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By Thomas Gessner
Everybody needs a cheerleader, someone in their corner that will defend them and remind everyone why they are the best. The same can be said for North Carolina colleges and universities, most of which have actual cheerleaders, but nonetheless deserve some help in hyping themselves up. For that reason, I have created below a list of arguments for each North Carolina college on why they are the best in the state. Enjoy.
Appalachian State University: That’s right, besides having the most baja jackets in the country per capita, they also get to wake up on a mountain. East Carolina University: They are located in the best Greenville in the Carolinas, and in addition to that, Mr. Beast lives here, so odds are you will get some free stuff. Elizabeth City State University: Home to the only four-year aviation science degree program in North Carolina. Enough said. Fayetteville State University: Blueface went there, that’s about as good as you can get in terms of famous alumni. North Carolina A&T University: The university of the Greensboro Four, this school got to be a part of a historical moment in the civil rights movement. Also they were too good to stay in the MEAC. North Carolina Central University: It’s in the name. They are the center of the state, and therefore the best. If you like community service, NCCU was thefirst UNC-system school to require community service to graduate. North Carolina State University: The biggest college in the state surely has to be the best college in the state, and if the enrollment numbers aren’t big enough, their mascot is not just one wolf, but a pack of them. University of North Carolina at Asheville: The only university in the coolest city in the state, and they get to wake up to the mountains too. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Only the G.O.A.T. basketball player Michael Jordan could go to the G.O.A.T North Carolina university, and that takes precedence over a former president going there. University of North Carolina at Charlotte: There are only five words needed: Regional Banking Capital of America. Also the fastest growing university in North Carolina. University of North Carolina at Greensboro: DaBaby spending two years at UNCG would be enough to put them at the top, but also having a tradition where the word rock is misspelled puts them even higher. University of North Carolina at Pembroke: Hail to UNCP is an absolute banger. University of North Carolina Wilmington: Oh yeah, they are only located 6 minutes away from the beach, and oh yeah, their main school color is teal. University of North Carolina School of the Arts: Without a doubt this school contains the most famous alumni list, seriously, it is a crazy list. Western Carolina University: As they say in California, West is Best, and that remains true for the only North Carolina college with Western in the name. Winston-Salem State University: The first historically black college to win the NCAA Basketball championship. Barton College: Student faculty rate of 12:1 means that a student here will be getting to know their teachers. Belmont Abbey College: Their newspaper name is the Crusader, and I call upon anyone to find a college newspaper name cooler than that. Bennett College: People may hype up the Greensboro Four, but do not forget the Bennett Belles, which is a far better name considering the alliteration. Brevard College: Since Brevard is located in Transylvania county, I would argue they are the best college out of fear that a vampire will kill me if I say otherwise. Catawba College: Their nickname the “Catawba Indians” is approved by the Catawba Indian Nation, and because of that the college stands as a visionary, doing something the Washington Football team could never accomplish. Davidson College: https://youtu.be/TGQID66agH4 Gardner-Webb University: They invented Pancake Bingo, can any other NC college say that? Greensboro College: The mascot for Greensboro College is “The Pride”, which doubles as a group of lions and one of the seven deadly sins. Pretty metal, I know. Guilford College: Alma Mater to the coolest name in the history of professional sports, World B. Free, a name that is even cooler considering the Quaker roots of the school. High Point University: The most luxurious school on this list, and it is not even close. I mean, how many colleges can say they have a steakhouse with live music on campus? Lees-Mcrae College: One of the only colleges to be named after two women, and the college used to accept livestock to pay for tuition. Lenoir-Rhyne University: They have both a male and female mascot, so the school is truly progressive. The school also has what is believed to be the largest Martin Luther statue in the world. Mars Hill University: A university you can attend and then tell people you went to Mars. Meredith College: The first female university to adopt a campus-wide laptop program. Montreat College: To quote Emilie Miller Vaughn: "I wish I could tell you of the scenery around here and at the retreat. People who have traveled say it is only equaled by Switzerland". I have no idea if that is true, but I am choosing to believe it. North Carolina Wesleyan College: The yearbook name for North Carolina Wesleyan College is The Dissenter, and for some reason that just makes the school a cut above the rest in my book. Salem College: The oldest women’s college in the United States, and everyone should respect their elders. University of Mount Olive: Have you ever eaten an olive? One of the more underrated snack foods, and I choose to believe there is correlation between that and this university. Since it is the only university located in Mount Olive, it seems no other school listed can make such claims. Warren Wilson College: Work builds character, and at Warren Wilson College, every student has to work on campus to graduate, meaning that the school is filled to the brim with character. William Peace University: A school with peace in the name deserves great recognition, even if it was just the name of the founder of the university, and he luckily made sure that the school would be located in downtown Raleigh, one of the most lively areas in the state. Campbell University: When you attend this school, it is hump day everyday, and you do not have to worry about being surrounded by people not from North Carolina, because Campbell enrolls more North Carolinians than any other private institution in the country. Carolina University: Carolina University did not feel the need to subcategorize itself by having its name contain the location of the school. No, Carolina University is so confident in their abilities as an academic institution, that they define themselves as THE Carolina University. Chowan University: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed only attended the school for one semester, so it's safe to say that his values and the university’s values did not align. Duke University: The only school in the state that people across the country believe is an Ivy League member. Elon University: The school’s colors are maroon, and gold? That is just too exquisite and fancy to not make this a premier university. Not to mention their mascot is a phoenix, and real or not, those things are powerful. Johnson C. Smith University: Not one, but two Harlem Globetrotters attended Johnson C. Smith, and their nicknames were great to boot, that being Twiggy and Curly. Johnson and Wales University: This university is the only college in North Carolina to have its main campus be in Rhode Island. Livingstone College: There has never been a “living stone”, but Livingstone College gives me hope that one day there may be one, and if there is one, odds are it will be at this campus. In terms of real arguments, the school has produced three firsts: First African-American neurosurgeon, first African-American President of the National Education Association, and the first African-American mayor of Salisbury. Methodist University: A man by the name Chip Dicks attended Methodist University; that is simply breathtaking. Mid-Atlantic Christian University: North Carolina is not even in the Mid-Atlantic, but the effort is greatly appreciated and noted. Pfeiffer University: The nickname of the school is the Falcons, which might not be an alliteration, but ingeniously utilizes the “f” sounding Pfeiffer to make you think it is alliterated. And if that isn’t enough, the mascot is named Freddie, which boosts points in the alliteration department. Queens University of Charlotte: Since no Kings University exists in North Carolina, by default the Queen is the highest authority. St. Andrews University: The university could have easily made a mistake and called it St. Andrew’s University, but they smartly avoided that pitfall, showcasing some great insight and critical-thinking. St. Augustine’s University: This university could have easily made a mistake and called it St. Augustine University, but they smartly avoided that pitfall, showcasing some great insight and critical-thinking. Shaw University: One of Shaw University’s school colors is garnet, and that distinction they chose instead of settling with maroon or dark red is impressive. Wake Forest University: A test-optional school, which makes up for their participation in the National athletic scandal in 2019. Wingate University: Mascots are important, and respecting them is even more important. That is why Wingate University is the best college in North Carolina, because they gave their mascot a full, christian name: Victor E. Bulldog. What the E stands for, we may never know. Every school listed clearly has a well-defined and thought out argument for why they are the best college in North Carolina. Every argument is equal in terms of weight and importance, and at no point are the claims made sarcastic, intentionally witty, or humorous. In all seriousness, North Carolina houses an incredibly diverse college education system with some of the best schools in the world, and you cannot go wrong with these appreciable options. ● The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
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By Thomas Gessner
After a nearly two year hiatus, March Madness is back.
Among North Carolina's Division I basketball programs, five men's teams and six women's teams will be participating in national postseason tournaments. Here is the full list of all the teams looking for a shot at gold this March: Men’s NCAA Tournament Bids UNC Chapel Hill, No. 8 seed After a strong showing in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament, the Tar Heels earned an at-large bid and will be facing the No. 9 seed Wisconsin Badgers on Friday, March 19, at 7:10 p.m. The winner of that matchup that will face No. 1 seed Baylor in what seems like an unlucky draw for UNC. UNC Greensboro, No. 13 seed Coming off a close SoCon Tournament victory, the Spartans will be facing the ACC Tournament runner-ups, the No. 4 seed Florida State Seminoles, on Saturday, March 20, 12:45 p.m. This has compelling upset potential as a 4-13 matchup, but UNCG fans should look out for what could very well be the last college game of standout senior guard Isaiah Miller’s college career. Appalachian State, No. 16 seed After winning the Sun Belt Tournament as a dark horse team, the Mountaineers are gunning for a shot against what might be the best Gonzaga team ever. Standing in their way is a play-in game with fellow No. 16 seed Norfolk State, which will take place Thursday, March 18, at 8:40 p.m. Women’s NCAA Tournament Bids North Carolina State, No. 1 seed & NC A&T, No. 16 seed After a great season ending in the ACC Tournament title, the Wolfpack will be facing another North Carolina college, the No. 16 seed A&T Aggies, who won the MEAC Tournament. The inter-state game will be played on Sunday, March 21, at 4:00 p.m. Wake Forest, No. 9 seed Wake Forest will be facing the No. 8 seed Oklahoma State University, with both teams just doing enough to earn at-large bids. OSU had a much better record in a much weaker conference, and on Sunday, March 21 at 1:00 p.m., there will be a clear idea of what matters more. UNC Chapel Hill, No. 10 seed Right behind the team they lost to in the first round of the ACC tournament, the Tar Heels will be facing No. 7 seed Alabama out of the very competitive SEC conference. The Tar Heels just made it into the tournament as one of the “last four in” and they will have a chance to prove themselves on Monday, March 22, at 12:00 p.m. High Point, No. 16 seed After earning an automatic bid as the winners of the Big South Tournament, High Point will be going up against the greatest program in collegiate women’s sports, that of course being the UConn Huskies, who had yet another spectacular season. The game will be live on Sunday, March 21, at 8:00 p.m. Men’s NIT Tournament Bids Davidson, No. 2 seed & North Carolina State, No. 3 seed Unfortunately for Davidson, the strong first half of their season was not enough to earn themselves a spot in March Madness, but they are in good position against the struggling Wolfpack, who likely lost a chance in the NCAA tournament after a terrible loss to the lower-seeded Syracuse Orange, making for another matchup of North Carolina which will be played on Thursday, March 17th, at 7:00 p.m. Women’s NIT Tournament Bids UNC Charlotte The Charlotte 49ers will be facing the Florida Gators in their WNIT matchup on Friday, March 19, 5:00 p.m. in Charlotte. ● The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
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By Thomas Gessner
With teams finally playing in their respective conference tournaments, the regular season has come to an end as March Madness begins. Some teams will rise to the occasion and others will see their seasons fizzle out as they fight to earn limited spots in the big dance.
Punched Their Ticket UNC Greensboro (SoCon Tournament Champions) On Monday, UNCG pulled off the rare sweep in three meetings against a hungry Mercer team to win the SoCon tournament and cement a spot in the NCAA tournament. The Spartans will not be a particularly high seed, but the squad led by senior guard Isaiah Miller -- a two-time SoCon Player of the Year -- certainly has upset potential and should not be underrated. Appalachian State (Sun Belt Tournament Champions) Seemingly out of nowhere, the 4-seed Appalachian State took home the Sun Belt Championship on Monday, beating top-seeded Georgia State. With that victory, the Mountaineers secured a bid to participate in the NCAA tournament, their first appearance in over twenty years. The team was not expected to make it this far, and while they will surely be a very low seed, they’ve already proved that anything can happen. Still In The Hunt UNC Chapel Hill (6th Seed, ACC Tournament) The Tar Heels won handily on Wednesday night against the lower seeded Notre Dame in the second round of the ACC tournament. While UNC finished the season strong and are in good position for a March Madness placement, every win in the ACC tournament helps, and now they look forward to a matchup against the three-seed Virginia Tech. North Carolina A&T (1st Seed, MEAC Tournament) North Carolina A&T holds a top-seed in the MEAC, with their first game on Friday against the winner of Norfolk State vs. NC Central. The Aggies have a solid chance to win it all and punch a ticket to March Madness, which would be their first appearance since 2013, an accomplishment on its own. North Carolina Central (3rd Seed, MEAC Tournament) NC Central is a three-seed in a weak MEAC, and they will get to play Norfolk State in the second round of the tournament on Thursday. If they win that game, they will have to face fellow North Carolina team NC A&T, who defeated the Eagles in both of their regular season matchups. Duke (10th Seed, ACC Tournament) Duke would need to win the ACC tournament to get into the NCAA tournament, and while that seemed highly unlikely, especially after the crushing loss to UNC to close the season, they’ve had very impressive victories against Boston College and Louisville. Their postseason run could run into a wall when the Blue Devils play the Florida State Seminoles on Thursday, however. East Carolina (11th Seed, AAC Tournament) On Thursday, East Carolina will be facing six-seed Central Florida, who they previously lost to by just four points. ECU no stranger to pulling off upsets, after defeating then-No. 5 Houston in February, but the Pirates aren’t playing for much other than being a spoiler team. Season’s All But Over North Carolina State (Second Round Exit, ACC Tournament) The Wolf Pack was utterly destroyed by Syracuse on Wednesday in an unexpectedly lopsided 31-point defeat. This is a sad way for NC State’s season to end, but an ending nonetheless. Campbell (Big South Tournament Runner-Ups) Campbell was not able to take home gold in the Big South tournament, losing in the championship to Winthrop by 27 points. The Fighting Camels upset higher-seeded Radford to make the final round, and that is an impressive feat in itself considering their slower start to the season and the competitive conference. Wake Forest (First Round Exit, ACC Tournament) Wake Forest lost in one of the worst ways on Tuesday, falling to a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Notre Dame in the first round of the ACC tournament, marking a frustrating but poetic end to the Demon Deacons’ season. Gardner-Webb (Second Round Exit, Big South Tournament) Gardner-Webb’s season ended their season on Monday with a six-point loss to a superior Campbell team in what was an expected outcome, but it was still a close enough game to keep Bulldog fans excited up until the end. Western Carolina (First Round Exit, SoCon Tournament) Western Carolina and the Citadel decided not to play defense in their first round matchup last Friday, with WCU losing by 14 points in a 100-86 game. That lack of defensive effort, combined with the inability to outscore opponents, sums up the Catamount’s season. Davidson (Semi-Finalists, Atlantic 10 Tournament) Davidson’s season came to a close in the second round against the talented VCU Rams on Saturday, marking the end of the team’s up and down season. However, Wildcat senior Kellan Grady being named to the All-Conference First Team is something to be proud of. UNC Asheville (Second Round Exit, Big South Tournament) Asheville disappointed in the first round of the Big South tournament, losing to the lower seeded Longwood by 16 points, marking an end to an inconsistent season. UNC Wilmington (First Round Exit, CAA Tournament) Wilmington lost to William and Mary, another unimpressive team, in the first round of the CAA Tournament on Saturday. High Point (Second Round Exit, Big South Tournament) While High Point was able to make it to the second round of the Big South Tournament, they had to face a dominant Winthrop team that would eventually win it all and punch their tickets to the NCAA Tournament. Elon (CAA Tournament Runner-Ups) Elon almost pulled off a Cinderella moment in the CAA Tournament, winning three straight games as the eight-seed to make it all the way to the finals, where they fell to another unlikely team, the Drexel Dragons. It is a fun way to end the season for the Phoenix, after a dismal regular season lagged by COVID-19 cancellations. UNC Charlotte (5th Seed, CUSA Tournament) Charlotte lost by ten points to UTSA on Wednesday, bringing their disappointing season to an end after going just 9-16. ● The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
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By Thomas Gessner
A new number one spot and multiple in-state matchups shuffle up the power rankings as North Carolina’s 18 Division I basketball programs get closer to their respective conference tournaments.
1. UNC Chapel Hill (13-7, 7-5 ACC) The Tar Heels were unable to exceed expectations against Virginia on Saturday, falling 48-60. But they picked up a solid 20-point win in a quickly-scheduled Northeastern matchup on Wednesday in place of the originally planned Miami matchup which was canceled last week. The Tar Heels find themselves on the bubble of the NCAA tournament, a position they are not used to being in. However, a solid Northeastern win and a UNCG loss is enough to propel UNC up to No. 1 in the rankings. 2. UNC Greensboro (15-7, 10-4 SoCon) UNCG could not hold on Wednesday against fellow SoCon team VMI, a team that is about as impressive at home (11-1) as they are disastrous away (1-9). While the Keydets handed the Spartans an eleven point defeat, Greensboro had previously beaten the Virginia Military Institute by almost twenty, so UNCG fans shouldn’t worry too much. The Spartans fall in the rankings for the first time since the rankings were first published. 3. Davidson (10-5, 6-2 Atlantic 10) Davidson has become such a difficult team to rank, with yet another week without any games played, but hope is on the horizon if the Wildcats can play against Southern Virginia this week. 4. Appalachian State (12-7, 6-4 Sun Belt) App State went gameless this week, but their five remaining games allow the Mountaineers a chance to rise the ranks of the Sun Belt conference, currently third, with back-to-back games against South Alabama, the two seed. 5. Duke (9-8, 7-6 ACC) The Duke Blue Devils kept it in state and in conference, defeating NC State and Wake Forest in two big away victories, an area where Duke has struggled this season. With a tough schedule ahead to close out the already challenging year for the Blue Devils, a revenge victory against Chapel Hill on March 6 could give the team needed momentum going into the ACC tournament. 6. North Carolina State (9-9, 5-8 ACC) NC State suffered against a weak Duke squad, but rallied in a close win on Wednesday against Pitt, a team that was once thought to be quite competitive but has dipped drastically following an impressive start. The Wolfpack have not reached the level of play that they might have expected given their veteran backcourt and early winning streak. 7. UNC Asheville (10-9, 9-5 Big South) Asheville fans might want to wait until the tournament to cheer, because that might be the next time the Bulldogs play, with a season filled with postponements and cancellations. 8. Campbell (12-9, 8-6 Big South) Campbell finally participated in two games the past week, with back-to-back wins against a weak USC upstate, but important games nonetheless to remain competitive in the Big South, and keep the team ready for the tournament as the season concludes. 9. East Carolina (8-8, 2-8 AAC) East Carolina takes Campbells’s spot as a team with no games, since this turbulent year has made itself more than present in these teams’ seasons. 10. UNC Charlotte (9-11, 5-7 CUSA) The Niners collapsed against Old Dominion in their second matchup, and those two lapses have resulted in a deflation of the team, who now have four straight losses on the books. 11. North Carolina A&T (8-9, 4-0 MEAC) The Aggies jumped in the rankings as a result of Wake’s shortcomings, but yet another week without games keeps impressions of this team limited. 12. Wake Forest (6-10, 3-10 ACC) Last week I said Wake Forest always stayed competitive, and an overtime loss to Florida State, one of the best teams in the country, proved the Deacons’ grit, but that is not enough, and Wednesday’s blowout loss to Duke proves that. 13. Western Carolina (9-13, 2-11 SoCon) Western Carolina’s performance in their conference has been incredibly disappointing, and the Catamount’s place in these rankings has been dependent on their performance against other North Carolina teams, as well as teams that NC schools have faced. Losses to Chattanooga and Furman further cement their conference strruggles. 14. North Carolina Central (4-5, 2-2 MEAC) NC Central might accomplish something big for North Carolina teams, that being the team with the fewest games played. 15. High Point (8-11, 6-8 Big South) High Point continued to trade wins with back-to-back matchups, winning then losing to Charleston Southern, keeping the team at a point of equilibrium. 16. UNC Wilmington (7-8, 1-5 CAA) Wilmington remains gameless, but I don’t imagine their record would look much better even if they could play in their conference. 17. Gardner-Webb (9-14, 8-10 Big South) Gardner-Webb snapped a four game losing streak with a recent win over fellow Big South team, Radford, but two straight losses to Longwood kept the Bulldogs from rising in the Big South. 18. Elon (4-8, 1-7 CAA) Elon traded wins with Charleston in a back-to-back over the weekend, picking up their first conference win of the season. Further reading:See how this week's rankings differ from last week ● The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
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By Thomas Gessner
Chapel Hill’s victory over Duke has shaken up the power rankings, but will it be enough for the Tar Heels to hold the #1 spot in our rankings, and will Duke remain in the top 5?
1. UNC Greensboro (14-6, 9-3 SoCon) UNCG did not let a tough loss against Furman on Tuesday keep the team down, winning the second game in the series, and as a result, staying atop of the North Carolina power rankings. With their hardest competition behind them, the Spartans should start to look towards the SoCon tournament, where this team’s legacy for the season will be determined with a shot at the NCAA Tournament on the line. 2. UNC Chapel Hill (12-6, 7-4 ACC) The Tar Heels are dealing with scandal after a leaked video of UNC players partying maskless caused Miami to pull out of their game which was scheduled for Monday. Luckily for Chapel Hill, off-court behavior has no effect on the power rankings, and a big win against the rival Blue Devils on Saturday keps Chapel Hill in contention as one of the best team in the state. At this point in the season, for UNC to take the #1 spot, it will take another win over Duke, and a victory over some of the better ACC teams, specifically Virginia and Virginia Tech. 3. Davidson (10-5, 6-2 Atlantic 10) Davidson has had another week of no games, with four postponed games in a row, but what was written last week will be maintained: a win over the talented VCU will give the team credibility heading into the A10 tournament. 4. Appalachian State (12-7, 6-4 Sun Belt) App State had two games postponed and two canceled this week, but still have a fair amount of games remaining in their season, before heading into the Sun Belt tournament, with a chance to create a splash before March Madness. 5. Duke (7-8, 5-6 ACC) Duke might have been handed the toughest and most personal loss of their season against the Tar Heels, and then proceeded to lose to a Notre Dame team at home, the originally nationally ranked squad has failed to meet expectations, but despite the disappointment, The Blue Devils are still one of the better North Carolina teams. With upcoming games against NC State, Wake Forest, and an anticipated rematch against the Tar Heels, Duke has a chance to get back into winning form. 6. North Carolina State (8-8, 4-7 ACC) Another loss to the Syracuse Orange and a victory against Boston College (the worst ACC team) will keep NC State from making much of an impact in these rankings. There are no easy games left for The Wolfpack this season, but anything could happen against inconsistent Duke, Pitt, and Notre Dame teams. 7. UNC Asheville (10-9, 9-5 Big South) Asheville keeps an identical record, and is yet another team to suffer from a lack of games due to postponements/cancellations. To prevent anyone from forgetting, this is the team that cannot win two games in a row against the same team, and with three back-to-backs left, it is up to the Bulldogs to try to break that stigma with a notable upcoming series against Campbell. 8. Campbell (10-9, 6-6 Big South) Campbell is another team without any games this week, and continues the trend of COVID-affected teams without much to talk about. 9. East Carolina (8-8, 2-8 AAC) Following one of the biggest upsets of the season, East Carolina returns to planet Earth with losses to Memphis and SMU, not bad teams, but not nearly as impressive as Houston. The Pirate’s conference woes continue, and so does a tough schedule, with games against Wichita State, Temple, Tulsa, and a rematch with Houston. 10. UNC Charlotte (9-10, 5-6 CUSA) Charlotte struggled this past week, with three close losses against Middle Tennessee and Old Dominion, with the latter game going into overtime. These losses stain Charlotte’s previously positive record, and adds uncertainty for the team for the remainder of the season. 11. Wake Forest (6-8, 3-8 ACC) A win against a terrible Boston College team is not enough to cheer up Wake Forest fans, but Wake has been much more level the last few weeks, playing roughly .500 basketball. The rest of the Deacon’s schedule is undeniably tough, but expect some surprises from a Wake Forest team that has stayed competitive. 12. North Carolina A&T (8-9, 4-0 MEAC) The Aggies had no games in the last week, and the lack of games leaves a lack of words in a weekly power ranking, but look out for A&T in the MEAC tournament, especially if the team keeps that perfect record. 13. Western Carolina (9-11, 2-9 SoCon) Western Carolina’s tour of Southern military academies failed to increase their winning percentage, as the Catamounts lost to the Citadel, then proceeded to defeat a VMI team that defeated WCU by 26 points earlier in the season. The Catamounts have to close out the season on a tough schedule, with back-to-back UNCG games looking particularly challenging. 14. North Carolina Central (4-5, 2-2 MEAC) The Florida A&M Rattlers dismantled NC Central’s positive record and undefeated streak in the MEAC, and in doing so has added to the narrative that the Eagles cannot win away from home, with an 0-5 record outside of Durham. Will this persist when the Eagles face a winless South Carolina State team in Orangeburg on Saturday? 15. UNC Wilmington (7-8, 1-5 CAA) A lack of games this past week keeps Wilmington safe from any movement on their behalf, and the main hope for the team is that they will be able to play some more conference games, especially if the Seahawks can improve their record in the CAA. 16. High Point (7-10, 4-6 Big South) High Point traded wins with Hampton, the first game being a convincing 72-58 victory and the second being a close loss to a team that went hot while High Point went cold, shooting an abysmal 26.9% from three on 26 attempts. 17. Gardner-Webb (8-12, 7-8 Big South) Gardner-Webb attempted to regain some lost momentum after the two losses to High Point with two victories over Presbyterian, only to follow up with a loss to a lacking USC Upstate team with only four wins on the season. With Webb’s regular season drawing to a close, fans should look forward to the final games against Longwood, but do not expect any easy wins from the Bulldogs. 18. Elon (3-7, 0-6 CAA) Elon continues to be consistent, holding down the 18th spot on the power rankings with another loss to an underwhelming James Madison squad. The multiple postponements in Elon’s schedule has hurt the team, and is a factor that cannot be held against the team, but even the games they have had have been disappointing to say the least. Further Reading: See how this week's rankings differ from last week ● The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
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By Thomas Gessner
The Spartans stayed dominant, but numerous upsets created a lot of movement among the teams this week. Here are NC College Beat’s official power rankings of the Hoop State’s 18 Division I basketball programs:
1. UNC Greensboro (12-5, 7-2 SoCon) UNCG sits atop both the power rankings and the SoCon after their wins over VMI and the Citadel this past week. The Spartans have now won seven games in a row and look to keep rolling in conference play. 2. Davidson (10-5, 6-2 Atlantic 10) Despite not playing any games this week, Davidson has moved up a spot in the rankings. Looking forward, Davidson’s biggest obstacle left in the season is 13-4 VCU, who they must play twice in their final seven games. 3. UNC Chapel Hill (11-6, 6-4 ACC) What is there to be said that hasn’t already been stated by sports commentators and repeated by aggregators? The Tar Heels have been unable to stay consistent, losing on Tuesday to a Clemson squad that was blown out just a few days ago by Duke. A bad showing by freshman point guard Caleb Love and too many turnovers led to the team’s downfall. The question going into Saturday night for UNC will be a simple one: Does the team have what it takes to beat their biggest rivals and keep this season afloat? 4. UNC Asheville (10-9, 9-5 Big South) Asheville made a big splash last Friday with their win over previously undefeated Winthrop. The Bulldogs have had trouble beating the same team twice (Radford, Gardner-Webb, Winthrop, Hampton, Longwood), but they are still an effective basketball team with a very solid conference record. 5. Duke (7-6, 5-4 ACC) The Blue Devils cannot create space between their wins and losses, making for a very frustrating season. After Duke pulverized the credible Clemson Tigers last week, they squandered that win with a loss to a poor Miami team. Duke is still a top five team in the state, but Saturday’s game against UNC could very well change that. 6. Appalachian State (12-7, 6-4 Sun Belt) This past week, the Mountaineers were handed two tough losses from Troy, a team that is just tenth in the Sun Belt. The conference has been quite competitive though, and the Mountaineers have looked good overall. Their upcoming matchups with Coastal Carolina and Georgia Southern will be very important if they want to keep their hopes of being conference champions alive. 7. UNC Charlotte (9-7, 5-3 CUSA) Charlotte boosted their conference record with two wins against a bad Florida International team this week, keeping themselves notable in Conference USA. 8. North Carolina State (7-7, 3-6 ACC) The Wolfpack kept things close against Virginia tonight, but a loss to the AP No. 17 team prevented NC State from making any big leaps in the rankings, especially considering their troubles in conference play. 9. East Carolina (8-6, 1-6 AAC) East Carolina was like a secret mailman, delivering one of the most surprising upsets of the season with a ten point victory against No. Houston on Wednesday. The victory marks the squad’s first ever win against a top five team. This win changes the whole perspective on the Pirates, who have been downright bad in conference play this season. 10. Campbell (10-9, 6-6 Big South) Campbell continues to be an alright team, recovering from two close losses to Radford with two victories over Charleston Southern this week. With four games left, the Fighting Camels hope to make a run with two back-to-back series against Hampton and USC Upstate. 11. Wake Forest (5-8, 2-8 ACC) Wake Forest has just not figured it out in the ACC Even though the team had a dominant outing against Miami, they followed it up with a blowout loss to a struggling Notre Dame team. Credit to the Demon Deacons though; they manage to stay competitive in most games, but just lack the talent to seal the deal most of the time. 12. North Carolina A&T (8-9, 4-0 MEAC) The Aggies remain dominant in a weak MEAC North, and two wins against Florida A&M this week continues their hot streak. However, A&T’s unceremonious start to the season still holds the team back from any substantial movement. 13. North Carolina Central (4-3, 2-0 MEAC) NC Central finally got some more wins on the board, albeit against Carver College and winless South Carolina State. They are a team that has not played enough basketball to garner a deep opinion, so for now, the main point to be made about the Eagles’ record is that the MEAC conference is truly downtrodden. 14. Western Carolina (8-10, 1-8 SoCon) Western Carolina’s troubles in the SoCon reflect their standing in the power rankings, especially with the loss to the Chattanooga Mocs on Wednesday. The Catamounts are limping their way to the end of the season now. 15. UNC Wilmington (7-8, 1-5 CAA) Wilmington has suffered in the CAA, and two losses to Hofstra have not helped the team in the standings, but Wilmington overall has been a competitive team against fellow North Carolina schools, and that is the difference maker keeping the Seahawks from falling big in the power rankings. 16. High Point (6-9, 4-6 Big South) High Point has generated some momentum with two valuable wins over a Gardner-Webb team that was thought to be relatively good at this point in the season. The question at hand for High Point, and Gardner-Webb for that matter, is the following: Was the win impressive for High Point, or revealing for Gardner-Webb? At this point, it is safe to say that both sentiments can be accurate. 17. Gardner-Webb (6-11, 5-7 Big South) Gardner-Webb fell big in the power rankings after losing to a disastrous High Point team twice. They had been consistent in the Big South and had a fine record against NC schools, but these losses put the team below almost every team, barring the pitiful Elon squad. 18. Elon (3-6, 0-5 CAA) Elon cannot catch a break. In fact, they don’t seem like they can catch a basketball. With zero wins against a single CAA team, and a schedule that includes some of the weakest competition in division 1 basketball. Further Reading: See how this week's rankings differ from last week ● The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
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By Thomas Gessner
UNC Chapel Hill and UNCG stay put, Duke falls, and Appalachian State rises. Here are our weekly power rankings of the Hoop State’s 18 Division I basketball programs:
1. UNC Greensboro (11-5, 6-2 SoCon) UNCG has kept its momentum, winning three straight games since last week, all of them by eight points or more. The Spartans have proved themselves with quality wins over Chattanooga and Mercer, and excellent play from senior guard Isaiah Miller make them a true contender in the SoCon and a team to watch out for come March. 2. UNC Chapel Hill (11-5, 6-3 ACC) The Tar Heels have shaken off their poor start with a three-game winning streak in the ACC. On Saturday, they defeated NC State in convincing fashion then followed it up with Tuesday’s victory over Pitt, a top-five ACC team. With their recent success, the door is certainly still open to break back into the AP Top 25 this season. 3. Appalachian State (12-5, 6-2 Sun Belt) There’s nothing wrong with dominating your conference, a lesson Appalachian State has been teaching fellow Sun Belt teams. They currently sit atop the Sun Belt East and have the most victories of any other North Carolina team this season. 4. Davidson (10-5, 6-2 Atlantic 10) Davidson continues to play competitive, winning basketball. They’re riding a four-game winning streak right now, the longest current streak of any North Carolina team. The Atlantic 10 has yet to prove itself as a very competitive conference this season, but Davidson sits behind only St. Bonaventure. 5. UNC Asheville (9-8, 8-4 Big South) UNC Asheville 1-2 record this past week represents the inconsistency of the Bulldogs, a team that has had trouble beating teams twice, including Gardner-Webb, Radford, Hampton, and Longwood. Still, the team is in a great position in the Big South, with games against the undefeated Winthrop approaching shortly. 6. Duke (6-5, 4-3 ACC) Duke might have ended their three-game losing streak after Tuesday’s win over Georgia Tech, but their losses to Pitt and Louisville are still very uncharacteristic of the Blue Blood program. According to ESPN, Duke’s NCAA tournament chances dramatically fell from >99 percent chance in the preseason to just a 17 percent chance, putting Duke’s path to a bracket spot very much in doubt. 7. UNC Charlotte (7-7, 3-3 CUSA) The 49ers took revenge on Florida Atlantic after a devastating overtime loss, keeping the team at .500 in a conference with three .500 teams. That being said, Charlotte has not found much success outside of the conference, and has yet to look like a force in the league. 8. North Carolina State (6-5, 2-4 ACC) It was another disappointing week for NC State with their 86-76 to UNC, a squad that State dealt with earlier in the season. However, the Wolf Pack broke a four-game skid with a victory over Wake Forest on Wednesday. 9. Gardner-Webb (6-9, 5-5 Big South) Gardner-Webb improved their record mightily with three conference wins in a row, and now they look to make something of themselves in the Big South. 10. Campbell (8-9, 4-6 Big South) Campbell hasn’t played since last Wednesday, but they hope to bounce back from two consecutive losses when they play South Carolina Upstate this Friday. 11. East Carolina (7-6, 1-6 AAC) A loss to Central Florida on Wednesday night seemed like it could be the nail in the coffin as far as ECU’s conference hopes go. All of the Pirate’s losses have come from AAC teams. 12. Wake Forest (4-6, 1-6 ACC) Wake’s single ACC win over Pitt on Saturday seemed to indicate that the Deacs had some life left in them, but they followed that victory up with a loss against a struggling NC State team on Wednesday. The team still has some adjusting to do under new head coach Steve Forbes. 13. North Carolina A&T (6-9, 2-0 MEAC) The Aggies have not played in the last week, but a notable point to make would be that they have won and lost a game by 60 points this season, which is representative of the team’s sporadic inconsistency. 14. Western Carolina (7-8, 0-6 SoCon) A five game losing streak against fellow SoCon teams has deflated the tough nature of Western Carolina, remaining winless in a strong conference. At this point, fans of the Catamounts should look out for some scrappy games against The Citadel, Wofford, and UNCG. 15. UNC Wilmington (7-6, 1-3 CAA) After having three games postponed earlier in the month, UNCW has lost three of their last four games in their return to the court. 16. Elon (3-3, 0-2 CAA) The Elon Phoenix are another team that have been plagued by COVID-19 postponements and haven’t played a game since Jan. 3. They also haven’t won a game since Dec. 16. 17. High Point (4-9, 2-6 Big South) Tubby Smith’s coaching presence has yet to make an impact on the court, with High Point nursing a 2-6 conference record. 18. North Carolina Central (1-3, 0-0 MEAC) Will NC Central play another game this season? Who knows. Their last seven scheduled matches have been postponed or canceled, but they are slated to play Florida A&M on Feb. 6. ● The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
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By NC College Beat Staff
With the upcoming spring semester, NC College Beat decided now would be a good time to take a look at how the college basketball season is going for schools across the Hoop State. Below, we’ve taken each of the 18 Division I basketball programs in North Carolina and ranked them based on how their teams are performing this season.
1. UNC Greensboro (9-5, 4-2 SoCon) UNCG started off the season slow with a 1-3 record, but have now won three conference games in a row and remain dangerous in a very competitive Southern Conference. 2. UNC Chapel Hill (8-5, 3-3 ACC) The Tar Heels are nowhere near meeting their expectations for this season after bringing in one of the top-ranked recruiting classes in the nation this year. The team seemed to be righting the ship after three hard-fought ACC wins in a row before a narrow loss to Florida State last Saturday. 3. Duke University (5-4, 3-2 ACC) Coach K’s squad that is typically thought of as being a perennial contender in the ACC has really struggled this season despite bringing in a highly ranked freshman class. The Blue Devils were blown out at home earlier by Illinois earlier in the season and now have lost two ACC games in a row. 4. Davidson College (8-5, 4-2 Atlantic 10) Davidson got attention earlier in the season after a gutsy performance in the Maui Invitational nearly brought down the Texas Longhorns, who would go on to win the tournament. Since then, Davidson has had some really impressive showings in Atlantic 10 matchups. 5. UNC Asheville (8-6, 7-2 Big South) The preseason runner-ups in the Big South have been consistently good in conference play and are currently on a four-game winning streak. 6. North Carolina State University (6-4, 2-3 ACC) The Wolfpack came out the gates out hot with a 6-1 record including a rivalry win over UNC. After that, they dropped three ACC matchups in a row before postponing their next two games because of COVID-19-related issues. 7. Appalachian State University (10-5, 4-2 Sun Belt) App State’s record may show the team to be a little better than they actually are, due to a very easy non-conference schedule, save for a blowout loss against Tennessee. The team has had some good conference wins as of late, however. 8. Western Carolina University (7-5, 0-3 SoCon) Western Carolina has shown its toughness this season by playing to overtime in four games this season and winning all of them. The Catamounts have lost their first three conference games but all in close losses. 9. Campbell University (8-8, 4-5 Big South) The Fighting Camels started out the season strong by going 4-0 and winning the Dolphin Classic, but since then they’ve been shaky in conference play. 10. East Carolina University (7-3, 1-3 AAC) The Pirates have some quality wins this season but won’t be much of a threat in an American Athletic Conference that is packed with good teams. 11. UNC Charlotte (6-6, 2-2 CUSA) The one word to describe Charlotte this season would be inconsistent. Case in point: In their latest back-to-back against Alabama Birmingham, the 49ers lost the first game by 24 points and won the second by 15. They have a good win against Davidson this season but also a very bad loss to Division II Belmont Abbey. 12. Wake Forest University (3-5, 0-5 ACC) The Demon Deacons have found themselves to be the punching back of the ACC so far this season, having even a worse conference record than 3-10 Boston College. 13. UNC Wilmington (6-5, 0-2 CAA) Wilmington started the season out fine but after postponements because of COVID-19 and two losses in a row, the Seahawks haven’t won a game since Dec. 23. 14. North Carolina A&T State University (5-9, 2-0 MEAC) The Aggies began the season with an abysmal 3-9 record, but won their first two conference games against South Carolina State. Unfortunately, their past four games have been postponed. 15. Elon University (3-3, 0-2 CAA) The Elon Phoenix are another team that have been plagued by COVID-19 postponements and haven’t played a game since Jan. 3. They also haven’t won a game since Dec. 16. 16. Gardner-Webb University (3-9, 2-5 Big South) Gardner Webb played a pretty tough non-conference schedule which piled onto their losses, but they also haven’t played well in conference matchups either. 17. High Point University (3-7, 1-4 Big South) High Point hasn’t had much to show at all this season despite being coached by former national champion Tubby Smith. 18. North Carolina Central University (1-3, 0-0 MEAC) NC Central hasn’t played a game since Dec. 16, where they narrowly lost to UNC by six points. ● The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
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7/14/2021
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