North Carolina Too Low in Latest Power Rankings

• "North Carolina will enter the rematch against Duke this weekend with serious momentum: The Tar Heels have won four in a row, with the last three coming at home against Louisville, Virginia Tech and Clemson," Borzello stated.

• "The biggest bright spot during that stretch is the improved variety in offensive weapons for Hubert Davis while star freshman Caleb Wilson is sidelined. Henri Veesaar has been an anchor down low, but the Tar Heels have also gotten big perimeter performances from Seth Trimble (30 points against Louisville, 20 against Louisville), Luka Bogavac (20 against Clemson) and Jonathan Powell (15 against Virginia Tech)."

Why the Tar Heels Should Be Higher

While moving up two spots is obviously a sign that the Tar Heels' recent success is being acknowledged, I would argue that North Carolina should be ranked one or two spots higher on this list, especially considering the teams in adjacent spots.

Arkansas' ranking at No. 17 is completely justified, as the Razorbacks, similarly to the Tar Heels, are peaking at the most opportune time of the season. However, Kansas (No. 14) and Alabama (No. 15) should each be ranked lower than North Carolina.

The Crimson Tide average 92 points per game, but allows 83 points per game. Meanwhile, the Jayhawks have lost four of their last six games, all of which were by double-digit margins. While Darryn Peterson is arguably the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Kansas' cohesion and chemistry seemed thrown off by his presence.

North Carolina's ability to win consistently without its best player has highlighted the incredible depth head coach Hubert Davis has at his disposal. NIL has prevented programs around the country from assembling significant depth, but that is not the case for the Tar Heels, who deploy a nine-man rotation, with every player having the ability to impact the game.

However, news broke on Friday that Wilson suffered a broken thumb in Thursday's practice and underwent season-ending surgery. While I argued that North Carolina should be higher on this list, the latest development does create a convincing counterargument. Nonetheless, at the time being, I would still say the Tar Heels deserve to be a tad higher on this list.