After a heartbreaking finish to last season–one that saw it come up just inches shy of a national title–much of the chatter surrounding the UNC men’s basketball team during the offseason has focused on how the six returning contributors would respond.
Despite losing seniors Brice Johnson and Marcus Paige, expectations remain in line with the program’s lofty standards.
The Associated Press released its first Top 25 poll of the season on Monday, ranking the Tar Heels at No. 6.
Junior point guard Joel Berry will lead an experienced group of Tar Heels through a tough schedule that should keep the team challenged all the way through the year.
UNC will also boast a pair of senior big men in Isaiah Hicks and Kennedy Meeks, while junior wing Justin Jackson is poised to take on a much bigger role–especially considering Theo Pinson is set to miss extended time with a broken foot.
In order to win a national title, though, the Tar Heels may have to go through the No. 1 Duke Blue Devils–which received 58 of the 60 first-place votes.
Head coach Mike Krzyzewski welcomes in the nation’s top recruiting class to go along with All-ACC guard Grayson Allen and sharpshooter Luke Kennard.
The rest of the top five consists of Kentucky, Kansas, Villanova and Oregon.
Virginia (No. 8), Louisville (No. 13) and Syracuse (No. 19) give the ACC five teams ranked among the top 25–tied with the Big Ten for most of any league.
UNC will play its first exhibition game this Friday (7:30 p.m.) against UNC-Pembroke at the Smith Center.
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