Nell Redmond | USA TODAY Sports
Tar Heels Rise in Both AP, Coaches Polls
Despite a sloppy 77-61 victory over Gardner-Webb on Friday night, North Carolina picked up ground in both major college hoops polls on Monday.
The Tar Heels picked up the most ground in the USA TODAY Coaches' Poll, rising seven spots to No. 4, while gaining one spot in the Associated Press Top 25, rising to No. 5.
In both polls, Duke took over the No. 1 spot as Kentucky dropped from the top of the rankings following a home loss to Evansville.
It was a good day for the ACC overall, as Louisville moved to No. 2 in both, while Virginia improved to No. 7 in the AP poll while getting to No. 6 in the Coaches poll, giving the league four of the nation's top squads.
Carolina could run into four ranked teams in the next two weeks, with the possibility of seeing Gonzaga, Oregon or Seton Hall at the Battle 4 Atlantis before playing host to Ohio State in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.
The rest of the ACC was shut out of the polls, but Florida State was the top team among those receiving votes in the AP poll.
The full rankings from both polls:
| Ranking | AP | Coaches |
|---|---|---|
1. | Duke | Duke |
2. | Louisville | Louisville |
3. | Michigan State | Michigan State |
4. | Kansas | North Carolina |
5. | North Carolina | Kansas |
6. | Maryland | Virginia |
7. | Virginia | Maryland |
8. | Gonzaga | Gonzaga |
9. | Kentucky | Ohio State |
10. | Ohio State | Kentucky |
11. | Oregon | Oregon |
12. | Texas Tech | Texas Tech |
13. | Seton Hall | Seton Hall |
14. | Arizona | Arizona |
15. | Utah State | Villanova |
16. | Memphis | Utah State |
17. | Villanova | Tennessee |
18. | Xavier | Auburn |
19. | Auburn | VCU |
20. | Tennessee | Memphis |
21. | VCU | Xavier |
22. | Texas | Texas |
23. | Colorado | Baylor |
24. | Baylor | Washington |
25. | Washington | Colorado |
