The final AP Top 25 poll before Selection Sunday delivered major movement, with Florida vaulting to No. 4 and Houston climbing to No. 5 after strong finishes to their regular seasons. Duke maintained its position atop the rankings, followed by Arizona and Michigan, while UConn slipped to No. 6 after a road loss to Marquette. The poll saw seven teams unchanged from the previous week.

Among the biggest risers were St. John's (five spots), Virginia, and Arkansas (three spots each). Wisconsin and Louisville entered the rankings as newcomers, while Texas Tech fell the furthest (six spots) and Purdue dropped three positions. The shakeup reflects teams' performances heading into conference tournaments, with several squads on impressive streaks.

Duke leads all teams with 11 wins against AP-ranked opponents this season, while Arizona set a program record with 29 victories. Michigan finished 19-1 in Big Ten play, breaking Indiana's conference win record. With conference tournaments beginning this week, the poll sets the stage for Selection Sunday, where these rankings will heavily influence bracket decisions. Teams like Miami (Ohio) (31-0) and Saint Mary's (27-4) enter their tournaments with momentum and high stakes.