For the first time since 2019, the Louisville men’s basketball team will begin a season ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll.
Pat Kelsey’s Cardinals received 956 points from AP voters, good enough to check in at No. 11 in the first poll of the 2025-26 season.
U of L has scheduled games this season agains teams ranked No. 6 (Duke), No. 9 (Kentucky), No. 14 (Arkansas), No. 18 (Tennessee) and No. 25 (North Carolina). The Cards will also face No. 19 Kansas in exhibition play on Oct. 24.
Here’s the
full preseason AP top 25 for 2025-26:
1. Purdue (35)
2. Houston (16)
3. Florida (8)
4. UConn (2)
5. St. John’s
6. Duke
7. Michigan
8. BYU
9. Kentucky
10. Texas Tech
11. Louisville
12. UCLA
13. Arizona
14. Arkansas
15. Alabama
16. Iowa State
17. Illinois
18. Tennessee
19. Kansas
20. Auburn
21. Gonzaga
22. Michigan State
23. Creighton
24. Wisconsin
25. North Carolina
Others receiving votes: NC State 101, Oregon 98, San Diego St. 74, Texas 35, Ohio St. 23, Kansas St 13, Mississippi 11, Southern Cal 10, Missouri 8, Washington 7, Vanderbilt 7, Iowa 6, Boise St. 4, Mississippi St. 3, VCU 2, Virginia 2, Saint Mary’s 2, Indiana 1, Oklahoma 1, Baylor 1.
