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UNC Basketball: Tar Heels move up in Associated Press Top 25

By Blake Cockrum

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 19: (L-R) Leaky Black #1, Cameron Johnson #13, Kenny Williams #24 and Garrison Brooks #15 of the North Carolina Tar Heels react during the second half of their game against the St. Francis Red Flash at the Dean Smith Center on November 19, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 101-76. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 19: (L-R) Leaky Black #1, Cameron Johnson #13, Kenny Williams #24 and Garrison Brooks #15 of the North Carolina Tar Heels react during the second half of their game against the St. Francis Red Flash at the Dean Smith Center on November 19, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 101-76. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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UNC basketball on the rise in latest Associated Press Top 25 poll

The North Carolina basketball program is on the rise in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll after a blowout victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies last week. The Tar Heels, who rejoined the top-10 last week, have risen all the way to ninth in this week’s poll.

With 48 out of 64 votes, the Tennessee Volunteers stayed atop the poll for the second consecutive week — increasing their first stint at No. 1 in better than a decade. The Vols narrowly avoided defeat last Monday at Vanderbilt when the Commodores pushed them to the final seconds of overtime.

Teams two through six remained unchanged as Duke, Virginia, Gonzaga, Michigan and Michigan State all held their ground in this week’s poll. Besides Michigan State, each of the aforementioned teams went undefeated last week. The Spartans remained sixth in the poll despite an upset loss at previously unranked Purdue.

Kentucky secured a big home win over Kansas on Saturday, and moved up to No. 7. Nevada dropped one spot to eighth this week, while North Carolina moved up two spots to No. 9. The Marquette Golden Eagles, who had to come from behind on Saturday to beat Xavier, moved up two spots to No. 10.

The Kansas Jayhawks dropped two positions to No. 11 after their 71-63 loss in Lexington, while the Virginia Tech Hokies fell two spots to 12th after their blowout defeat to the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill. Houston and Villanova each moved up four spots to 13th and 14th, respectively. Louisville continues its ascent, moving up eight spots to No. 15 this week.

Texas Tech is 16-4 after a win over Arkansas in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, and ranked 16th this week. Purdue’s big home win over Michigan State propelled it from unranked to 17th in the poll. Buffalo dropped four spots to No. 18, while the LSU Tigers climbed six spots to No. 19.

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Iowa State comes in at 20th, and Maryland fell eight spots to No. 21 after a bad home loss to Illinois on Saturday. Mississippi State remained at No. 22, while NC State, Wisconsin and Florida State found out the poll at 23 through 25, respectively.

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