So how good are the Tar Heels?
The truth is, for all that everyone has written, no one is entirely sure. In many ways, this is the same North Carolina team that put together a rather lackluster season last year before pulling things together in the NCAA tournament and reaching the Final Four.
But there have been some changes, starting at the top.
The much-maligned Bill Guthridge has stepped down from the helm. After a less-than-private search for a new coach, the Tar Heels managed to keep things in the family, so to speak, by hiring former player Matt Doherty away from Notre Dame to be their new head coach.
Doherty promises to bring a higher level of intensity than did his predecessor.
"He's a lot more energetic," small forward Jason Capel said. "There is a lot more enthusiasm around here."
As he re-familiarizes himself with the ACC, Doherty will have to
UNC will most likely fill that vacancy with freshman Adam Boone. Boone was Minnesota's Mr. Basketball last season.
"The hole in the team is the point guard; when I came in, I knew we'd lost one of the best point guards in college basketball history," Doherty said. "I am not sure what we are going to do exactly, but we've gotten some good play out of Adam Boone. Things are working out well."
Although much of the attention has been on the changes, what makes the Tar Heels so dangerous is what has remained the same.
North Carolina returns four starters from last season's Final Four team.
Shooting guard Joseph Forte was last season's ACC rookie of the year. Forte, who averaged 17.6 points per game, became the first freshman in North Carolina history to lead the team in scoring.
Brendan Haywood, meanwhile, is arguably the best center in the conference. He averaged a somewhat mediocre 12.8 points per game last year, but he led the conference in rebounding with 7.2 boards per game.
Haywood is also reported to be in better shape heading into this season. Perhaps the best sign for this season was the center's dominating performance in the Big Dance last March.
Haywood scored a career-high 28 points against Missouri in the first round, and later added 20 points and 12 rebounds against Florida in the Final Four.
"Brendan is one of the top post players in the nation," Doherty said. "We need him to play big, dominate the middle and take care of the boards. He played his best stretch of basketball in last year's NCAA tournament, so I hope he carries over the confidence that he gained to this season."
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