College Basketball Rankings: Where the NCAA Men’s Top 25 Stands and What Could Change Next

The newest men’s college basketball rankings (released November 24, 2025) cemented a clear early hierarchy while leaving room for rapid movement as Feast Week results settle. Purdue held firm at No. 1, Arizona surged to No. 2, and Houston, Duke, and UConn rounded out a heavyweight top five. In recent days, Alabama pushed into the top 10, Michigan State climbed aggressively after a signature win, and Kansas tumbled out of the poll—proof that November volatility is alive and well.

Latest NCAA men’s basketball rankings (Nov. 24)

Top of the poll

• No. 1 Purdue — unbeaten and tested, the Boilermakers kept the top spot with statement wins that validated their preseason billing.

• No. 2 Arizona — the week’s big climber, powered by a stack of quality victories and multiple first-place nods from voters.

• No. 3 Houston — elite defense, pristine efficiency, and a schedule that gets tougher in December.

• No. 4 Duke — young talent plus veteran shot-making; the Blue Devils look balanced at both ends.

• No. 5 UConn — the reigning juggernaut took a small step back after a stumble but remains a top-tier threat.

Notable positions and shifts

• Alabama into the top 10 (No. 9).

• Michigan State up to No. 11 after toppling a blue-blood opponent.

• Kentucky slid to No. 19, the week’s biggest drop among brand-name programs.

• Kansas fell out of the rankings, a rare November exit.

• Newcomers: Vanderbilt and Indiana joined the Top 25.

• Conference footprint: the SEC leads with seven ranked teams, followed by the Big Ten (six) and Big 12 (five).

Note: Rankings above reflect the primary weekly media poll as of November 24; coaches’ votes closely mirror the top tier but differ on a few middle-order slots.

Movers and shakers in the college basketball rankings

Arizona’s rise: The Wildcats’ jump to No. 2 was fueled by quality wins and evidence that their pace-and-space attack travels against top defenses. They’re piling up early Quadrant 1 results—gold for both voters and March résumé math.

Purdue’s grip on No. 1: Dominance inside, improved spacing, and veteran continuity have kept the Boilermakers stable, even as the schedule stiffened. The margin for error narrows from here, but their floor looks higher than most.

Why Alabama climbed: An offense that stretches the floor to the logo plus a deeper rotation than a year ago gave voters confidence after a marquee result. The defense still has room to grow, but the top-10 move tracks with underlying efficiency.

The Kansas drop: Leaving the poll in November underscores how unforgiving early neutral-site showcases can be. The roster talent remains obvious, but late-game execution has lagged; December offers opportunities to reset before league play.

What to watch next that could shake up the NCAA basketball rankings

A handful of matchups in the next week carry disproportionate weight for Monday ballots:

• Top-10 measuring sticks: Expect fresh scrutiny on Arizona and Houston as both confront opponents with top-20 efficiency profiles. A single road slip could reshuffle the 2–5 range.

• Purdue’s durability test: The No. 1 team will be asked to handle contrasting styles—tempo pressers one night, half-court grinders the next. Surviving both keeps them atop the heap.

• Blue-blood rehab chances: Kentucky and other recent fallers get get-right games before conference ramps up; a crisp two-win week could stop the bleeding and halt the slide.

• Newcomer validation: Vanderbilt and Indiana must back up their entry with clean performances; a stumble often equals a one-week cameo in November.

Scheduling note: Tip times are fluid this weekend across multiple showcases; as always in this window, game times may shift. For fans tracking ballots, results from Friday night through late Sunday often become decisive for the next release.

Polls vs. metrics: understanding what “ranked” means right now

• Media and coaches’ polls reward results, résumé quality, and the eye test. They’re fast to react to statement wins and bad losses.

• Predictive models (ratings that simulate season outcomes) tend to love shooting, turnover margin, and rim protection regardless of opponent brand names; that’s why a few teams project higher than their poll slot.

• The NCAA’s team-sheet era means November still matters. Quadrant wins collected now are indistinguishable from February on a selection résumé.

Expect the first full NET-driven conversations to heat up in early December once there’s enough data for opponent-adjusted efficiency to stabilize. Until then, the blend of résumé and predictives explains small discrepancies—such as a team sitting No. 7 by the numbers but hovering 10–12 in human polls.

Early takeaways for the Top 25 race

1. Purdue sets the pace, and the path to unseating No. 1 likely requires multiple top-tier wins in a short span.

2. Arizona looks built for March—versatile lineups, multiple shot-creators, and defensive length to survive matchup variance.

3. Depth matters in Feast Week: the programs that can roll 8–9 reliable contributors are weathering back-to-backs far better than star-heavy rosters.

As of November 24, the college basketball rankings send a clear message—Purdue remains the team to chase, Arizona is closing fast, and the next seven days could shuffle everything from the No. 2 line to the poll’s back end. For fans and bracket watchers, this is the stretch where close games and neutral-court swings start to put real fingerprints on March.