Nov. 1, 2008
by the Associated Press
Not only are the North Carolina Tar Heels No. 1 in The Associated Press' preseason Top 25, they are the first unanimous No. 1 since the preseason poll began in 1981-82.
North Carolina has the top six scorers -- including national player of the year Tyler Hansbrough -- back from a team that had a school-record 36 wins and reached the Final Four.
The Tar Heels, No. 1 in the final poll last season, are the preseason No. 1 for the second straight year, joining UNLV in 1989-90 and 1990-91 as the only schools to do that. It also marks North Carolina's record sixth time atop the preseason rankings, breaking a tie with Duke.
"We have a really good group of kids who are working very hard to get ready for a challenging season," head coach Roy Williams said. "They've worked so hard because they know they have to prove it on the court. No one gives you any awards for preseason rankings.
"Our guys know these lofty rankings are a result of what they have done in the past and what people think could probably happen this year. But we have to earn everything out there on the floor."
The Tar Heels faced their first test Thursday when Hansbrough was found to have a stress reaction in his right shin. He will be held out of practice likely for at least two weeks before being reevaluated.
The preseason poll turned out to be quite a prognosticator last season when the top four teams in the early rankings -- North Carolina, UCLA, Memphis and Kansas -- all reached the Final Four, with Kansas winning it all in San Antonio.
Connecticut, which returns four starters, was No. 2 this preseason, followed by Louisville, UCLA and Pittsburgh. Michigan State, Texas, Duke, Notre Dame and Gonzaga rounded out the top 10.
Purdue was 11th followed by Oklahoma, Memphis, Tennessee, Arizona State, Marquette, Miami, Southern California, Florida and Davidson.
The last five teams were Wake Forest, Georgetown, Villanova, Kansas and Wisconsin.
North Carolina, Tennessee and Memphis, unanimous for three weeks, were the only teams ranked No. 1 last season.
