UNC basketball No. 1 in preseason AP Top 25 poll for record 10th time. Duke in top 10

North Carolina was voted No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll released Monday, which marked a record 10th time in the history of the poll the Tar Heels were No. 1 in the preseason rankings.

The Tar Heels, led by leading scorer and rebounder Armando Bacot, return four starters off last season’s team that reached the national championship game before falling short to Kansas. They received 47 of 62 first place votes.

During last week’s ACC media day in Charlotte, Carolina’s players talked openly about winning the title this season. UNC coach Hubert Davis said he was okay with that approach, but he had a different take on it.

“One of the many things that I loved about last year is I felt last year’s team reached his full potential,” Davis said. ”And I think everybody will say last year was a successful year. Well, last year, we didn’t win a national championship, but I felt like it was a very successful year. That is my determination, that is my hope this year, is that this year’s team reaches its full potential.”

UNC re-created the iconic Sports Illustrated cover from 1981 when Carolina was the preseason No. 1 and coach Dean Smith posed with four of his starters. Smith famously decided against allowing Michael Jordan to join the photo shoot because he was a freshman. UNC went on to win the 1982 national title that season, which is the only time the Heels won it all when named preseason No. 1.

The updated cover features Davis in the similar pose as Smith once held, diagramming a play on a see-through chalkboard; and four returning starters Bacot, R.J. Davis, Caleb Love and Leaky Black.

Gonzaga, which was ranked No. 2, received 12 first place votes, while No. 3 Houston and No. 4 Kentucky split the remaining three first place votes.

Carolina breaks its tie with Duke for the most times voted preseason No. 1. The Blue Devils, starting their first season without coach Mike Krzyzewski leading the program, were voted No. 7 in head coach Jon Scheyer’s inaugural campaign.

This story was originally published October 17, 2022 at 12:55 PM with the headline "UNC basketball No. 1 in preseason AP Top 25 poll for record 10th time. Duke in top 10."

C.L. Brown

The News & Observer

C.L. Brown covers the University of North Carolina for The News & Observer. Brown brings more than two decades of reporting experience including stints as the beat writer on Indiana University and the University of Louisville. After a long stay at the Louisville Courier-Journal, where he earned an APSE award, he’s had stops at ESPN.com, The Athletic and even tried his hand at running his own website, clbrownhoops.com.