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North Carolina is back in the Associated Press Top 25 this week for the first time since falling out just before Thanksgiving.
The Tar Heels re-entered the poll after picking up two wins last week, notably thumping then-No. 4 Duke on Saturday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Blue Devils Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game.
UNC scored 55 points in the second half in pulling away for a 94-81 victory. Four Tar Heels scored 20 or more points in the game for the first time in program history. Earlier in the week, Carolina defeated Syracuse, 88-79, in overtime at the Smith Center.
UNC is 23-8 overall and finished the ACC 15-5 and tied for second place. The Tar Heels are the No. 3 seed in the ACC Tournament this week in Brooklyn, and will open play Thursday night at 9:30.
UNC was ranked No. 19 when it lost to Purdue and Tennessee at the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut the weekend before Thanksgiving. UNC was not ranked in the last 13 AP polls.
