Tar Heels Cement #1 Ranking; Ohio St. Saves Season

Florida St 77 #1 UNC 90 Just a day after regaining the #1 ranking in the nation, North Carolina showed why they deserved the top spot with a routine home win over Florida State. UNC was ranked #1 from preseason through the Janury 14 poll, after which they suffered their first loss of the season, 82-80, to Maryland. Since then, Memphis and Tennessee had assumed the lead, but both lost key games and with only one other loss - to Duke - the Tar Heels were the obvious choice, espeically since Ty Lawson is fully recovered from injury and playing again. North Carolina will get their final test of the regular season and a chance to make amends at Duke on Saturday. The Blue Devils upended North Carolina a month ago, 89-78 at Chapel Hill. Lawson was inactive for that game, but he will be ready to put in his best effort in a game that will determine the ACC regular season champion, if Duke takes care of business Wednesday night at Virginia. Lawson scored 10 points in 20 minutes against the ... (link)