As we hit the home stretch of the 2025-26 college basketball regular season, North Carolina is heating up at just the right time. The Tar Heels are riding a wave of momentum after a statement win over archrival Duke, and it’s clear this team is finding its rhythm when it matters most.
Saturday’s 71-68 win over the Blue Devils wasn’t just another chapter in one of college basketball’s most storied rivalries-it was a turning point. Seth Trimble’s clutch three-pointer in the final seconds not only sealed the game, but also snapped a three-game losing skid to Duke and sent a jolt through the Tar Heels' season. With that win, UNC surged five spots in the latest Coaches Poll, landing at No. 13 with a 19-4 record.
This is a team that’s quietly putting together a strong resume. Since their January 21 win over Notre Dame, the Tar Heels have ripped off five straight victories, including two against ranked opponents. The defense has tightened up, the offense is clicking, and they’re starting to look like a team nobody wants to see come March.
Duke, meanwhile, took just its second loss of the season but still holds firm in the top 10 at No. 6. The Blue Devils have been one of the most consistent teams in the country, and despite the setback, they remain a legitimate threat on the national stage.
While the ACC is showing some serious depth, the Big 12 continues to flex its muscle as arguably the nation’s most dominant conference this season. Four Big 12 programs cracked the top 10 in this week’s Coaches Poll, with three of them sitting inside the top five. That’s a testament to the league’s depth, toughness, and the weekly gauntlet its teams face.
At the top of the mountain, Arizona continues to look untouchable. The Wildcats are a perfect 23-0 and have been the unanimous No. 1 in recent weeks, collecting the vast majority of first-place votes.
Their blend of length, athleticism, and discipline on both ends of the floor has made them the team to beat. But their perfect record faces a serious challenge Monday night when they travel to take on No.
9 Kansas. The Jayhawks are surging, having won seven straight, and just cracked the top 10 themselves.
That matchup has all the makings of a late-season classic.
Here’s how the Feb. 2 Coaches Poll stacks up:
Coaches Poll (First-place votes in parentheses):
- Arizona (30)
- Michigan (1)
- Houston
- Iowa State
- UConn
- Duke
- Illinois
- Nebraska
- Kansas
- Michigan State
- Gonzaga
- Purdue
- North Carolina
- Florida
- Virginia
- Texas Tech
- St.
John's
18.
Clemson
19.
Saint Louis
20.
Vanderbilt
21.
Arkansas
22.
BYU
23.
Louisville
24.
Miami (OH)
25.
Iowa
With just a few weeks left in the regular season, the race for seeding-and supremacy-is tightening. North Carolina’s trajectory is trending up, Arizona is still the team to beat, and the Big 12 is shaping the national conversation.
Buckle up. March is coming fast.