North Carolina Tar Heels: 8th in latest AP Poll

Jan 9, 2016; Syracuse, NY, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Marcus Paige (5) makes a pass as Syracuse Orange guard Trevor Cooney (10) defends during the second half of a game at the Carrier Dome. North Carolina won 84-73. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 9, 2016; Syracuse, NY, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Marcus Paige (5) makes a pass as Syracuse Orange guard Trevor Cooney (10) defends during the second half of a game at the Carrier Dome. North Carolina won 84-73. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports /
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The latest AP Poll has the North Carolina Tar Heels still in the top ten and the Duke Blue Devils still in the top twenty.

So the North Carolina Tar Heels won one against NC State and then lost one against Virginia. They were number seven before this mess began. Where are they now? Duke beat Florida State and then lost to Pitt, they were number 15. Where are they now?

The two titans of Tobacco Road are doing a good job of keeping the season interesting as they both keep leaving the door open for other teams. Duke’s shot at the fourth seed in the ACC Tournament is getting increasing muddled. North Carolina can clinch a double-bye by beating Syracuse, but two losses could find them playing on the second day of the ACC Tournament instead of the third.

However the Tar Heels and the Blue Devils aren’t the only teams having trouble packing away their seasons at the end. Oklahoma lost. Maryland lost. Villanova lost. Xavier lost. No wants to be in the top spot, which now belongs to the Kansas Jayhawks. Therefore the damage was relatively minor. North Carolina fell one spot while Duke fell two.

The awkward thing was the promotion of the Miami Hurricanes above the Heels not long after the Heels blew them away. Of course Miami beat Virginia in the meantime which is the big factor there. So here is how the AP Basketball Poll stands in the penultimate week of the regular season.

More from North Carolina Tar Heels

AP Basketball Poll – 2/29/16

1. Kansas Jayhawks (25-4)
2. Michigan State Spartans (24-5)
3. Villanova Wildcats (25-4)
4. Virginia Cavaliers (22-6)
5. Xavier Musketeers (25-4)
6. Oklahoma Sooners (22-6)
7. Miami Hurricanes (23-5)
8. North Carolina Tar Heels (23-6)
9. Oregon Ducks (23-6)
10. West Virginia Mountaineers (22-7)
11. Louisville Cardinals (22-7)
12. Indiana Hoosiers (23-6)
13. Utah Utes (23-7)

More from Old North Banter

14. Maryland Terrapins (23-6)
15. Purdue Boilermakers (22-7)
16. Iowa Hawkeyes (20-8)
17. Duke Blue Devils (21-8)
18. Arizona Wildcats (22-7)
19. Baylor Bears (21-8)
20. Texas A&M Aggies (22-7)
21. Iowa State Cyclones (20-9)
22. Kentucky Wildcats (21-8)
23. Texas Longhorns (19-10)
24. SMU Mustangs (24-4)
25. California Golden Bears (21-8)

North Carolina tips off against Syracuse at 7:00 PM. Set your Cooney signals.