A full month into ACC play, the North Carolina Tar Heels are peaking at a perfect time. With four straight wins, UNC (18-4, 6-3 ACC) has momentum needed to contend for an ACC Championship.
North Carolina began its win streak with a 22-point domination of Notre Dame, followed by a massive road comeback against ACC rival Virginia. The Tar Heels played a complete game from start-to-finish on Saturday, controlling Georgia Tech in Caleb Wilson’s return to his hometown.
As UNC gets deeper into conference play, how does it shape up in rankings? In Andy Katz’ Power 37, which groups his 37 best teams in college basketball, North Carolina comes in at 27.
The Tar Heels are a spot behind Clemson, which has just one ACC loss and a spot ahead of UVA, which trails Duke for first place. UNC is 3 1/2 games back of its archrival, but can inch a step closer with wins Monday and Saturday night.
Latest Power 37 for @MarchMadnessMBB: https://t.co/wHWgkiytPx
— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) February 2, 2026
North Carolina has the country’s best frontcourt duo in Henri Veesaar and Caleb Wilson, but backcourt production is still catching up. Derek Dixon appears to be the answer at point guard, while Jarin Stevenson and Luka Bogavac are great options off the bench.
Winning the ACC Regular Season title means virtually nothing, but an ACC Tournament trophy would be nice. What the Tar Heels need more than anything, though, is a deep NCAA Tournament run with another National Championship.
Can UNC continue its climb up the rankings and – when April arrives – be the last team standing in college basketball?
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on. Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball ranked 27th in Andy Katz’ Power 37 rankings