By R.L. Bynum

Since being ranked No. 1 in the AP preseason poll, North Carolina’s men’s basketball team continues to make dubious history.

The Tar Heels (5–4), No. 1 two weeks ago and No. 18 last week, fell out of the AP Top 25 in the latest poll released Monday after becoming the first preseason top-ranked team to lose four consecutive games.

Carolina got only one poll point, meaning only one voter had the Tar Heels on their ballot and had them No. 25. That voter was David Thompson of the Fayetteville Observer, who had UNC No. 4 last week.

It’s the first time in program history that UNC has fallen out of the poll after earning a No. 1 rank. The furthest previous drop by the Tar Heels after being No. 1 preseason or at any point in the season was No. 16 on Feb. 17, 1958.

Carolina also dropped out of the USA Today Coaches poll.

“I’m not panicked. I’m not any of that,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said after his team’s 80–72 loss Sunday at Virginia Tech, playing without Armando Bacot (right shoulder contusion) and reserve D’Marco Dunn (broken left hand). “This is a good basketball team, and I’m convinced that we’re gonna be a great basketball team by the end of the season.”

UNC, which also lost last week at Indiana 77–65, tries to rebound Saturday against Georgia Tech (3:15 p.m., ACC Network) in their first Smith Center game since Nov. 20. The Tar Heels can only hope that Bacot is able to return for that game.

In the first NET rankings of the season, Virginia is No. 9, Duke is No. 17 and UNC is No. 39.

The Tar Heels weren’t the only team to fall out of the AP poll. Michigan State (5–4) was No. 20 before losing to Notre Dame 70–5 and Northwestern 70–63.

Indiana (7–1) fell four slots after following up its win over UNC with a 63–48 loss at Rutgers.

Creighton (6–3) fell from No. 7 to No. 21 after losing 72–67 to Texas and 63–53 to Nebraska.

Virginia (7–0) held at No. 3 after topping Michigan 70–68 and Florida State 62–57. Duke (8–2) moved up from No. 17 to No. 15 after an 81–72 win over Ohio State and a 75–59 victory over Boston College.

Biggest previous UNC drops after being No. 1

16 — Feb. 17, 1958 (PS)
9 — Feb. 22, 1988; Nov. 23, 2015 (PS)
8 — Feb. 26, 2007; Jan 16, 2012 (PS)
PS — Preseason No. 1

---

AP Top 25

Rank	Team	Change	Poll points (1st-place votes)
1	Houston (8-0)	—	1,502 (37)
2	Texas (6-0)	—	1,473 (14)
3	Virginia (7-0)	—	1,416 (3)
4	Purdue (8-0)	+1	1,411 (8)
5	UConn (9-0)	+3	1,295
6	Kansas (8-1)	+3	1,131
7	Tennessee (7-1)	+6	1,046
8	Alabama (7-1)	+3	1,029
9	Arkansas (7-1)	+2	1,021
10	Arizona (7-1)	-6	1,013
11	Auburn (8-0)	+4	853
12	Baylor (6-2)	-6	841
13	Maryland (8-0)	+9	811
14	Indiana (7-1)	-4	759
15	Duke (8-2)	+2	745
16	Kentucky (6-2)	+3	596
17	Illinois (6-2)	-1	554
18	Gonzaga (5-3)	-4	517
19	UCLA (7-2)	+2	479
20	Iowa State (7-1)	+3	376
21	Creighton (6-3)	-14	346
22	San Diego State (6-2)	+2	265
23	Mississippi State (8-0)	—	187
24	TCU (6-1)	—	113
25	Ohio State (6-2)	—	81

Others receiving votes: Iowa 70, Charleston 54, Miami (FL) 29, Virginia Tech 27, Arizona State 20, Utah 16, Wisconsin 16, UNLV 14, Texas Tech 10, West Virginia 8, Marquette 7, Xavier 6, New Mexico 3, Memphis 3, Michigan State 3, Missouri 2, North Carolina 1, Kansas State 1

---

Date	Month/day	Time/score	Opponent/event (current ranking)	Location	Record
	October
28	Friday	W, 101–40	Johnson C. Smith	Home	Exhibition
	November
7	Monday	W, 69–56	UNCW	Home	1–0
11	Friday	W, 102–86	College of Charleston	Home	2–0
15	Tuesday	W, 72–66	Gardner-Webb	Home	3–0
20	Sunday	W, 80–64	James Madison	Home	4–0
			Phil Knight Invitational
24	Thursday	W, 89–81	First round: Portland	Portland	5–0
25	Friday	L, 70–65	Semifinals: Iowa State	Portland	5–1
27	Sunday	L, 103–101, 4 OTs	Consolation: No. 1 Alabama	Portland	5–2
			ACC/Big Ten Challenge
30	Wednesday	L, 77–65	No. 21 Indiana	Bloomington, Ind.	5–3
	December
4	Sunday	L, 80–72	Virginia Tech	Blacksburg, Va.	5–4, 0–1 ACC
10	Saturday	W, 75–59	Georgia Tech	Home	6–4, 1–1 ACC
13	Tuesday	W, 100–67	The Citadel	Home	7–4
			CBS Sports Classic
17	Saturday	W, 89–84, OT	Ohio State	New York	8–4
			Jumpman Invitational
21	Wednesday	W, 80–76	Michigan	Charlotte	9–4
30	Friday	L, 76–74	Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh	9–5, 1–2 ACC
	January
4	Wednesday	W, 88–79	Wake Forest	Home	10–5, 2–2 ACC
7	Saturday	W, 81–64	Notre Dame	Home	11–5, 3–2 ACC
10	Tuesday	L, 65–58	No. 14 Virginia	Charlottesville	11–6, 3–3 ACC
14	Saturday	W, 80–59	Louisville	Louisville, Ky.	12–6, 4–3 ACC
17	Tuesday	W, 72–64	Boston College	Home	13–6, 5–3 ACC
21	Saturday	W, 80–69	N.C. State	Home	14–6, 6–3 ACC
24	Tuesday	W, 72–68	Syracuse	Syracuse, N.Y.	15–6, 7–3 ACC
	February
1	Wednesday	L, 65–64	Pittsburgh	Home	15–7, 7–4 ACC
4	Saturday	L, 63–57	No. 12 Duke	Durham	15–8, 7–5 ACC
7	Tuesday	L, 92–85	Wake Forest	Winston-Salem	15–9, 7–6 ACC
11	Saturday	W, 91–71	Clemson	Home	16–9, 8–6 ACC
13	Monday	L, 80–72	No. 16 Miami	Home	16–10, 8–7 ACC
19	Sunday	L, 77–69	N.C. State	Raleigh	16–11, 8–8 ACC
22	Wednesday	W, 63–59	Notre Dame	South Bend, Ind.	17–11, 9–8 ACC
25	Saturday	W, 71–63	No. 14 Virginia	Home	18–11, 10–8 ACC
27	Monday	W, 77–66	Florida State	Tallahassee, Fla.	19–11, 11–8 ACC
	March
4	Saturday	L, 62–57	No. 12 Duke	Home	19–12, 11–9 ACC
			ACC tournament
8	Wednesday	W, 85–61	Boston College	Greensboro	20–12
9	Thursday	L, 68–59	No. 14 Virginia	Greensboro	20–13

Photo via @UNC_Basketball