Tar Heels Slip to No. 16 in AP Poll After Mixed Week, Eye Critical ACC Stretch Ahead
North Carolina took a five-spot tumble in the latest AP Top 25, landing at No. 16 after a week that served up both frustration and resilience. The Tar Heels (20-5, 8-4 ACC) dropped a tough one on the road to Miami, 75-66, but bounced back with a solid 79-65 home win over Pittsburgh - all without key contributors Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar.
That kind of response, especially short-handed, speaks to the depth and maturity of this UNC squad. But with the ACC standings tightening and the calendar creeping toward March, there's little time to dwell.
Next up: a rivalry showdown at N.C. State on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
The Wolfpack (16-8, 9-4) are coming off a heartbreaking 77-76 home loss to Miami, so expect a fired-up crowd and a team hungry to protect its home floor.
New No. 1: Michigan Takes the Throne
At the top of the poll, there's a shakeup. Michigan (24-1, 14-1 Big Ten) takes over the No. 1 spot after Arizona stumbled twice last week - first in a close one to Kansas (82-78), then in an overtime loss to Texas Tech (78-75).
That opened the door for the Wolverines, who earned 60 of 61 first-place votes. The lone outlier?
It went to No. 2 Houston, who continues to impress at 23-2.
Duke, meanwhile, keeps climbing. The Blue Devils (23-2, 12-1) slide into the No. 3 spot after handling business with back-to-back wins over Pittsburgh (70-54) and Clemson (67-54). The Tigers, who had climbed to No. 20, fell out of the rankings altogether after also dropping a game to Virginia Tech, 76-66.
ACC Landscape: Shifting, But Still Strong
Despite UNC’s drop, the ACC remains well represented in the rankings. Virginia moved up a notch to No. 14 after gutting out wins over Florida State (61-58) and Ohio State (70-66).
Louisville is also on the rise, jumping three spots to No. 21 after a statement week that included a 118-77 demolition of N.C. State and an 82-71 win over Baylor.
The ACC standings are a logjam behind Duke and Virginia, with UNC, Louisville, Miami, and N.C. State all jockeying for position. Every game matters now - especially with so many teams hovering around that 8-4 or 9-4 conference record range.
Around the Nation: Contenders and Climbers
Elsewhere in the poll, St. John’s (20-5, 13-1 Big East) holds steady at No. 17 after a gritty overtime win over Xavier (87-82) and a solid victory against Providence (79-69). Ian Jackson’s squad continues to build momentum heading into the home stretch.
Vanderbilt (21-4, 8-4 SEC), led by Tyler Nickel and Jalen Washington, remains at No. 19 after a strong week featuring wins over Auburn (84-76) and Texas A&M (82-69).
Arizona, despite the two losses, only slid to No. 4 - a testament to the strength of their overall résumé. UConn rounds out the top five after continuing its steady climb.
Voters Show Mixed Feelings on UNC
While the Tar Heels took a hit in the overall poll, not all voters were in agreement. WRAL’s Chris Lea ranked UNC at No. 12, WTVD’s Kate Rogerson had them at No. 15, and WXII’s John Johnson slotted them at No. 16 - right in line with the consensus.
AP Top 25 Highlights
- No. 1 Michigan (24-1) - 60 first-place votes
- No. 2 Houston (23-2) - 1 first-place vote
- No. 3 Duke (23-2) - Steady climb continues
- No. 4 Arizona (23-2) - Two losses drop them from the top
- No. 5 UConn (24-2) - Quietly dominant
Other key movers include Purdue, jumping from No. 13 to No. 7 after a strong showing, and Texas Tech, climbing to No. 13 after taking down Arizona in overtime.
ACC Teams in the Rankings and Beyond
- No. 3 Duke (12-1 ACC, 23-2 overall)
- No. 14 Virginia (10-2, 22-3)
- No. 16 North Carolina (8-4, 20-5)
- No. 21 Louisville (8-4, 19-6)
Clemson, despite falling out of the Top 25, still received votes and sits just outside the rankings with the 26th-most poll points.
What’s Ahead for UNC
The Tar Heels have a critical stretch coming up, starting with Tuesday's road test against N.C. State. After that, they’ll travel to Syracuse on Saturday before hosting Louisville the following Monday in a key matchup that could have major implications for the ACC standings.
With the regular season winding down and the margins getting thinner, every possession, every rebound, and every rotation matters just a little more. For UNC, it's about finding consistency - and doing it without key pieces at full strength.
The road to March is heating up, and the Tar Heels are right in the thick of it.