# 1988–89 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings

The 1988–89 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 Pre | Week 2 Nov. 22 | Week 3 Nov. 29 | Week 4 Dec. 6 | Week 5 Dec. 13 | Week 6 Dec. 20 | Week 7 Dec. 27 | Week 8 Jan. 3 | Week 9 Jan. 10 | Week 10 Jan. 17 | Week 11 Jan. 24 | Week 12 Jan. 31 | Week 13 Feb. 7 | Week 14 Feb. 14 | Week 15 Feb. 21 | Week 16 Feb. 28 | Week 17 Mar. 7 | Final Mar. 14 | |
| 1. | Duke | Duke (1–0) | Duke (2–0) | Duke (4–0) | Duke (6–0) | Duke (6–0) | Duke (7–0) | Duke (8–0) | Duke (11–0) | Duke (13–0) | Illinois (17–0) | Oklahoma (17–2) | Arizona (17–2) | Oklahoma (21–3) | Oklahoma (23–3) | Arizona (22–3) | Arizona (24–3) | Arizona (27–3) | 1. |
| 2. | Georgetown | Georgetown (0–0) | Michigan (3–0) | Michigan (5–0) | Michigan (8–0) | Michigan (9–0) | Michigan (11–0) | Syracuse (13–0) | Illinois (13–0) | Illinois (15–0) | Georgetown (14–1) | Illinois (18–1) | Georgetown (17–2) | Arizona (18–3) | Arizona (20–3) | Georgetown (22–3) | Oklahoma (26–4) | Georgetown (26–4) | 2. |
| 3. | Michigan | Michigan (0–0) | Georgetown (2–0) | Syracuse (7–0) | Syracuse (8–0) | Syracuse (10–0) | Syracuse (11–0) | Illinois (12–0) | Oklahoma (12–1) | Georgetown (12–1) | Louisville (13–2) | North Carolina (18–3) | Missouri (20–3) | Missouri (21–4) | Georgetown (20–3) | Indiana (23–5) | Georgetown (23–4) | Illinois (27–4) | 3. |
| 4. | Louisville | Oklahoma (0–0) | Syracuse (4–0) | Georgetown (2–0) | Iowa (6–0) | Iowa (8–0) | Illinois (9–0) | Oklahoma (10–1) | Syracuse (14–1) | Louisville (12–2) | Oklahoma (15–2) | Arizona (15–2) | Louisville (16–3) | Georgetown (18–3) | Indiana (21–5) | Oklahoma (24–4) | Illinois (25–4) | Oklahoma (28–5) | 4. |
| 5. | Oklahoma | North Carolina (2–0) | Oklahoma (2–1) | Iowa (4–0) | Georgetown (4–0) | Illinois (7–0) | Georgetown (7–0) | Georgetown (9–0) | Iowa (13–1) | Oklahoma (13–2) | Missouri (16–3) | Missouri (18–3) | Oklahoma (18–3) | Illinois (20–3) | North Carolina (22–5) | North Carolina (24–5) | Syracuse (25–6) | North Carolina (27–7) | 5. |
| 6. | North Carolina | Syracuse (0–0) | Iowa (1–0) | Oklahoma (2–1) | Illinois (6–0) | Georgetown (6–0) | Oklahoma (8–1) | North Carolina (11–1) | Michigan (13–1) | Michigan (14–2) | Arizona (13–2) | Georgetown (15–2) | North Carolina (18–4) | Syracuse (21–4) | Syracuse (22–5) | Syracuse (23–5) | Indiana (24–6) | Missouri (27–7) | 6. |
| 7. | Iowa | Iowa (0–0) | Illinois (1–0) | Illinois (3–0) | Oklahoma (5–1) | Oklahoma (6–1) | North Carolina (10–1) | Michigan (12–1) | Georgetown (10–1) | Iowa (13–2) | North Carolina (16–3) | Louisville (14–3) | Illinois (18–3) | Florida State (19–2) | Missouri (22–5) | Missouri (23–6) | Duke (22–6) | Syracuse (27–7) | 7. |
| 8. | Syracuse | UNLV (0–0) | Missouri (3–1) | North Carolina (6–1) | North Carolina (8–1) | North Carolina (9–1) | Arizona (6–1) | Arizona (8–1) | North Carolina (13–2) | Missouri (13–3) | Duke (13–2) | Florida State (16–1) | Iowa (17–4) | North Carolina (19–5) | Louisville (18–5) | Illinois (23–4) | Michigan (23–6) | Indiana (25–7) | 8. |
| 9. | Illinois | Illinois (0–0) | UNLV (2–1) | UNLV (2–1) | Arizona (3–1) | Arizona (4–1) | Iowa (10–1) | Iowa (11–1) | Louisville (9–2) | Arizona (11–2) | Seton Hall (17–1) | Iowa (15–3) | Syracuse (19–4) | Indiana (20–5) | Duke (19–4) | Duke (21–5) | North Carolina (24–7) | Duke (24–7) | 9. |
| 10. | UNLV | Arizona (0–0) | North Carolina (3–1) | Arizona (2–1) | Missouri (7–2) | Missouri (9–2) | Florida State (7–0) | Seton Hall (12–0) | Missouri (13–3) | UNLV (11–2) | Michigan (15–3) | Seton Hall (18–2) | Michigan (17–4) | Louisville (17–5) | Illinois (21–4) | Michigan (21–6) | Missouri (24–7) | Michigan (24–7) | 10. |
| 11. | Arizona | Villanova (0–0) | Arizona (0–0) | Missouri (5–2) | Georgia Tech (4–0) | Florida State (6–0) | Missouri (10–3) | Missouri (12–3) | UNLV (9–2) | Syracuse (14–3) | Florida State (14–1) | Michigan (16–4) | Seton Hall (19–3) | Duke (17–4) | West Virginia (22–2) | Iowa (21–6) | Seton Hall (25–5) | Seton Hall (26–6) | 11. |
| 12. | Villanova | Louisville (0–1) | Georgia Tech (1–0) | Georgia Tech (3–0) | Florida State (4–0) | Ohio State (6–1) | UNLV (5–2) | UNLV (7–2) | Arizona (9–2) | Seton Hall (15–1) | Iowa (14–3) | Duke (14–3) | Florida State (17–2) | Seton Hall (20–4) | Florida State (19–4) | Seton Hall (23–5) | Stanford (24–5) | Louisville (22–8) | 12. |
| 13. | Georgia Tech | Missouri (2–0) | Louisville (0–1) | Florida State (3–0) | UNLV (2–2) | UNLV (3–2) | Seton Hall (10–0) | Louisville (7–2) | Seton Hall (13–1) | North Carolina (14–3) | UNLV (13–3) | NC State (14–2) | Indiana (18–5) | Michigan (18–5) | Michigan (19–6) | Stanford (23–5) | West Virginia (25–3) | Stanford (26–6) | 13. |
| 14. | Missouri | Georgia Tech (0–0) | Florida State (1–0) | Ohio State (3–1) | Ohio State (4–1) | Louisville (5–2) | Louisville (6–2) | Ohio State (9–2) | Florida State (10–1) | Florida State (12–1) | Syracuse (15–4) | Syracuse (17–4) | Duke (15–4) | West Virginia (19–2) | Iowa (19–6) | Louisville (19–7) | Florida State (21–6) | Iowa (22–9) | 14. |
| 15. | Florida | Florida (0–0) | Ohio State (2–1) | Louisville (1–2) | Louisville (4–2) | Seton Hall (9–0) | Ohio State (7–2) | Florida State (8–1) | NC State (9–1) | NC State (11–1) | NC State (12–2) | Ohio State (15–4) | West Virginia (17–2) | Iowa (17–6) | Seton Hall (21–5) | West Virginia (23–3) | Iowa (21–8) | UNLV (26–7) | 15. |
| 16. | Florida State | Ohio State (0–0) | NC State (1–0) | Tennessee (3–0) | Tennessee (4–0) | Georgia Tech (4–1) | South Carolina (6–0) | Tennessee (8–1) т | Kansas (12–1) | Ohio State (12–3) | Indiana (15–4) | UNLV (14–4) | Ohio State (15–5) | Ohio State (17–6) | Stanford (20–5) | Florida State (19–6) | Louisville (20–8) | Florida State (22–7) | 16. |
| 17. | Ohio State | Florida State (0–0) | Temple (0–0) | Villanova (3–1) | Seton Hall (7–0) | NC State (2–1) | Georgia Tech (5–1) | NC State (6–1) т | Tennessee (10–1) | Kansas (14–2) | Ohio State (12–4) | Indiana (16–5) | NC State (14–4) | Stanford (19–5) | NC State (17–5) | Saint Mary's (24–3) | NC State (20–7) | West Virginia (25–4) | 17. |
| 18. | NC State | NC State (0–0) | Villanova (1–1) | Connecticut (2–0) | NC State (2–1) | South Carolina (5–0) | NC State (4–1) | Kansas (10–1) | Ohio State (10–3) | Tennessee (11–2) | Kansas (15–3) | West Virginia (15–2) | Stanford (17–5) | UNLV (16–6) | UNLV (18–6) | UNLV (20–7) | UNLV (23–7) | Ball State (28–2) | 18. |
| 19. | Temple | Temple (0–0) | Florida (1–1) | NC State (2–1) | Notre Dame (4–0) | Tennessee (4–1) | Tennessee (6–1) | Georgia Tech (7–2) | Georgia Tech (10–2) | Indiana (13–4) | Stanford (14–4) | LSU (14–5) | UNLV (14–5) | NC State (15–5) | Saint Mary's (22–3) | Ball State (23–2) | Ball State (25–2) | NC State (20–8) | 19. |
| 20. | Stanford | Indiana (2–0) | Tennessee (1–0) | Seton Hall (5–0) | UCLA (4–0) | Kansas (7–1) | Kansas (8–1) | Georgia (9–2) | Providence (12–0) | Stanford (12–3) | Providence (14–2) | Stanford (15–5) | Georgia Tech (14–6) | LSU (17–6) | Ball State (21–2) | NC State (18–7) | Saint Mary's (25–4) | Alabama (23–7) | 20. |
| | Preseason Pre | Week 2 Nov. 22 | Week 3 Nov. 29 | Week 4 Dec. 6 | Week 5 Dec. 13 | Week 6 Dec. 20 | Week 7 Dec. 27 | Week 8 Jan. 3 | Week 9 Jan. 10 | Week 10 Jan. 17 | Week 11 Jan. 24 | Week 12 Jan. 31 | Week 13 Feb. 7 | Week 14 Feb. 14 | Week 15 Feb. 21 | Week 16 Feb. 28 | Week 17 Mar. 7 | Final Mar. 14 | |
| | | Dropped: Stanford (1–1) | Dropped: Indiana (2–2) | Dropped: Temple (0–2)Florida (3–2) | Dropped: Villanova (3–3)Connecticut (4–1) | Dropped: Notre Dame (4–1)UCLA (4–1) | None | Dropped: South Carolina (6–2) | Dropped: Georgia (9–4) | Dropped: Georgia Tech (10–4)Providence (13–1) | Dropped: Tennessee (12–3) | Dropped: Kansas (16–4)Providence (15–3) | Dropped: LSU (15–6) | Dropped: Georgia Tech (14–7) | Dropped: Ohio State (17–8)LSU (18–7) | None | None | Dropped: Saint Mary's (25–4) | |

## Coaches Poll

| | Preseason | Week 2 Nov. 28 | 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. | Duke | Duke (2–0) | Duke (4–0) | Duke (6–0) | Duke (6–0) | Duke (7–0) | Duke (8–0) | Duke (11–0) | Duke (13–0) | Illinois (17–0) | Oklahoma (17–2) | Arizona (17–2) | Oklahoma (21–3) | Oklahoma (23–3) | Arizona (22–3) | Arizona (24–3) | Arizona (27–3) | 1. |
| 2. | Michigan | Michigan (3–0) | Michigan (5–0) | Michigan (8–0) | Michigan (9–0) | Michigan (11–0) | Syracuse (13–0) | Illinois (13–0) | Illinois (15–0) | Georgetown (14–1) | Illinois (18–1) | Georgetown (17–2) | Arizona (18–3) | Arizona (20–3) | Georgetown (22–3) | Oklahoma (26–4) | Georgetown (26–4) | 2. |
| 3. | North Carolina | Syracuse (4–0) | Syracuse (7–0) | Syracuse (8–0) | Syracuse (10–0) | Syracuse (11–0) | Illinois (12–0) | Oklahoma (12–1) | Louisville (12–2) | Louisville (13–2) | Arizona (15–2) т | Missouri (20–3) | Missouri (21–4) | Georgetown (20–3) | Indiana (23–5) | Georgetown (23–4) | Illinois (27–4) | 3. |
| 4. | Georgetown | Georgetown (2–0) | Georgetown (2–0) | Georgetown (4–0) | Iowa (8–0) | Illinois (9–0) | North Carolina (11–1) | Syracuse (14–1) | Georgetown (12–1) | Oklahoma (15–2) | North Carolina (18–3) т | Louisville (16–3) | Georgetown (18–3) | North Carolina (22–5) | Oklahoma (24–4) | Syracuse (25–6) | North Carolina (27–7) | 4. |
| 5. | Illinois | Oklahoma (2–1) | North Carolina (6–1) | Iowa (6–0) | Illinois (7–0) | North Carolina (10–1) | Georgetown (9–0) | Michigan (12–1) | Michigan (14–2) | Arizona (13–2) | Georgetown (15–2) | Oklahoma (18–3) | Syracuse (21–4) | Syracuse (22–5) | North Carolina (24–5) | Illinois (25–4) | Oklahoma (28–5) | 5. |
| 6. | Oklahoma | Illinois (1–0) | Iowa (4–0) | Illinois (6–0) | Georgetown (6–0) | Georgetown (7–0) | Oklahoma (10–1) | Iowa (13–1) | Oklahoma (13–2) | North Carolina (16–3) | Missouri (18–3) | North Carolina (18–4) | Illinois (20–3) | Indiana (21–5) | Syracuse (23–5) | Indiana (24–6) | Indiana (25–7) | 6. |
| 7. | UNLV | Iowa (1–0) | Oklahoma (2–1) | Oklahoma (5–1) | North Carolina (9–1) | Oklahoma (8–1) | Michigan (12–1) т | Georgetown (10–1) | Arizona (11–2) | Duke (13–2) | Louisville (14–3) | Illinois (18–3) | North Carolina (19–5) | Missouri (22–5) | Missouri (23–6) | Duke (22–6) | Duke (24–7) | 7. |
| 8. | Syracuse | UNLV (2–1) | UNLV (2–1) | North Carolina (8–1) | Oklahoma (6–1) | Arizona (6–1) | Arizona (8–1) т | North Carolina (13–2) | Iowa (13–2) т | Missouri (16–3) | Seton Hall (18–2) | Seton Hall (19–3) | Indiana (20–5) | Duke (19–4) | Duke (21–5) | North Carolina (24–7) | Missouri (27–7) | 8. |
| 9. | Iowa | Arizona (0–0) | Illinois (3–0) | Arizona (3–1) | Arizona (4–1) | Iowa (10–1) | Iowa (11–1) | Louisville (9–2) | Missouri (13–3) т | Seton Hall (17–1) | Florida State (16–1) | Michigan (17–4) | Florida State (19–2) | Louisville (18–5) | Illinois (23–4) | Michigan (23–6) | Syracuse (27–7) | 9. |
| 10. | Louisville | North Carolina (3–1) | Arizona (2–1) | Missouri (7–2) | Missouri (9–2) | UNLV (5–2) | Seton Hall (12–0) | Arizona (9–2) | UNLV (11–2) | Michigan (15–3) | Duke (14–3) | Syracuse (19–4) | Louisville (17–5) | Illinois (21–4) | Michigan (21–6) | Missouri (24–7) | Michigan (24–7) | 10. |
| 11. | Arizona | Missouri (3–1) | Missouri (5–2) | Georgia Tech (4–0) | Florida State (6–0) | Missouri (10–3) | Louisville (7–2) | UNLV (9–2) | Syracuse (14–3) | Florida State (14–1) | Michigan (16–4) | Iowa (17–4) | Seton Hall (20–4) | West Virginia (22–2) | Iowa (21–6) | Seton Hall (25–5) | Seton Hall (26–6) | 11. |
| 12. | Villanova | Georgia Tech (1–0) | Georgia Tech (3–0) | Florida State (4–0) | Ohio State (6–1) | Florida State (7–0) | UNLV (7–2) | Missouri (13–3) | North Carolina (14–3) | Iowa (14–3) | NC State (14–2) | Indiana (18–5) | Duke (17–4) | Florida State (19–4) | Seton Hall (23–5) | Stanford (24–5) | Stanford (26–6) | 12. |
| 13. | Missouri | Temple (0–0) | Florida State (3–0) | UNLV (2–2) | Seton Hall (9–0) | Seton Hall (10–0) | Missouri (10–3) | Seton Hall (13–1) | Seton Hall (15–1) | Syracuse (15–4) | Iowa (15–3) | Florida State (17–2) | Michigan (18–5) | Michigan (19–6) | Stanford (23–5) | NC State (20–7) | Louisville (22–8) | 13. |
| 14. | Florida | Florida State (1–0) | Louisville (1–2) | Ohio State (4–1) | UNLV (3–2) | Louisville (6–2) | Ohio State (9–2) | Florida State (10–1) | Florida State (12–1) | Indiana (15–4) | Syracuse (17–4) | Duke (15–4) | West Virginia (19–2) | Seton Hall (21–5) | Louisville (19–7) | West Virginia (25–3) | UNLV (26–7) | 14. |
| 15. | Temple | Ohio State (2–1) | Ohio State (3–1) | Seton Hall (7–0) | Louisville (5–2) | Ohio State (7–2) | Florida State (8–1) | Ohio State (10–3) | NC State (11–1) | NC State (12–2) | Ohio State (15–4) | West Virginia (17–2) | Iowa (17–6) | NC State (17–5) | West Virginia (23–3) | Louisville (20–8) | Iowa (22–9) | 15. |
| 16. | Georgia Tech | Louisville (0–1) | Tennessee (3–0) | Louisville (4–2) | Georgia Tech (4–1) | Georgia (7–2) | Georgia Tech (7–2) | Georgia Tech (10–2) | Ohio State (12–3) | UNLV (13–3) | Indiana (16–5) | Ohio State (15–5) | Stanford (19–5) | Iowa (19–6) | Florida State (19–6) т | Florida State (21–6) | Florida State (22–7) | 16. |
| 17. | Indiana | Villanova (1–1) | Villanova (3–1) | Tennessee (4–0) | South Carolina (5–0) | Georgia Tech (5–1) | Tennessee (8–1) | NC State (9–1) | Indiana (13–4) | Ohio State (12–4) | UNLV (14–4) | NC State (14–4) | UNLV (16–6) | Stanford (20–5) | UNLV (20–7) т | Iowa (21–8) | Arkansas (23–6) | 17. |
| 18. | Florida State | Florida (2–1) | UCLA (3–0) | Notre Dame (4–0) | Tennessee (4–1) | NC State (4–1) | NC State (6–1) | Providence (12–0) т | Stanford (12–3) | Stanford (14–4) | Stanford (15–5) | Stanford (17–5) | NC State (15–5) | UNLV (18–6) | Ball State (23–2) т | Ball State (25–2) | NC State (20–8) | 18. |
| 19. | Stanford | Stanford (1–1) | Seton Hall (5–0) | UCLA (4–0) | Georgia (5–2) | South Carolina (6–0) | UTEP (11–1) | Tennessee (10–1) т | Providence (13–1) | Georgia Tech (12–5) | Saint Mary's (17–2) | UNLV (14–5) | Ohio State (17–6) | Arkansas-Little Rock (18–5) | NC State (18–7) т | UNLV (23–7) | West Virginia (25–4) | 19. |
| 20. | NC State т Purdue т | Seton Hall (3–0) | Oregon State (2–0) | NC State (2–1) | NC State (2–1) | Tennessee (6–1) | Georgia (9–2) | UTEP (13–1) | Tennessee (11–2) т Georgia Tech (10–4) т | Saint Mary's (16–1) | LSU (14–5) | Saint Mary's (18–3) тGeorgia Tech (14–6) т | UTEP (19–4) т UCLA (14–5) т | Ball State (21–2) | Saint Mary's (24–3) | Arkansas (20–6) | Alabama (23–7) | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 2 Nov. 28 | 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: Indiana (2–2)NC State (2–0)Purdue (0–1) | Dropped: Temple (0–2)Florida (3–2)Stanford (3–2) | Dropped: Villanova (3–3)Oregon State (3–1) | Dropped: Notre Dame (4–1)UCLA (4–1) | None | Dropped: South Carolina (6–2) | Dropped: Georgia (9–4) | Dropped: UTEP (14–2) | Dropped: Providence (14–2)Tennessee (12–3) | Dropped: Georgia Tech (12–6) | Dropped: LSU (15–6) | Dropped: Georgia Tech (14–7)Saint Mary's (18–5) | Dropped: UTEP (19–5)UCLA (15–7) | Dropped: Arkansas-Little Rock (19–6) | Dropped: Saint Mary's (25–4) | Dropped: Ball State (28–2) | |