Amanda Knapp
Basketball polls are a popular topic of discussion and speculation for fans and sportswriters alike. In Division I men's and women's college basketball, the AP Poll is used to compare schools throughout the season and spark debate, although it does not impact the postseason. The poll ranks the top 25 teams in the nation, with voters submitting their rankings and points assigned based on placement. While the AP Poll is released weekly, it is unclear if these rankings are updated during the playoffs as they hold no bearing on the outcome. The USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll is another ranking system that operates during the regular season, using a panel of Division I head coaches to rank their Top 25 teams.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Poll | Associated Press poll (AP poll) |
| Frequency of Updates | Weekly |
| Day of Updates | Monday |
| Time of Updates | Around 1 pm for those on East Coast time |
| Number of Teams Ranked | 25 |
| Voters | 62 sportswriters and broadcasters |
| Scoring | 25 points for a first-place vote, 24 for second, and so on down to 1 point for 25th place |
| Ballots | Publicized |
| Preseason Poll | Yes |
| Invitations | Generally, all top 25 teams are invited to the NCAA basketball tournament (March Madness) |
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The AP Poll
In addition to the end-of-season Top 25 polls, the AP also announces its All-America teams, Players of the Year, and Coaches of the Year for both men's and women's basketball. The AP Poll is not the only college basketball poll, and the Coaches Poll is another major poll published by organizations such as USA Today and ESPN.
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USA Today Coaches Poll
The USA TODAY Sports Men's Basketball Coaches Poll is conducted weekly throughout the regular season. It involves a panel of 31 head coaches at Division I schools, with each coach submitting a Top 25 list. The panel is chosen in consultation with the National Association of Basketball Coaches, with each of the 32 Division I conferences that receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament being represented. A first-place vote is worth 25 points, second place 24, and so on down to one point for 25th place.
The USA TODAY Sports Board of Coaches includes head coaches who are members of the National Association of Basketball Coaches. The poll provides in-depth coverage of favourite teams and is a source of information for betting services, although sports betting operators have no influence over news coverage.
The USA TODAY Coaches Poll is updated weekly, and it is likely that this includes updates during the playoffs, though this is not explicitly stated. The poll is a popular source of information for basketball fans, with teams' rankings and points being available to access.
For example, in one week, Memphis was ranked 16th with 63 points, while Drake was 17th with 52 points. Illinois, UConn, and Oregon followed closely behind, with Missouri and Marquette rounding out the top 25. These rankings are likely to change throughout the season as teams compete and their performances are evaluated by the panel of coaches.
The USA TODAY Coaches Poll is a valuable resource for basketball enthusiasts, providing insight into how teams are performing and offering a platform for betting on game outcomes, although this is not permitted in all locations.
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Preseason AP Poll
The AP Poll is a ranking of college football and basketball teams based on the votes of sportswriters and broadcasters across the United States. The AP Poll is typically released weekly during the college football and basketball seasons, with the preseason AP Poll being the first ranking of the season.
The preseason AP Poll is released before the start of the regular season and is based on expectations and predictions for how teams will perform. It includes a ranked list of the top 25 teams in the nation, with teams receiving a certain number of points based on their ranking. The team with the most points is ranked No. 1, the team with the second-most points is ranked No. 2, and so on.
In 2024, the Georgia Bulldogs were ranked No. 1 in the preseason AP Poll for college football for the second consecutive year. They were followed by Ohio State at No. 2, Oregon at No. 3, Texas at No. 4, and Alabama at No. 5. The SEC and Big Ten conferences dominated the top 10 of the rankings, with four teams each.
The preseason AP Poll is important because it sets the tone for the upcoming season and provides a baseline for how teams are expected to perform. However, it is worth noting that the preseason AP Poll is based on predictions and expectations, and the actual performance of the teams may vary throughout the season.
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Postseason play
The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, commonly known as March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament featuring 68 college basketball teams from across the country. The tournament is known for its unpredictability, with upsets and Cinderella stories a common occurrence. The tournament begins with the First Four, four play-in games between the lowest-seeded teams, before moving on to the First Round, where the field is narrowed down to 32 teams. From there, the tournament progresses through the Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, and Final Four, until eventually, only two teams are left to face off in the National Championship game.
The selection of teams for March Madness is based on a combination of automatic bids and at-large bids. Automatic bids are given to conference tournament winners, while at-large bids are awarded to teams that did not win their conference tournament but are considered worthy of a spot in the field based on their performance during the regular season. The selection process is overseen by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee, which uses a set of criteria to evaluate and compare teams, including win-loss record, strength of schedule, and performance against top-ranked teams.
While the AP Poll and Coaches Poll are tools to compare schools and spark debate during the regular season, they are not a significant factor in the selection process for March Madness. Instead, the focus is on the teams' performance on the court and the evaluation of the selection committee.
The postseason play in college basketball, specifically the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, is a highly anticipated event that captivates fans and showcases the talent and determination of the participating teams. With a single-elimination format, every game becomes a do-or-die situation, creating an intense and thrilling atmosphere.
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NCAA Division I
In American college sports, the Associated Press poll (AP poll) provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA Division I teams for football, men's basketball, and women's basketball. The rankings are determined by polling 62 sportswriters and broadcasters across the nation. Each voter ranks their top 25 teams, with the individual rankings then combined to produce the national ranking. A first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote is worth 24, and so on, down to one point for a 25th-place vote.
The AP poll for men's college basketball recently celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2024. The women's basketball poll, on the other hand, started during the 1976–1977 season and was initially a telephone poll of coaches conducted by Mel Greenberg and published by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The other major poll is the Coaches Poll, which has been published by various organizations, including USA Today since 1991. The USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll is conducted weekly throughout the regular season using a panel of head coaches at Division I schools. The panel is chosen in consultation with the National Association of Basketball Coaches, with each coach submitting a Top 25 ranking.
While the AP poll ranks the top 25 teams, it is primarily a tool for comparing schools throughout the season and sparking debate, as it does not impact postseason play. Generally, all top 25 teams in the poll are invited to the NCAA basketball tournament, also known as March Madness.
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Frequently asked questions
Basketball polls are updated weekly.
Basketball polls are usually released every Monday, often in the afternoon (around 1 pm Eastern Time).
No, basketball polls have no impact on postseason play.
