"Arizona held on to No. 1 by a single point over fast-closing Michigan in the AP Top 25 on Monday, making it one of the closest races for the top spot in the 78-year history of the men's college basketball poll. The Wildcats received 32 of 61 first-place votes and had 1,494 points, while the Wolverines scooped up the other 29 first-place votes from the national media panel. The one-point difference kept the first poll of 2026 from becoming the second ever with a tie for No. 1; Oregon State and Virginia shared the top spot on on Jan. 26, 1981."
"Arizona has been on top for the last five polls, but the Wolverines have been able to make up ground, thanks in part to becoming the first team in the poll era to win three consecutive games against ranked opponents by at least 30 points apiece. Michigan was 20 points behind Arizona in the last poll. "All glory is fleeting, as you guys have heard me say," Michigan coach Dusty May said after the most recent blowout, 96-66 over then-No. 24 USC, which also kept his team among the six unbeatens left in Division I men's hoops."
"The Huskers, who are riding a nation-best 18-game winning streak dating to last season and are off to the best start in school history, are in the top 10 for the first time since climbing to No. 9 on Feb. 28, 1966. Their latest win was a 58-56 slugfest with then-No. 9 Michigan State. "Happy for Fred Hoiberg. Not that many years ago, everybody was on his butt," Spartans coach Tom Izzo said afterward. "He did a hell of a job. Nebraska did a hell of a job. That was probably the best game -- their biggest game -- in 36 years. They responded.""
Arizona narrowly kept the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25, outpointing Michigan by a single point after receiving 32 of 61 first-place votes and 1,494 points. Michigan captured 29 first-place votes and closed rapidly after dominant wins, including a 96-66 victory over then-No. 24 USC and a historic run of three consecutive 30-plus point wins over ranked opponents. The top six remained Arizona, Michigan, Iowa State, UConn, Purdue and Duke. Houston moved ahead of Gonzaga and BYU, and Nebraska reached the top 10 for the first time since 1966 while riding an 18-game winning streak.
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