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North Carolina

UNC is No. 1 and Pittsburgh No. 2

By Associated Press

Mar 9, 2009

North Carolina is No. 1 again, but just barely.

The Tar Heels (27-3) returned to the top spot on Monday, edging Pittsburgh (28-3) by three points in one of the closest votes since The Associated Press' poll started in 1948-49.

North Carolina , which was an unanimous No. 1 in the preseason poll and for the first seven weeks of the season, received 35 first-place votes and 1,734 points from the 71-member national media panel. The Panthers, who also moved up one place, were No. 1 on 33 ballots and had 1,731 points.

On Jan. 27, 1981, Oregon State and Virginia tied for No. 1 in the poll, the only time that has ever happened.

Connecticut (27-3) dropped to third and was followed by Memphis, Louisville, Oklahoma , Michigan State , Wake Forest , Duke and Villanova.