University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels 6th In Preseason AP Poll
October 31, 2014 | Men's Basketball
CHAPEL HILL - The Associated Press released its 2014-15 preseason poll on Friday, and North Carolina will start the season in the top 10 for the ninth time in 12 seasons under head coach Roy Williams. The Tar Heels came in at No. 6, trailing No. 1 Kentucky, No. 2 Arizona, No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 4 Duke and No. 5 Kansas. Carolina was 19th in the final AP poll of 2013-14.
This marks Carolina's highest ranking in the preseason AP poll since the 2011-12 campaign, when the Tar Heels were voted preseason No. 1.
In Williams' 12 years, the AP has picked UNC No. 1 in the preseason three times (2007-08, 2008-09 and 2011-12) and in the top 10 six years in a row from 2006-07 through 2011-12. Below is a summary of the Tar Heels in the preseason AP poll under Williams:
2003-04: 9th
2004-05: 4th
2005-06: not ranked
2006-07: 2nd
2007-08: 1st
2008-09: 1st
2009-10: 6th
2010-11: 8th
2011-12: 1st
2012-13: 11th
2013-14: 12th
2014-15: 6th
The Tar Heels' 2014-15 schedule includes at least six games against teams ranked in the preseason AP Top 10: No. 1 Kentucky, No. 4 Duke (twice), No. 8 Louisville (twice) and No. 9 Virginia. Carolina also could play No. 3 Wisconsin or No. 7 Florida in the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas during Thanksgiving week.
Carolina has been ranked in 821 AP polls, more than any school in the nation. The Tar Heels have been ranked in the AP Top 10 624 times, most in ACC history and second-most all-time behind Kentucky (634).
The Tar Heels have achieved a Top 10 ranking in the AP poll in 52 of the poll's 66 seasons, including 46 of the last 49. Carolina has finished in the AP Top 10 34 times, including 23 of the last 34.
The AP will announce its preseason All-America teams next week. Earlier this week, the Tar Heels finished second in the preseason Atlantic Coast Conference poll and junior Marcus Paige grabbed preseason ACC Player of the Year accolades.
