ACC preview: Tar Heels reload after title run

Published Oct. 9, 2009 12:17 a.m. ET

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The defending champion North Carolina Tar Heels lost Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green.

Yet they remain the favorites to win the ACC this season.

2009-10 preview

Can't wait for the college hoops season to start? We get you ready for 2009-10 with our preseason guide.

Roy Williams' team welcomed a stellar freshman class led by long and talented big man John Henson, and North Carolina still has guys like Deon Thompson, Ed Davis and Marcus Ginyard to build around.

But the disparity from North Carolina down to the team — whomever you want to pick — that is selected to finish 10th in the league is as minimal as it has been in years.

The loss of Gerald Henderson to the NBA and Elliott Williams will hurt Duke, but the Blue Devils still have Kyle Singler, Jon Scheyer and a couple of promising young big men.

Georgia Tech welcomes highly touted center Derrick Favors, and Florida State should be loaded despite the loss of guard Toney Douglas.

Clemson, Miami, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Maryland and Boston College are all capable of cracking the top half of the league as well.

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Predicted finish

1. North Carolina

2. Duke

3. Georgia Tech

4. Maryland

5. Florida State

6. Clemson

7. Virginia Tech

8. Boston College

9. Wake Forest

10. Miami

11. N.C. State

12. Virginia

All-Conference team

Small forward: Kyle Singler, 6-7, 225, Jr., Duke

2008-09 Stats: 16.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.5 spg, 1.0 bpg

Power forward: Al-Farouq Aminu, 6-8, 218, Soph., Wake Forest

2008-09 Stats: 12.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg

Center: Derrick Favors, 6-10, 235, Fr., Georgia Tech

2008-09 Stats: N/A

Shooting guard: Sylven Landesberg, 6-6, 210, Soph., Virginia

2008-09 Stats: 16.6 ppg, 6 rpg

Point guard: Greivis Vasquez, 6-6, 190, Sr., Maryland

2008-09 Stats: 17.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.1 apg

Player of the Year: Kyle Singler, 6-7, 225, Jr., Duke

Newcomer of the Year: Derrick Favors, 6-10, 235, Fr., Georgia Tech

Frosh to watch