The AP Top 25 remains a college basketball mainstay after 75 years of evolution

By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Basketball Writer

The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll has been a mainstay for 75 years, but much like the game itself, it has evolved with the times. What was once a top 20, and contracted to a top 10, reached its now-familiar 25-team ranking in 1989. The panel of 63 voters has become more inclusive, adding more women and minorities to the mix. But the biggest evolution may be in how those voters consume the game. In the early years, newspapers provided them with scores, box scores and, if they were lucky, game stories. These days, just about every game is available to watch somewhere, whether it be on TV or streamed online.