In the tightest three-way preseason race since USA TODAY took over the poll in the 1991-92 season, the Tar Heels are No. 1 with 739 points, five more than second-ranked UCLA and eight points ahead of No. 3 Memphis.

UCLA, however, received 12 first-place votes from the voting panel consisting of 31 Division I head coaches to North Carolina's 10. Memphis had eight first-place votes and fourth-ranked Kansas received one.

"We're excited about people thinking we're going to be pretty good because we think we're going to be pretty good," North Carolina coach Roy Williams said.

The Tar Heels return 6-9 junior forward Tyler Hansbrough, a national player of the year candidate who averaged 18.4 points and 7.9 rebounds a game last season and led North Carolina to the Elite Eight. The Tar Heels lost to Georgetown in overtime in the East Regional championship game and finished 31-7.

North Carolina also returns sophomore point guard Ty Lawson (10.2 points, 5.6 assists) and sophomore guard Wayne Ellington (11.7 points). The Tar Heels lost starters Brandan Wright, who departed after his freshman season and was the eighth pick in last summer's NBA draft, and Reyshawn Terry.

The Tar Heels are still enjoying a youth movement since winning the 2005 NCAA title. "I love the fact that instead of 11 freshmen and sophomores like we had last year, we have 10 sophomores and juniors," Williams said. "That year of experience is going to help."

The tightest two-way preseason poll was in 2000-01 when Arizona edged Duke by three points for No. 1, and Stanford was a distant third. Duke ended up beating the Wildcats in the national championship game.