COMMERCE – For the first time in program history, the East Texas A&M University men's basketball team has received a vote in the Associated Press (AP) poll, as the first poll of the 2026-27 season was released on Monday afternoon.
 
The Lions are off to a 2-0 start with road wins at Oklahoma and Rice. East Texas A&M is 2-0 for the first time in the Division I era and is one of just two teams in the country with two true road wins thus far this season.
 
Since the wins over the Sooners and Rice, the Lions have risen 80 spots in the KenPom rankings, while being rated as high as No. 1 in the country in the Wins Above Bubble (WAB) ratings at one point last week.
 
East Texas A&M is receiving a vote in a national poll in any sport for the first time in the Division I era and is among six mid-majors to receive a vote in this week's AP Top 25. The full AP Top 25 rankings can be found below.
 
The Lions play their first game at home on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. against FDU as part of Education Day, presented by Signature Solar. Tickets can be purchased at LionAthletics.com/tickets.
 
ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25 – NOVEMBER 9, 2026

Place	Team (First-Place Votes	Points	Record	Previous
1	Florida (53)	1,490	2-0	1
2	Duke (7)	1,432	2-0	2
3	Illinois	1,356	2-0	3
4	UConn	1,339	2-0	4
5	Michigan State	1,222	2-0	6
6	Virginia	1,161	3-0	9
7	Texas	1,092	2-0	5
8	Houston	947	2-0	10
9	UCLA	925	2-0	12
10	Louisville	901	2-0	22
11	Tennessee	887	1-0	8
12	Arizona	814	1-1	5
13	St. John's	760	2-0	11
14	Gonzaga	745	2-0	15
15	Kansas	717	2-0	17
16	Texas Tech	480	2-0	19
17	Miami (FL)	451	1-1	14
18	Alabama	429	2-0	20
19	Arkansas	411	1-1	12
20	Michigan	350	1-1	16
21	Southern Cal	323	2-0	21
22	Vanderbilt	318	2-0	24
23	BYU	272	2-0	25
24	Kentucky	249	2-0	23
25	Nebraska	101	2-0	27

 
Receiving Votes: Memphis 97, Saint Louis 67, Iowa State 57, North Carolina 20, Iowa 15, Baylor 14, TCU 13, Marquette 10, Indiana 7, Nevada 5, Texas A&M 5, High Point 3, Santa Clara 2, EAST TEXAS A&M 1, Creighton 1, Utah State 1