UNC Shares Top Spot in Preseason Poll with Kentucky

There’s a tie at the top to start the 2015-2016 men’s college basketball season.

The USA Today Preseason Coaches Poll, released on Thursday, has North Carolina and Kentucky tied at number one.

The Tar Heels received 12 of the 32 first-place votes to the Wildcats 11, but the overall points were tied at 749.

This marks the fourth time in the last nine years UNC will start the season at the top of the coaches poll, matching the ranking for 2007-2008, 2008-2009 and 2011-2012 seasons.

Maryland, Duke and Kansas round out the top five; the Terrapins received five first-place votes compared to three for the Blue Devils and one for the Jayhawks.

Fellow ACC foes Virginia and Notre Dame are also in the top 25. The Cavaliers check in at number six while the Fighting Irish are ranked 18.

In addition to conference foes Duke, Virginia and Notre Dame, UNC will host preseason number three Maryland on December 1 as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The nearly-annual regular-season matchup with Kentucky is not scheduled for this season.

The Tar Heels advanced to the Sweet 16 of last year’s NCAA Tournament before losing to Wisconsin. Carolina returns four of the five starters from last year’s team.  Head Coach Roy Williams likes this year’s team.  “In ’05 I thought we were if not the best, one of the two best teams in the country,” Williams said. “In ’09 I thought we were the best. I think this year we’re one of the best.

“And if we play the best down the stretch, then we could be the best,” he continued. “But there’s a big difference there.”

Late Night with Roy, the official start of the collegiate basketball season for the Tar Heels, is scheduled for Friday, October 23.  The late Stuart Scott will be honored prior to Late Night With Roy. Scott, the iconic ESPN sports broadcaster and 1987 Carolina alumnus, will be inducted into the N.C. Journalism Hall of Fame on October 23.  Stuart Scott died at the age of 49 earlier in 2015.  Scott hosted Late Night With Roy 10 times.