A full week of the 2025-26 males’s school basketball season is within the books, which suggests it’s time for the primary AP Prime 25 ballot!
Purdue entered the season because the No. 1 staff over Houston and Florida.
The Cougars as an alternative have the highest spot over the Boilermakers regardless of receiving 18 fewer first-place votes. The reigning champion Gators fell seven spots to No. 10. Becoming a member of the Cougars and Boilermakers within the prime 5 are UConn, Duke and Arizona.
The most important risers from the Oct. 13 preseason ballot had been Arizona (eight spots to No. 5), Alabama (seven spots to No. 8) and North Carolina (seven spots to No. 18). St. John’s noticed the steepest drop of eight spots (to No. 13), adopted by the Gators, Arkansas (seven spots to No. 21) and Kansas (six spots to No. 25).
Let’s check out the highest 25 groups of the primary week of 2025-26, how they acquired there and what’s arising subsequent for every staff.
All occasions Jap. Until in any other case famous, all stats courtesy of ESPN Analysis.
Earlier polls: Preseason
Preseason rating: 2
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: The Cougars’ freshmen made program historical past early in Saturday’s win over Towson. Kingston Flemings grew to become the primary Houston freshman with 20 factors on 80% or higher capturing from the sphere in no less than 30 seasons. Chris Cenac Jr. grew to become the primary Houston freshman with 10-plus rebounds within the first two video games of the season in no less than 30 seasons.
What’s subsequent: Wednesday vs. Oakland, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Preseason rating: 1
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: Purdue hasn’t misplaced a nonconference sport at house since Nov. 2019 towards Texas. Braden Smith has 26 factors and 20 assists by way of two video games this season; he’s the one Purdue participant previously 20 years to common no less than 10 PPG and 10 APG by way of two video games in a season. (He did it final season, too.)
What’s subsequent: Thursday at Alabama, 7 p.m., ESPN2
Preseason rating: 4
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: UConn defeated UMass Lowell by 63 factors, the Huskies’ largest win in a sport since December 2005 vs. Morehead State (68). They’d a 47-point lead at halftime, the biggest lead on the break by any staff towards a Division I opponent since Pepperdine led Pacific 56-9 within the 2024 WCC match.
What’s subsequent: Monday vs. Columbia, 6:30 p.m., FS1
Preseason rating: 6
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: Freshman Cameron Boozer is in rarified air. He’s the fifth Duke freshman to make his school debut with a double-double over the previous 30 seasons, following Kyle Filipowski (2022), Jalen Johnson (2020), Marvin Bagley III (2017) and Jay Williams (1999). He’s additionally the sixth Duke freshman with 25 factors and 5 assists in a sport previously 20 seasons, becoming a member of Cooper Flagg (thrice), Kon Knueppel, Paolo Banchero, RJ Barrett (4 occasions) and Zion Williamson (twice). Boozer and Williamson are the one Duke gamers previously 30 seasons with 25 factors, 5 assists and 5 offensive rebounds in a sport.
What’s subsequent: Tuesday at Military, 7 p.m., CBSSN
Preseason rating: 13
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: Arizona is the primary staff to beat an AP Prime-3 opponent in a season opener since 2019 when No. 2 Kentucky beat No. 1 Michigan State and No. 4 Duke beat No. 3 Kansas within the Champions Basic. This isn’t the primary time Arizona has began a season with a win over an AP Prime-3 staff, nonetheless. In 2001, the unranked Wildcats staff took down No. 2 Maryland at Madison Sq. Backyard to arrange a gathering the following night time with… Florida (they beat the Gators then, too).
What’s subsequent: Tuesday vs. Northern Arizona, 9 p.m., ESPN+
Preseason rating: 7
2025-26 report: 1-0
Stat to know: The Wolverines’ offense was ticking of their season opener: They’d probably the most factors (121) in any sport since a 127-96 win over Iowa on March 10, 1990. That was additionally probably the most factors in a season opener in program historical past, surpassing a 115-107 win over Bradley in 1986. The Michigan bench had 55 factors, probably the most since scoring 56 factors off the bench on March 2, 2002 towards Ohio State.
What’s subsequent: Tuesday vs. Wake Forest, 6:30 p.m., FS1
Preseason rating: 8
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: AJ Dybantsa’s 21 factors towards Villanova are the fifth-most factors in a school debut by the No. 1 participant in SC Subsequent 100 over the past 15 years. The names forward of him? Duke’s RJ Barrett (33 vs. Kentucky in 2018), Memphis’ James Wiseman (28 vs. South Carolina State in 2019), Duke’s Marvin Bagley III (25 vs. Elon in 2017) and Kentucky’s Anthony Davis (23 vs. Marist in 2011).
What’s subsequent: Tuesday vs. Delaware, 9 p.m., CBSSN
Preseason rating: 15
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: With the 103-96 win over St. John’s at Madison Sq. Backyard, Alabama is the primary staff to attain 100-plus factors on the street towards a top-5 staff since No. 2 Oklahoma in Jan. 2016 (106 factors in a 3OT loss at No. 1 Kansas), and the primary to attain 100-plus factors in regulation since No. 8 Kansas in Dec. 2001 (105 factors at No. 4 Arizona). Its 103 factors are additionally tied for its most factors scored towards a Prime-10 ranked staff in program historical past.
What’s subsequent: Thursday vs. Purdue, 7 p.m., ESPN2
Preseason rating: 9
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: Kentucky is 10-0 towards nonconference opponents at Rupp Area beneath coach Mark Pope.
What’s subsequent: Tuesday at Louisville, 8 p.m., ESPN
Preseason rating: 3
2025-26 report: 1-1
Stat to know: Florida is the primary reigning champion to lose its season opener (to Arizona) since Syracuse in 2003-04, and the fourth reigning champions to start out 0-1 previously 30 seasons. Solely one of many earlier three returned to the Last 4: Kentucky in 1996-97, although the Wildcats misplaced to Arizona within the title sport. (2003 nationwide champion Syracuse misplaced within the 2004 Candy 16 whereas 1999 nationwide champion UConn misplaced within the 2000 Spherical of 32.)
What’s subsequent: Tuesday vs. Florida State, 7 p.m., SEC Community
Preseason rating: 10
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: JT Toppin is a double-double machine. He has 4 profession 30-pt double-doubles — all different Texas Tech gamers have mixed for 3 such double-doubles previously 20 seasons. He’s additionally tied with Hunter Dickinson and Trae Younger for fourth-most 30-point double-doubles by a Massive 12 participant in previous 20 seasons, after Michael Beasley (13), Kevin Durant (7) and Blake Griffin (6).
What’s subsequent: Tuesday at Illinois, 8:30 p.m., FS1
Preseason rating: 11
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: The Cardinals are 2-0 to start out their season for the primary time since 2020-21.
What’s subsequent: Tuesday vs. Kentucky, 8 p.m., ESPN
Preseason rating: 5
2025-26 report: 1-1
Stat to know: With their first lack of the season towards Alabama on Saturday, the Purple Storm snapped a 12-game win streak at Madison Sq. Backyard; that was their second-longest win streak on the iconic venue in program historical past, behind a 14-game streak spanning the 1985-86 and 1986-87 seasons.
What’s subsequent: Saturday vs. William & Mary, 6 p.m., truTV
Preseason rating: 17
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: Illinois beat Florida Gulf Coast 113-70, and Jackson State 113-55. The Combating Illini have scored 110-plus factors in consecutive video games for the second time within the AP ballot period; they final did it Nov. 23 and Nov. 26, 2019 towards Hampton after which Lindenwood.
What’s subsequent: Tuesday vs. Texas Tech, 8:30 p.m., FS1
Preseason rating: 12
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: First-team All-Massive Ten preseason choose Donovan Dent had fairly the debut in his first Bruins sport: 21 factors and 9 assists, with 14 factors on 6-of-11 capturing and 6 assists coming within the first half alone. — The Related Press
What’s subsequent: Monday vs. West Georgia, 10 p.m., B1G+
Preseason rating: 16
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: That is the Cyclones’ fifth straight season beginning 2-0 (they made the NCAA match in every of the final 4 seasons). This opening week can also be the second time in three seasons that they gained their first two video games by 35 or extra factors (final achieved in 2023-24).
What’s subsequent: Monday vs. Mississippi State, 8 p.m., ESPNU
Preseason rating: 22
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: Michigan State has the longest energetic streak on the subject of defeating top-15 groups, with 5 straight regular-season victories. The Spartans at the moment are 15-1 of their final 16 house video games as a ranked staff.
What’s subsequent: Thursday vs. San José State, 6:30 p.m., BTN
Preseason rating: 25
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: Is UNC hoops again? The Tar Heels snapped a 5-game shedding streak towards Kansas, which was tied for his or her longest energetic shedding streak towards any opponent (together with Texas & West Virginia). Additionally they snapped a 4-game shedding streak in ranked vs ranked matchups, tied for the fifth-longest shedding streak in such matchups within the AP ballot period (since 1948-49).
What’s subsequent: Tuesday vs. Radford, 7 p.m., ACC Community
Preseason rating: 21
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: Gonzaga has 12 consecutive wins towards unranked SEC opponents, after defeating Oklahoma 83-68, the longest streak since UConn’s 15 straight from 1989-2011. The Bulldogs’ final loss to an unranked SEC staff was Dec. 16, 2006 vs Georgia.
What’s subsequent: Tuesday vs. Creighton, 10 p.m., ESPN
Preseason rating: 18
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: Nate Ament, the No. 4 participant within the 2025 SC Subsequent 100, is the primary Tennessee freshman with 20 factors in a sport since Julian Phillips on Nov. 24, 2022.
What’s subsequent: Wednesday vs. North Florida, 7 p.m., SECN+
Preseason rating: 14
2025-26 report: 1-1
Stat to know: Darius Acuff Jr., the seventh-ranked recruit within the 2025 class, is as marketed: He’s the primary Arkansas freshman to have 15-plus factors and 4-plus assists in his first two video games of the season in no less than 20 seasons. He’s additionally the fourth Arkansas freshman with 15-plus factors and 4-plus assists in consecutive video games previously 15 seasons, after Boogie Fland (thrice), Anthony Black (thrice) and Moses Moody.
What’s subsequent: Tuesday vs. Central Arkansas, 8 p.m., SECN+
Preseason rating: 20
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: Regardless of a shaky begin to the season beneath new head coach Steven Pearl, Auburn has added to its nonconference house win tally: 62 straight, relationship again to 2016-17. It’s the fourth-longest energetic streak within the SEC as of Nov. 6, following Oklahoma (75), Texas A&M (79) and Missouri (81).
What’s subsequent: Tuesday vs. Wofford, 8 p.m., SECN+
Preseason rating: 23
2025-26 report: 1-0
Stat to know: Final Monday’s 92-75 win towards South Dakota was coach Greg McDermott’s five hundredth in 25 seasons as a Division I head coach, and the Bluejays’ sixteenth straight win in an opener. — The Related Press
What’s subsequent: Tuesday at Gonzaga, 10 p.m., ESPN
Preseason rating: 24
2025-26 report: 2-0
Stat to know: Wisconsin beat Northern Illinois 97-72 and Campbell 96-64 to open its 2025-26 marketing campaign. The Badgers final scored 95-plus factors in consecutive video games in 1993 (Nov. 27 and Dec. 4 vs Milwaukee and Loyola Marymount).
What’s subsequent: Tuesday vs. Ball State, 8:30 p.m., BTN
Preseason rating: 19
2025-26 report: 1-1
Stat to know: Kansas suffered its first loss to North Carolina beneath Invoice Self (5-1). A vivid spot, nonetheless, is Darryn Peterson, who had 22 factors (8-14 FG, 3-5 3PT) and a couple of steals, changing into the primary Kansas freshman in no less than 30 seasons with consecutive 20-point video games to start a season.
What’s subsequent: Tuesday vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 8 p.m., ESPN+
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