (8–0) | Alabama (6–2) т | New Mexico (12–2) | Pittsburgh (13–1) | Long Beach State (14–2) | Providence (16–3) | Providence (18–3) | Providence (21–3) | Long Beach State (21–2) | Long Beach State (23–2) | Michigan (20–4) | 12. |
| 13. | South Carolina (3–0) | Long Beach State (5–1) | New Mexico (8–0) | Providence (8–2) | Indiana (7–3) т | South Carolina (9–2) | Indiana (11–3) | Indiana (12–3) т | Louisville (14–3) | USC (16–3) | Long Beach State (20–2) | Providence (23–3) | Kansas (19–5) | USC (22–4) | 13. |
| 14. | Kansas State (3–1) | South Carolina (4–0) | Oklahoma (5–1) | Louisville (7–2) | South Carolina (7–2) | USC (12–2) | South Carolina (10–3) | Louisville (11–3) т | Long Beach State (16–2) | Kansas (15–4) | Kansas (16–5) | Kansas (17–5) | New Mexico (20–6) | Pittsburgh (24–3) | 14. |
| 15. | Cincinnati (3–0) | Cincinnati (5–0) т | Arizona (5–1) | Missouri (6–2) | Wisconsin (8–1) | Louisville (9–3) | Louisville (10–3) | South Carolina (12–3) | UTEP (15–3) | Michigan (15–3) | Kansas State (17–5) | Kansas State (18–5) | Louisville (19–5) | Louisville (21–5) | 15. |
| 16. | New Mexico (4–0) | New Mexico (7–0) т | UNLV (7–1) | Wisconsin (7–1) | USC (9–2) | Missouri (10–3) | Wisconsin (10–2) | Kansas (12–3) | Kansas (13–4) | South Carolina (16–3) | South Carolina (16–4) т | South Carolina (19–4) т | Alabama (21–4) | South Carolina (22–5) | 16. |
| 17. | Penn (3–0) т | Vanderbilt (6–0) | Alabama (4–1) | South Carolina (5–2) | Missouri (8–3) | Arizona State (10–4) | Kansas (11–3) | Wisconsin (11–2) | South Carolina (13–3) | Louisville (14–4) | Creighton (19–4) т | Creighton (21–5) т | Pittsburgh (23–3) | Creighton (22–6) | 17. |
| 18. | Arizona (3–1) т | Oklahoma (4–1) | Syracuse (5–0) | Arizona (8–2) т | UNLV (9–1) | Michigan (10–2) т | Arizona State (11–4) | UTEP (14–3) | Creighton (16–4) т | Creighton (18–4) | Utah (17–5) | New Mexico (19–6) | Creighton (21–5) | New Mexico (21–6) | 18. |
| 19. | USC (2–1) т | Memphis State (6–1) т | Memphis State (7–2) | UNLV (9–1) т | Memphis State (10–3) | Wisconsin (9–2) т | UTEP (12–2) | Purdue (12–5) т | Penn (15–4) т | Utah (16–5) | New Mexico (17–5) | UTEP (18–6) | Michigan (19–4) | Alabama (22–4) т | 19. |
| 20. | Vanderbilt (4–0) т | Arizona (5–1) т | South Carolina (4–1) | Purdue (7–3) т | Dayton (8–2) | Syracuse (8–3) | Michigan (11–2) | Syracuse (12–3) т | Syracuse (13–4) т | Purdue (14–6) | Louisville (15–5) | Louisville (17–5) | Syracuse (19–6) | Dayton (20–7) т | 20. |
| | Week 2 Dec. 11 | Week 3 Dec. 18 | Week 4 Dec. 25 | Week 5 Jan. 2 | Week 6 Jan. 8 | Week 7 Jan. 15 | Week 8 Jan. 22 | Week 9 Jan. 29 | Week 10 Feb. 5 | Week 11 Feb. 12 | Week 12 Feb. 19 | Week 13 Feb. 26 | Week 14 Mar. 5 | Final Mar. 12 | |
| | | Dropped: Penn | Dropped: Kansas State (5–2)Cincinnati | Dropped: OklahomaSyracuse (7–1)Memphis State (8–3) | Dropped: ArizonaPurdue | Dropped: UNLVMemphis StateDayton | Dropped: New Mexico (12–3)MissouriSyracuse | Dropped: Arizona StateMichigan (12–3) | Dropped: WisconsinPurdue | Dropped: UTEPPennSyracuse | Dropped: Michigan (16–4)Purdue | Dropped: Utah | Dropped: Kansas StateUTEP | Dropped: Syracuse | |