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Thu Oct 30, 2008 12:09 pm EDT

Poll Watch: Everybody loves UNC

By Eamonn Brennan

This year is going to be a weird year in college basketball. Know how I know? There is a level of certainty among the pundit class, far more so than in past years, about the state of the Top 10. To be more specific, there is a gulf, a huge one, between North Carolina and the rest of the field.

And really, why not? UNC is without question the deepest, most experienced, most balanced team in the country, and even the Tar Heels would admit that anything less than a net-cutting this year will be a huge disappointment. The certainty is well-founded -- but it also makes for a non-dramatic poll watch, at least this early in the game.

To prove the point, USA Today released its annual preseason coaches poll, and atop it is UNC -- with every single one of the 31 first-place votes. Wow.

The rest of the Top 10 is after the jump.

1. North Carolina (36-3)

2. Connecticut (24-9)

3. Louisville (27-9)

4. UCLA (35-4)

5. Duke (28-6)

6. Pittsburgh (27-10)

7. Michigan State (27-9)

8. Texas (31-7)

9. Notre Dame (25-8)

10. Purdue (25-9)

Other notables include Gonzaga at 11, Davidson at 20 and the sheer number of Big East teams in the picture: Seven are in the Top 25 before the season even begins.

Of course, this poll, like all polls, means nothing even after the season starts. But it is fun to look at.

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113 Comments

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  1. Sean B
    1. Posted by Sean B Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:10 pm EDT

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    That Duke is rated that high is ridiculous. When is the last time they made it out of the 2nd round of the NCAA? They've got not game changing player since last year.
  2. Speedy
    2. Posted by Speedy Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:09 pm EDT

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    Let's Go Tarheels. I just hope they can stay focused and not slip up like highly touted teams in the past!
  3. John C
    3. Posted by John C Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:30 pm EDT

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    the last time that duke made it out of the second round was 2006 (or three years ago for people like sean b who can't count). no game changing player? kyle singler was roty in the acc last year and will be great this year after making the "soph. leep." gerald henderson will be an nba lottery pick whenever he decides to leave, and his wrist is finally healthy again for the 1st time since hs. additionally, nolan smith will be taking over most of the pg duties this year and from what i hear, he is going to tear it up this year. lastly, what they really missed last year after mcroberts left early, was a tall, mobile presence on the inside. enter mason plumlee, the 6'10" inch new starting center for duke. he is not the next bill walton, but he will make a huge difference on this year's squad.
  4. ShaunG
    4. Posted by ShaunG Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:03 pm EDT

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    Duke is rated high, but Coach K gets the best out of what he has. Just because they are up there no one is saying they are going to win it all.
  5. John C
    5. Posted by John C Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:30 pm EDT

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    and b/f any smart guy says "it's 2008 now, and you said 2006, that's only two years." wrong. the last time Duke made it to round 3 was the 2005-2006 season, which started three years ago from now, the 2008-2009 season. so I can count.
  6. Brandon W
    6. Posted by Brandon W Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:12 pm EDT

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    Duke flippen' sucks...in fact the only factor on the that squad is the coach. To bad he can't be the team. I can't wait to see Carolina roll on Duke this year.
  7. adam a
    7. Posted by adam a Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:52 pm EDT

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    ur an idiot john.....Duke is gonna suck because they do not have 1 bigtime player. Just look at the team just ahead of them. UCLA as leaps and bounds better. With darren collison and josh ship returning, they add the number ! point guard in the nation in Jrue Holiday. No competition!
  8. adam h
    8. Posted by adam h Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:20 pm EDT

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    True, Duke (K) doesn't historically recruit name changing players. He just coaches the hell out of them. I never would have thougt that Carlos Boozer would be the starting pf on the dream team. Now premadonna Dukies who think they are (i.e. McRoberts, Randolph) and peaced out early have clearly done well for themselves, haha. Go Heels, put Paulus back on the football field bc god they need help, Duke is always overrated in preseason
  9. John C
    9. Posted by John C Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:30 pm EDT

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    Carolina just might "roll on" Duke this year. as you can see from the article above, UNC is the most talented team and is the favorite to win it all, so them "rolling" anyone wouldn't be a shocker. but your assertion that Duke sucks is incorrect. they have 4 players on this team that will be in the NBA, have improved on the interior, and, like you pointed out, have a great coach. how do they suck?
  10. John C
    10. Posted by John C Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:30 pm EDT

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    adam a:
    wow, I'm an idiot? not one big time player? apparently, the acc coaches (you know, the guys who actually know basketball) disagree with you and agree with me. they voted Gerald Henderson to the pre-season all-acc team. there's your one big time player. as I pointed out b/f, duke has a bunch of returning talent themselves, they added depth up-front, and added a McD's AA wingman to replace Demarcus Nelson. and I never said that UCLA wasn't a better team. if you take a second to look up at the poll, UCLA is ranked ahead of Duke. but leaps and bounds better? come on.
  11. John C
    11. Posted by John C Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:30 pm EDT

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    adam h:
    "Duke (K) doesn't historically recruit name changing players." really? then how do you explain the fact that Duke has the most McD's AAs since 1995? why is it that Duke has more NBA player alums than any other college team, and has the highest aggregate salaries out of any alum group in the NBA? coach K recruits great players, and more importantly, great kids and students. read up before commenting, it helps.
  12. David C
    12. Posted by David C Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:25 pm EDT

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    gonzaga is better than duke
  13. T-Shake
    13. Posted by T-Shake Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:23 pm EDT

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    unc - "OVER-RATED" (AGAIN!!!) ...come one what has "so-called" Physco-T done?? all-time most over-rated.
  14. Mike
    14. Posted by Mike Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:18 pm EDT

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    Duke does not have the most NBA alums...
    North Carolina - 73
    Duke - 51
  15. Mike
    15. Posted by Mike Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:18 pm EDT

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    Didn;t mean alums meant to say NBA Players total (Past and Present)
  16. F-A-N-A
    16. Posted by F-A-N-A Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:49 pm EDT

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    uconn has the most players in the nba right now..... probably why they've beaten duke 4 times in a row
  17. Mike
    17. Posted by Mike Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:18 pm EDT

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    t shake - all you have to do is look at his wikipedia page
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyler_Hansbrough
    Not so overrated is he?
  18. Dennis S
    18. Posted by Dennis S Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:41 pm EDT

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    TARHEELS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Duke is washed up and I can't stand their home crowd. THEY SUCK!!!!!!!
  19. Mike
    19. Posted by Mike Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:18 pm EDT

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    Yeah d is right
    UNC has the most total players in NBA history
    UConn currently has the most players active in the NBA
  20. John C
    20. Posted by John C Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:30 pm EDT

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    just in case you didn't get the message the 1st time...
  21. BigAl
    21. Posted by BigAl Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:53 pm EDT

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    Duke is no good and people are just going to have to deal with that simple fact. UNC RULES!!!
  22. Andy
    22. Posted by Andy Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:43 pm EDT

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    Um, actually, Duke currently has the most NBA players on rosters in the NBA -15. UConn is 3rd or 4th on the list. Can't stand it when people say things, yet couldn't hit a fact if it smacked them in the face. Maroons.
  23. Tim T
    23. Posted by Tim T Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:10 pm EDT

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    John C:
    I was curious to where you heard that Nolan Smith is going to take most of the pg duties. I'm a NC fan but I really like watching Paulus play. I think he is a really good point guard and he can shoot the three well. And Mason Plumlee... getting a little ahead of yourself don't you think. He won't be there til next year!
  24. Brandon A
    24. Posted by Brandon A Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:12 pm EDT

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    How is Michigan State ahead of Purdue....
  25. Stephen
    25. Posted by Stephen Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:38 pm EDT

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    1st of all, Psycho - T is one of the best college players of all time. If you've ever watched him play, you'd know it.
    2nd, I have been a DUKE fan my whole life and I'm excited about this year's team. Talk all the trash you want, K will have his boys ready to play and they will win a lot of games, including at least one against UNC. People who don't know what they're talking about always love to talk trash. How can you be so stupid as to say a tthat eam that only loses 4 regular season games and plays in the ACC sucks?
    People love to talk crap about DUKE because they know that DUKE can always win. K can put any 5 guys together and compete with anyone.
    Krzyzewski for President!

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