University of North Carolina Athletics
October 22, 2006 | Men's Basketball
Oct. 22, 2006
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The University of North Carolina men's basketball team was picked to finish first in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the 2006-07 season by the media gathered at the 38th annual ACC Operation Basketball, held today in Greensboro. The Tar Heels were picked first by 59 of the 62 voting media members and were picked second on the remaining three ballots for a total of 741 points.
Duke, which received two first-place votes and 660 overall points, was the media's choice to finish second. Boston College, with one first-place vote and 660 points, was picked to finish third. Carolina, Duke and Boston College were followed in the poll by fourth-place Georgia Tech, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Virginia, Clemson, Wake Forest, Miami and NC State.
Carolina sophomore Tyler Hansbrough was a unanimous choice to be first-team All-ACC and the overwhelming favorite for ACC Player of the Year. Hansbrough was named on all 62 ballots for the All-ACC team and is the only unanimous choice to the team. He was a unanimous selection to the 2006 All-ACC postseason squad.
Hansbrough received 48 votes for ACC Player of the Year, while Al Thornton of Florida State and Josh McRoberts of Duke each received four votes.
Hansbrough was joined on the first team by Thornton, McRoberts, Boston College's Jared Dudley and Virginia's Sean Singletary. Carolina senior Reyshawn Terry was named to the second team and was joined by Georgia Tech's Anthony Morrow, Virginia Tech's Coleman Collins, Virginia's J.R. Reynolds and Virginia Tech's Zabian Dowdell.
Georgia Tech's Thaddeus Young was the pick for ACC Roookie of the Year, receiving 24 votes. Carolina's Ty Lawson was second with 15 votes, followed by Georgia Tech's Javaris Crittenton (four votes) and UNC's Wayne Ellington (two).
Carolina has been picked first in the ACC a conference-high 16 times in the 38-year history of ACC Operation Basketball. Duke is next with 11 preseason first-place predictions. Over the previous 37 years, the media's No. 1 or No. 2 Operation Basketball preseason pick has gone on to win the ACC regular season 31 times (including ties).
ACC Preseason Poll
1. North Carolina
2. Duke
3. Boston College
4. Georgia Tech
5. Florida State
6. Virginia Tech
7. Maryland
8. Virginia
9. Clemson
10. Wake Forest
11. Miami
12. NC State
All-ACC First Team
Tyler Hansbrough, UNC - 62
Jared Dudley, BC - 58
Sean Singletary, UVa - 53
Al Thornton, FSU - 53
Josh McRoberts, Duke - 52
Second Team
Anthony Morrow, GT - 7
Coleman Collins, VT - 6
Reyshawn Terry, UNC - 4
J.R. Reynolds, UVa - 4
Zabian Dowdell, VT - 2
ACC Player of the Year
Tyler Hansbrough, UNC - 48
Al Thornton, FSU - 4
Josh McRoberts, Duke - 4
Sean Singletary, UVa - 3
Jared Dudley, BC - 3
ACC Rookie of the Year
Thaddeus Young, GT - 24
Ty Lawson, UNC - 15
Javaris Crittenton, GT - 4
Wayne Ellington, UNC - 2
six others with 1 vote
