January 3, 1956 AP Poll
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco |
| 2 | North Carolina State |
| 3 | Dayton |
| 4 | Vanderbilt |
| 5 | North Carolina |
| 6 | Kentucky |
| 7 | George Washington |
| 8 | Iowa |
| 9 | Illinois |
| 10 | Ohio State |
| 11 | Duke |
| 12 | Memphis |
| 13 | Indiana |
| 14 | Holy Cross |
| 15 | Tulsa |
| 16 | Temple |
| 17 | Alabama |
| 18 | Rice |
| 19 | West Virginia |
| 20 | Cincinnati |
| 20 | Michigan State |