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
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