With Connecticut claiming the national championship Monday night by beating Purdue, the final Associated Press Top 25 poll came out Tuesday afternoon, and North Carolina concludes the season ranked No. 7.
The Tar Heels went 29-8 this season, outright winning the ACC regular season by two games, and as the top seed in the West Region, they advanced to the Sweet 16, where they lost to Alabama in Los Angeles.
UNC is one of three ACC schools, all from the Research Triangle area, to finish in the top 10. Duke is No. 9 and NC State, after its remarkable run winning five straight games to capture the ACC Tournament title, then four more advancing to the Final Four, finished No. 10.
Carolina went a combined 4-1 against the Blue Devils and Wolfpack. The Heels played three other games against teams that are in the final top 10, losing to No. 1 Connecticut and No. 4 Alabama on neutral floors, and beating No. 5 Tennessee at home.
Clemson, at No. 14, is the only other ACC team in the final poll. UNC split two games with the Tigers, who reached the Elite Eight.
With Kentucky finishing at No. 20, that means Hubert Davis’ team was 6-5 against clubs in the final AP Top 25.
As a side note, Miami got 13 votes, placing it at No. 38. The Hurricanes were 14th in the 15-team ACC and lost their last 10 games.