Duke has returned to the top of the AP men's college basketball poll after defeating Michigan 68-63 in a marquee matchup between the top two teams. The Blue Devils climbed two spots to claim the No. 1 ranking with 56 of 61 first-place votes, marking their 148th appearance at the summit. This marks the second consecutive season Duke has reached the top spot under coach Jon Scheyer.

Michigan's brief reign at No. 1 lasted just one week after the Wolverines' first appearance at the top since January 2013. Duke's victory came in a game featuring the top two teams in the NCAA selection committee's preliminary top 16 seeds for March Madness. The Blue Devils enter this week with a national-best 12 Quadrant 1 wins and nine victories against AP Top 25 teams.

Arizona moved up two spots to No. 2 after wins against BYU and at Houston, securing the other five first-place votes. Florida made the week's biggest jump, rising five spots to No. 7 after winning seven straight games. The poll largely aligns with the selection committee's rankings, with 15 of the same teams appearing in both the top 16 seeds and AP Top 25.