NCAA Basketball: Purdue, Marquette rise in latest top 25 power ranking
By Joey Loose
16. North Carolina (5-1)
Honestly, things weren’t pretty at Chapel Hill last season, but we’re putting the past in the past. Two of the stars of their title game run are back playing great ball and Hubert Davis has filled this roster with new talent, both young and old. The Tar Heels weren’t significantly challenged in the opening weeks of the season but certainly had their share of excitement during their holiday tournament this week.
In first round action at the Battle 4 Atlantis, the Tar Heels battled back from a halftime deficit, getting a 91-69 win over Northern Iowa with a dominant second half. Six Tar Heels were in double figures, led by Harrison Ingram’s 16-point, 10-rebound performance. Thanksgiving didn’t go North Carolina’s way, dropping a thriller 83-81 to Villanova in overtime despite 23 points from RJ Davis and 20 from Ingram. North Carolina salvaged the 3rd place game, fighting back from another halftime deficit for an 87-72 win over a ranked Arkansas team, with Davis’s 30-point effort clearly needed.
While not winning the Battle 4 Atlantis was certainly disappointing, the Tar Heels had a great showing, especially on offense, and have proven that they are a resilient team with legitimate talent. They’ll need to keep playing at their best because their nonconference slate is still full of challenges. North Carolina hosts Tennessee next Wednesday as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge before a conference date with Florida State.