University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Sixth In AP Preseason Poll
October 31, 2016 | Men's Basketball
CHAPEL HILL—North Carolina will begin the 2016-17 basketball season in the same neighborhood where it spent nearly all of last year—the top 10 of the Associated Press poll. The Tar Heels were No. 6 in the 2016-17 AP preseason poll, released on Monday afternoon, after finishing No. 3 a year ago.
Carolina also was sixth in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll, released earlier this month.
Duke took the top spot in the AP preseason poll, garnering 58 of 65 first-place votes. Kentucky (two first-place votes) was second, followed by Kansas, defending NCAA champion Villanova (four) and Oregon (one) in the top five.
Carolina led the second five, followed by No. 7 Xavier, No. 8 Virginia, No. 9 Wisconsin and No. 10 Arizona.
Other Atlantic Coast Conference teams in the AP preseason poll include Louisville (No. 13) and Syracuse (No. 19).
Tar Heel opponents in 2016-17 who made the preseason poll include No. 1 Duke, No. 2 Kentucky, No. 5 Oregon (possible opponent in the Maui Invitational), No. 8 Virginia, No. 11 Indiana, No. 13 Louisville and No. 19 Syracuse.
