There is only one justification for ranking North Carolina over Oklahoma at this point, and that’s because you simply think that the Tar Heels are a better basketball team than the Sooners.
Oklahoma is No. 1, according to KenPom. They’re No. 1 in the RPI. They’re No. 1 in the NBC Sports Top 25. Their best win (Villanova on a neutral) is better than North Carolina’s best win (Maryland at home). UNC’s second-best win is ... Syracuse? Oklahoma has been Iowa State, West Virginia and won at Baylor.
Oklahoma has lost at Kansas and at Iowa State. UNC? At Northern Iowa and Texas.
[NEW PODCAST | NBC Sports Top 25 | Bracketology]
Long story short: the empirical evidence says that Oklahoma is the No. 1 team in the country, meaning that the only way you can rank North Carolina above the Sooners is if you simply think the Tar Heels are better.
[Player of the Week: Buddy Hield | Team of the Week: Oregon]
Anyway, here is the Coaches Poll:
1. North Carolina (19-2, 18 first place votes)
2. Oklahoma (18-2, 14)
3. Maryland (19-3)
4. Villanova (18-3)
5. Xavier (19-2)
6. Kansas (17-4)
7. Iowa (17-4)
8. Texas A&M (18-3)
9. Virginia (17-4)
10. Michigan State (19-4)
11. Providence (18-4)
12. West Virginia (17-4)
13. Baylor (17-4)
14. Iowa State (16-5)
15. Miami (FL) (16-4)
16. Purdue (19-4)
17. Oregon (18-4)
18. Louisville (17-4)
19. Kentucky (16-5)
20. Arizona (17-5)
21. Indiana (18-4)
22. Wichita State (16-5)
23. South Carolina (19-2)
24. Dayton (18-3)
25. Saint Mary’s (18-2)