Tar Heels picked to win ACC race

ATLANTA It was no surprise then that the Tar Heels are picked to win the Atlantic Coast Conference championship.

The Tar Heels earned all 40 votes from reporters at the annual ACC Operation Basketball preseason media day on Sunday, making them the unanimous favorite to win the league title for the second straight season.

The pre-season predicted order of finish for all ACC basketball teams:

• UNC
• Duke
• Wake Forest
• Miami
• Clemson
• Virginia Tech
• Maryland
• Georgia Tech
• NC State
• FSU
• Boston College
• Virginia

In addition, reigning national player of the year Tyler Hansbrough was picked to be the conference's top player for a second straight time.

Other pre-season first team players:

• Tyrese Rice, Boston College guard
• Jack McClinton, Miami guard
• Ty Lawson, UNC guard
• Gerald Henderson, Duke guard/forward

North Carolina returns its top six scorers from a team that won a school-record 36 games and reached the Final Four last season.