North Carolina is starting the preseason just outside the AP Top 25, but not by much. The Tar Heels picked up 20 votes in the preseason poll, enough to land at No. 30 nationally as the 2026-27 college basketball season gets ready to tip off.
Florida sits at No. 1, while Duke checks in at No. 2, giving UNC a familiar name near the top of the rankings even before the season begins.
Around the poll, Missouri drew 161 votes, Nebraska got 70, Purdue received 53 and Ohio State landed 39, joining UNC among the unranked teams that still earned some attention from voters.
For UNC, the early path offers a real chance to move into the rankings quickly. Newly minted head coach Michael Malone has seven games in front of him before the competition noticeably stiffens, and all of those first seven opponents are unranked.
The Tar Heels open with six straight home games, then hit a neutral-site meeting with West Virginia before returning home again. On paper, that stretch gives them a runway to build momentum and validate the support from those 20 voters.
The first ranked test on the schedule doesn’t arrive until Tuesday, Dec. 1, when No. 12 Arkansas comes to town. And Arkansas is only the first name on a list of ranked opponents that should shape UNC’s season.
The Tar Heels also have No. 14 Miami on the slate in late February, along with games against No.
23 Kentucky, No. 11 Louisville, No.
9 Virginia, No. 3 Illinois and No.
2 Duke. UNC will play Louisville and Duke twice, making those the only ranked opponents on the schedule the Tar Heels see more than once in the regular season.
In Other News...
Tar Heels Just Got An Early Warning About This Roster
An exhibition is supposed to help reveal where a roster stands before the games count, and Carolina got a blunt early read in Indianapolis. Indiana rolled to a 76-58 win by owning the glass and controlling the paint, while the Tar Heels never found much rhythm on offense and were forced to navigate the kind of interior issues that can show up quickly when post depth is thin and players are unavailable.
There were still a few encouraging signs in the loss, especially from freshman Sayon Keita, who gave Carolina energy with 12 points, nine rebounds and five blocks. Even so, Indianas Bryce Lindsay came off the bench and poured in 26 points, a reminder that the Tar Heels were chasing the game for most of the night and may have some lineup questions to answer before the real season begins. [Read more 🡒]
UNC's Preseason Loss Exposed An Early Problem Hubert Davis Can't Ignore
A preseason trip to Gainbridge Fieldhouse gave North Carolina an early reminder that the margins can be thin long before the games start counting. Indiana handled the Tar Heels 76-58, and the most telling part of the afternoon was not just the final score but the way the Hoosiers controlled the glass. Bryce Lindsays 26 points led the way for Indiana, while North Carolina struggled to match the physical edge that showed up possession after possession.
For Hubert Davis, the rebounding numbers are the kind of issue that can linger if they are not addressed quickly. Indiana won the battle on the boards 53-31 and turned that advantage into a steady stream of second-chance opportunities, leaving North Carolina looking for answers on both ends. The Tar Heels were also without Isaiah Denis, who missed the game and is day-to-day, adding another layer of uncertainty to a roster that already has a clear early problem to sort out. [Read more 🡒]
UNCs New-Look Roster Already Has An Early Concern
North Carolinas early exhibition slate has already offered a little of everything, from the encouraging to the worrisome. After a win over USC, the Tar Heels ran into a much tougher night against Indiana, falling 76-58 in a game that exposed some of the growing pains that come with a new look roster. Sayon Keita was a bright spot, finishing with a career-high 12 points and 9 rebounds, but the bigger picture was less flattering as Indianas Bryce Lindsay led all scorers with 26.
The issues were easy to spot. North Carolina needed more from its bench, had trouble on the perimeter and got beat on the glass, three areas that tend to matter even more once the games start counting for real. The Tar Heels also played without sophomore guard Isaiah Denis, which only added another layer to an already thin rotation look, and left plenty for the staff to sort through before the opener arrives. [Read more 🡒]