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The Elite 8: Ranking the Top Basketball Teams in North Carolina

By Zack Smith

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 16: Tre Jones #3 of the Duke Blue Devils cuts down a piece of the net after defeating the Florida State Seminoles 73-63 in the championship game of the 2019 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 16: Tre Jones #3 of the Duke Blue Devils cuts down a piece of the net after defeating the Florida State Seminoles 73-63 in the championship game of the 2019 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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COLUMBUS, OHIO – MARCH 22: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks on as they play against the Iona Gaels during the first half of the game in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 22, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OHIO – MARCH 22: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks on as they play against the Iona Gaels during the first half of the game in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 22, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

2. UNC Tar Heels (29-7)

There are a lot of unknowns going in to the season for Roy Williams, who is returning just three players that averaged more than ten minutes per game last season. Carolina does have a sensational recruiting class coming in this year, including the fourth best player of the class, Cole Anthony, who has some big shoes to fill at point guard after the departure of Coby White. They will also need to lean on freshman Armando Bacot early this season with Luke Maye graduating and the injury to Sterling Manley. The class also includes two impact graduate transfers, Christian Keeling and Justin Pierce. Keeling and Pierce should be able to come in and help the Tar Heels compete for another conference championship and a chance to reach the Final Four. As Michael Jordan would say, the ceiling is the roof for this squad.

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