All Tar Heels

UNC Basketball: New Rankings Set Stage for Top-10 Matchup

UNC basketball, still No. 3 in the AP Poll, hosts now-No. 7 Duke on Saturday evening.

Matt Giles

Photo credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
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Regardless of how the Duke and UNC basketball teams fare this week, the Blue Devils and Tar Heels will each have a top-10 ranking by their name when they meet in Chapel Hill at 6:30 p.m. ET Saturday (ESPN).

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UNC (17-3, 9-0 ACC), riding a 10-game winning streak, stayed put at No. 3 in this week's Associated Press Top 25 Poll, which came out on Monday afternoon. And Duke (15-4, 6-2 ACC), looking to win its third straight when the Blue Devils face Virginia Tech in Blacksburg on Monday night, rose five spots to No. 7.

For the third week in a row, the archrivals are the only ranked teams from the ACC.

Meanwhile, defending national champion UConn and Purdue remain at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.

Saturday's highly anticipated bout in the Smith Center will mark the 49th time the Tar Heels, who began this season at No. 19, have battled Duke, preseason No. 2, when both squads are in the top 10. They're deadlocked at 24-24 between those clashes.

The UNC-Duke showdown, their first of two regular season meetings, is one of four top-10 matchups on tap for this weekend. On Saturday, No. 4 Houston plays at No. 8 Kansas, and No. 5 Tennessee plays at No. 10 Kentucky. Then, on Sunday afternoon, Purdue plays at No. 6 Wisconsin.

NEXT UNC BASKETBALL GAME: at unranked Georgia Tech, 7 p.m. Tuesday (ESPN)

College GameDay Coming to Chapel Hill for UNC Game Yet Again

Stay tuned to All Tar Heels on SI.com for more UNC basketball news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining UNC on SI in 2023, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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