CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina is expected to contend at the head of the ACC’s expanded pack this basketball season.
The Tar Heels checked in second in the league’s predicted order of finish on Tuesday afternoon, behind only rival Duke at the top of the preseason forecast for the enlarged conference, which now houses 18 teams from coast to coast, with newcomers California, Stanford and SMU.
The Blue Devils, who landed another highly regarded freshman class, this one led by top-ranked recruit Cooper Flagg, were cast as the ACC’s preseason favorite after receiving 42 of the 54 first-place votes from the media panel that selected the preseason poll. UNC picked up 11 first-place votes. Third-place Wake Forest and fourth-place Clemson followed the Tar Heels on Tuesday in the preseason balloting. Virginia, Miami, Pittsburgh, NC State, Louisville and Notre Dame were next in spots five through 10 in the poll…