UNC Basketball: Tar Heels move up in ESPN Power Rankings

Back-to-back wins over ranked opponents have UNC on the rise in ESPN’s latest Power Rankings

After three consecutive victories and back-to-back wins over ranked opponents, the North Carolina Tar Heels are on the rise in ESPN’s latest Power Rankings.

North Carolina has won 10 of its last 11 games, and four out of five against ranked opponents during that span. Wins against No. 1 Duke and No. 16 Florida State last week have the surging Tar Heels up to fifth in the rankings — their highest position on the list this season.

Despite a 16-point home loss to North Carolina on Wednesday, Duke remained atop the power rankings. They recovered with a double-digit victory at Syracuse on Saturday to keep ahead of Virginia in the rankings, and stay in a three-way tie for first-place in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Cavaliers kept pace in the ACC last week, too, winning road games against two top-20 opponents in No. 18 Virginia Tech and No. 20 Louisville. They’re second on the list to top-ranked Duke, who is responsible for both blemishes on Virginia’s record this season.

Gonzaga moved up to third on the list this week after wins over Pepperdine and BYU. The Bulldogs haven’t lost a game since a 103-90 defeat on December 15th to North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Kentucky is next on the list at No. 4 after victories over Missouri and Auburn last week. The Wildcats are followed by the Tar Heels, who moved up a spot to No. 5 thanks to a 16-point win against the Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium and an 18-point home victory over the Seminoles.

Tennessee’s second loss in a week dropped them to No. 6, and Michigan is ranked seventh ahead of a Sunday meeting with in-state rival Michigan State. Houston improved its record to 27-1, and comes in at eighth in the power rankings. Michigan State stayed put at No. 9 this week, while Texas Tech — who improved to 10-4 in the Big 12 after a blowout win over Kansas on Saturday — rounds out the top-10.

LSU held serve against Tennessee at home on Saturday, and moved up to No. 11. Marquette and Purdue both put together undefeated weeks, and are ranked 12th and 13th, respectively.

The Jayhawks lost their only game of the week, a 29-point drubbing against the Red Raiders in Lubbock. For Kansas, it was the seventh conference loss of the season, and fifth defeat in the last 10 games. Nevada is ranked 15th, and Wisconsin is at 16th after wins over Illinois and Northwestern.