By R.L. Bynum
North Carolina is in the top 10 of the final AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll for the 39th time in program history and first time since 2019.
The 39 top-10 finishes are the third-most in the poll’s 76-year history. This is the 52nd time UNC has been ranked in the final poll, tied with Duke for the second-most.
The Tar Heels are No. 7 in the poll released Tuesday (down two spots from the previous poll), the first time the final poll has been released after the NCAA tournament since that was done in 1974 and 1975. In every previous season, the AP released its final poll the week before the tournament.
UConn (37–3), which won its second consecutive NCAA title on Monday night, is No. 1, followed by Purdue (34–5), which lost to the Huskies 75–60 in the championship game, at No. 2.
Duke (27–9), ranked No. 13 in the previous poll, finished No. 9 after losing to N.C. State in the Elite Eight. The Wolfpack (26–15), who won the ACC title and made an amazing run to the Final Four, jumped from unranked to No. 10. Clemson also went from unranked to making the final poll, coming in at No. 14.
It’s the first time UNC, Duke and N.C. State have all been in the top 10 in the final poll. State’s 15 losses are four more than for any other team in the final AP poll.
Carolina finished No. 6 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, down one spot, with Duke going up five spots to No. 9, N.C. State No. 13, and Clemson No. 15. The final Coaches Poll has traditionally come out after the NCAA tournament.
UNC (29–8), ranked No. 5 heading into the NCAA tournament, beat Wagner 90–62 on March 21 and Michigan State 85–69 on March 23 in Charlotte before losing to Alabama 89–87 in the West Regional semifinals in Los Angeles on March 28.
The Tar Heels, who won the ACC regular-season title, were ranked as high as No. 3 from Jan. 22 until Feb. 5.
In way-to-early Top 25 rankings for next season, UNC is No. 9 on The Athletic’s list and No. 15 on ESPN’s list. Duke is No. 1 on both lists, with Miami No. 17 on ESPN’s list and No. 18 on The Athletic’s list. Both stories point out that the ranking hinges on the return of RJ Davis and Harrison Ingram.
AP Top 25
Others receiving votes: Texas A&M 87, Oregon 77, Colorado 75, BYU 73, Texas 62, James Madison 57, Grand Canyon 37, Seton Hall 36, Wisconsin 27, Northwestern 23, Texas Tech 19, Indiana State 18, Miami 13, Michigan State 12, Duquesne 9, Yale 7, New Mexico 6, Arkansas 6, Maryland 5, Colorado State 5, Florida 4, Rutgers 2, Oakland 1, Nevada 1.
USA Today Coaches Poll
| Rank | Team | Record | Poll points | Change | High/ low |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UConn | 37–3 (31 first- place votes) | 775 | — | 1/5 |
| 2 | Purdue | 34–5 | 744 | +1 | 1/4 |
| 3 | Houston | 32–5 | 651 | -1 | 1/6 |
| 4 | Alabama | 25–12 | 642 | +14 | 4/NR |
| 5 | Tennessee | 27–9 | 638 | +1 | 4/13 |
| 6 | North Carolina | 29–8 | 578 | -1 | 3/21 |
| 7 | Illinois | 29–9 | 545 | +3 | 7/NR |
| 8 | Iowa State | 29–8 | 540 | -4 | 4/NR |
| 9 | Duke | 27–9 | 521 | +5 | 3/21 |
| 10 | Creighton | 25–10 | 473 | +1 | 6/NR |
| 11 | Marquette | 27–10 | 458 | -3 | 3/18 |
| 12 | Arizona | 27–9 | 440 | -3 | 1/13 |
| 13 | N.C. State | 26–15 | 389 | +20 | 13/NR |
| 14 | Baylor | 24–11 | 331 | -1 | 6/19 |
| 15 | Clemson | 24–12 | 326 | — | 11/NR |
| 16 | Gonzaga | 27–8 | 313 | — | 8/NR |
| 17 | Auburn | 27–8 | 302 | -10 | 6/NR |
| 18 | San Diego State | 26–11 | 218 | +7 | 15/NR |
| 19 | Kentucky | 23–10 | 172 | -7 | 6/20 |
| 20 | Utah State | 28-7 | 164 | -1 | 17/NR |
| 21 | Kansas | 23–11 | 136 | -1 | 1/21 |
| 22 | Saint Mary’s | 26–8 | 129 | -7 | 15/NR |
| 23 | South Carolina | 26–8 | 124 | -6 | 11/NR |
| 24 | Washington State | 25–10 | 62 | +3 | 20/NR |
| 25 | Texas Tech | 23–11 | 50 | -3 | 15/NR |
Schools dropping out: No. 21 BYU; No. 23 Florida; No. 24 Wisconsin;
Others receiving votes: BYU 49; Florida 44; Dayton 37; Colorado 36; Wisconsin 31; James Madison 30; Seton Hall 27; Texas 16; Indiana State 16; Michigan State 15; Texas A&M 13; Oregon 10; Oakland 10; Grand Canyon 10; Northwestern 5; Yale 2; Boise State 2; Nevada .;
UNC top-10 finishes in AP poll
No. 1 — 2008, 1998, 1994, 1984, 1982, 1957
No. 2 — 2012, 2009, 2005, 1987, 1972
No. 3 — 2019, 2016
No. 4 — 2012, 2007, 1997, 1995, 1993, 1991, 1969, 1968, 1967
No. 5 —1989, 1977, 1961
No. 6 — 2017, 2001, 1981
No. 7 — 2024 (first final poll after NCAA tournament), 2011, 1988, 1985
No. 8 — 1986, 1983, 1976
No. 9 — 1979, 1975, 1959
No. 10 — 2018, 2006, 1963
Key events, dates
Saturday, April 27, was the deadline for players to submit their names to the NBA draft
Wednesday — Deadline for players to enter the transfer portal
May 11–12 — NBA G League Elite Camp in Chicago
May 12–19 — NBA Combine in Chicago
May 17–19 — Evaluation for high school players at NCAA-certified events (EYBL in Indianapolis is one of those)
May 29 at 11:59 p.m. — Deadline to withdraw from NBA draft and maintain college eligibility
June 16 at 5 p.m. — Deadline to withdraw from the NBA draft
UNC schedule so far
Nov. 8 — at Kansas (final AP rank No. 20; final NET ranking No. 19)
Nov. 22 — at Hawaii (final NET ranking No. 172)
Nov. 25–27 — Maui Invitational — Auburn (final AP rank No. 18; final NET ranking No. 5), Colorado (unranked; No. 25), Connecticut (No. 1; No. 2), Dayton (No. 24; No. 23), Iowa State (No. 8; No. 6), Memphis (unranked; No. 75), Michigan State (unranked; No. 24)
Dec. 14 — vs. La Salle (final NET ranking No. 195)
Likely in late November — Opponent TBA in ACC/SEC Challenge
December — vs. UCLA (final NET ranking No. 107) in CBS Sports Classic (date, location TBA)
December — vs. Florida (final NET ranking No. 29) in Jumpman Invitational at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center (date TBA)
— Games home and away against Duke, N.C. State and Pittsburgh
— Home games vs. Boston College, California, Georgia Tech, Miami, SMU, Stanford and Virginia
— Road games vs. Clemson, Florida State, Louisville, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest
Note: 2024 NCAA tournament teams are in bold.
Potential 2024-25 UNC roster
| No. | Class | Player | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Freshman | James Brown (4 star) | 5 | 6–8 | 225 |
| — | Freshman | Ian Jackson (5 star) | 2 | 6–4 | 180 |
| — | Freshman | Drake Powell (5 star) | 2 | 6–5 | 185 |
| 2 | Soph. | Elliot Cadeau | PG | 6–1 | 180 |
| 1 | Soph. | Zayden High | 4 | 6–9 | 225 |
| — | Junior | Cade Tyson | 3 | 6–7 | 203 |
| 13 | Junior | Jalen Washington | 5 | 6–10 | 230 |
| 0 | Junior | Seth Trimble | 2 | 6–3 | 195 |
| 5 | Graduate | RJ Davis | PG | 6–0 | 180 |
| Eligible for fifth season | |||||
| 24 | Graduate | Jae’Lyn Withers | 4 | 6–9 | 215 |
| Walk-ons eligible for 5th season | |||||
| 14 | Graduate | Creighton Lebo | PG | 6–1 | 180 |
| 22 | Graduate | Rob Landry | 2 | 6–4 | 190 |
Photo via @UNC_Basketball
tarheeltribune.com 
