15. North Carolina (7-1)
When we last saw the Tar Heels, this team was suffering its first loss of the season in a tough effort against Michigan State, but one game does not define the season. North Carolina had largely been successful in the weeks leading up to that stinker, including a double-digit win over Kansas in the opening week of the season.
Fortunately, North Carolina was back on track in a big way this week, getting a 67-64 victory at Kentucky in their first true road game of the campaign. Another ranked win for the Tar Heels came thanks to 17 points and 10 rebounds from Henri Veesaar alongside 15 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists from Caleb Wilson.
To this point, North Carolina has had three challenging games, taking care of business against those two Blue Bloods while also suffering that 17-point setback against the Spartans. Hubert Davis is in the midst of an important fifth season leading his alma mater and is off to a relatively successful start, albeit with work still ahead. They’ll stay comfortable in Chapel Hill for a while, hosting Georgetown and USC Upstate this week.