Tar Heels Rise to No. 4 in AP Poll
North Carolina is back in the top five for the first time since November of 2022, and the first time this late into a season since 2019.
After winning at NC State by 13 points and crushing Syracuse at home by 36, the Tar Heels vaulted into the No. 4 spot in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 poll.
Carolina has won six consecutive games, including beating Oklahoma in December and then securing four ACC wins in a 12-day span, with three games on the road. They won the four games by a total of 67 points, each by at least 10 points, and outrebounded their foes by a combined 54.
The Tar Heels held NC State and Syracuse to 31.8 percent from the field, including 15.4 percent (6-for-39) from 3-point range. In fact, Carolina’s last four opponents have combined to shoot 32.5 percent from the floor, including 11.6 percent (10-for-86) from beyond the arc.
“Taking pride in guarding your man, stay in front of him,” senior guard RJ Davis said, when asked about keys in UNC’s defensive scent of late. “But if we do breakdown, defense does break down, it’s basketball, we’re able to kind of work it out on the fly. Our rotations are extremely crisp right now, and we’re being where we need to be.”
In addition, the Heels’ 103-67 win over the Orange on Saturday at the Smith Center was the third time in the last four home games Carolina has passed the century mark, with one of the other occasions coming against Tennessee.
The last time UNC was ranked among the top five at this point in January was in the 2015-16 season when it was No. 2. The following season, which was the last time Carolina won a national championship, it was No. 9 in the third poll in January. In 2017-18, UNC was No. 15, and in 2018-19, the Tar Heels were No. 13.
They were one seeds in the NCAA Tournament in 2016, 2017, and 2019, and a two seed in 2018.
UNC is 13-3 overall and 5-0 in the ACC. The Tar Heels host Louisville (6-10, 1-4) on Wednesday night and travel to Boston College (10-6, 1-4) on Saturday afternoon.