Back a few weeks ago, when North Carolina appeared as if it were struggling, this coach (whose identity must remain anonymous to protect him from a feud) chuckled at the suggestion that the Tar Heels might be in trouble. “To tell you the truth,” he said then, “I think Dean’s sandbagging everybody.”
He was referring to Carolina coach Dean Smith, and what he was saying was this: It was still mid-January, which meant Smith was still playing his full roster. But come early February, Smith would finally settle on his rotation and then the true Tar Heels would be viewed.
The view they proffered last Thursday while swamping Duke was an impressive one, nearly as impressive as the claims made for them in the preseason. Their size, their power, their depth, their experience, all were on display there, and all they were missing was injured shooting guard Donald Williams.
Until he returns, the Tar Heels are without an explosive outside threat. But the NCAA tourney is just around the proverbial bend, and the Tar Heels-it is clear-are now tooling up to defend their title.
1. North Carolina
2. Arkansas
3. Duke
4. Temple
5. Louisville
6. Connecticut
7. UCLA
8. Kentucky
9. Kansas
10. Indiana
11. Michigan
12. Purdue
13. Massachusetts
14. Syracuse
15. Missouri
16. California
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17. Arizona
18. Marquette
19. St. Louis
20. Ala.-Birmingham