After two losses to Minnesota and Vanderbilt, two teams not ranked in the Top 25 last week, you’d think that North Carolina would tumble all the way out of the Top 25 of the latest NCAA Basketball Rankings. The Tar Heels were No. 8 in the ESPN/USA Today men’s basketball coaches poll last week, but when something like that happens to a team this early in the season, it seems only fair to drop them entirely from the rankings.
NCAA Basketball Rankings: North Carolina Remains At No. 25 In ESPN/USA Today Poll
Well, that almost happened. The Tar Heels took a major tumble, but somehow were able to barely stay in the rankings. They clocked in at No. 25 in this week's ESPN/USA Today poll, well ahead of challengers like BYU, West Virginia and Virginia Tech. Apparently, having Harrison Barnes, even when he struggles, is enough to give you the benefit of the doubt.
Here are the complete rankings, with last week’s ranking in parenthesis.
- Duke (1)
- Michigan State (2)
- Ohio State (5)
- Kansas State (3)
- Pittsburgh (4)
- Kansas (6)
- Villanova (7)
- Purdue (9)
- Kentucky (13)
- Syracuse (11)
- Washington (15)
- Missouri (14)
- Baylor (17)
- Florida (10)
- Memphis (19)
- Georgetown (21)
- Minnesota (NR)
- Gonzaga (12)
- Illinois (16)
- Temple (20)
- Texas (22)
- San Diego State (NR)
- Butler (18)
- Tennessee (23)
- North Carolina (8)
Virginia Tech (No. 24 last week) and Wisconsin (No. 25) were the two teams to drop out of the Top 25. Both suffered losses last week, so it makes sense.
Minnesota, one of the two teams that beat North Carolina last week, jumped all the way to No. 17 in the poll. Vanderbilt, who also beat North Carolina, was among the other teams receiving votes.
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