AP Poll Overlooks 2-0 NC State Once Again

RALEIGH — The second men's basketball AP top-25 poll came out Monday and included several members of the ACC. NC State was not among them for the second straight set iteration of the poll.

After starting the season 2-0 with a pair of blowout wins over NC Central and UAB, it looked like the Wolfpack might sneak into the back of the poll.

The voters didn't see it that way, as NC State remained the 26th-ranked team in terms of votes received and sits on the outside looking in. With just one game in the second week of the season, it's hard to say when Will Wade's team could break in.

Inside the Poll

BREAKING: College Basketball AP Poll🏀 https://t.co/0H5QRGnb2s pic.twitter.com/JEmagyRxf2
— On3 (@On3sports) November 10, 2025

Three members from the ACC still graced the top-25 after a very strong opening week from the conference. All of the teams in the ACC combined for a 35-1 record, with Boston College being the lone loser among the 18 programs.

One of NC State's major rivals, the North Carolina Tar Heels, was one of the largest risers in the second poll of the season. After beating No. 19 Kansas in Chapel Hill, North Carolina jumped from No. 25 to No. 18, while Kansas clung to a spot in the poll at No. 25.

Nov 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis with Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self before the game at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Kansas received 130 votes, while NC State received 87. For reference, NC State missed the opening poll by three votes, as it earned 101 while North Carolina received 104. The dip in votes can be attributed largely to voters knowing more about more teams across the country.

No teams suffered too significant a loss to be deemed unworthy of the top-25, so no programs dropped out after the first week. That presented an obstacle too large for the Wolfpack's blowouts to overcome. In terms of analytical rankings, NC State came in as KenPom's No. 25 team.

Oct 8, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State head coach Will Wade answers questions from the media at The Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

Kansas fell to 29th in the KenPom standings, while North Carolina sits at No. 23. NC State's impressive offensive efficiency rating, 117.8, was good for 22nd in the nation. That rating came in as the fourth-best in the ACC, behind Duke, Louisville and North Carolina.

NC State will take the court next on Wednesday against a winless UNC-Greensboro squad at the Lenovo Center.

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