Associated Press
North Carolina edged Pittsburgh for No. 1 in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll Monday in one of the closest votes ever.
The Tar Heels (27-3) moved up one place to reclaim the top spot after beating Duke to win the ACC regular-season title.
Pittsburgh (28-3) moved up one place after beating Connecticut for a second time this season when the Huskies were ranked No. 1. The Panthers finished tied for second in the Big East with Connecticut, one game behind Louisville.
North Carolina received 35 first-place votes and 1,734 points from the 71-member national media panel. Pittsburgh was No. 1 on 33 ballots and had 1,731 points.
On Jan. 27, 1981, Oregon State and Virginia tied for No. 1, the only time that has happened since the poll began in the 1948-49 season.
Connecticut (27-3), which had moved back to No. 1 last week, dropped to third and was followed by Memphis, Louisville, Oklahoma, Michigan State, Wake Forest, Duke and Villanova.
Memphis (28-3) received two No. 1 votes, and Louisville (25-5) received the other.
ACC AWARDS
GREENSBORO ó The ACC’s weekly awards have gone to Florida State’s Toney Douglas (player of the week) and Wake Forest’s Al-Farouq Aminu (top rookie)
Douglas averaged 24.5 points and five assists in the Seminoles’ loss at Duke and victory over Virginia Tech.
Aminu had two double-doubles while averaging 18.5 points and 12 rebounds in wins over Maryland and Clemson.
ELON
ELON ó Ernie Nestor is out after six seasons as Elon’s basketball coach.
Team spokesman Matt Eviston confirmed that the 62-year-old Nestor resigned.
Nestor was 67-117 in six seasons at Elon, and it went 11-20 this season. Last year, Elon advanced to the Southern Conference title game, where the Phoenix lost to Davidson.
The longtime Wake Forest assistant and former George Mason coach took over at Elon in 2003-04.
HIGH POINT
HIGH POINT ó Bart Lundy is out as High Point’s basketball coach after a 9-21 season and last-place finish in the Big South Conference.
Lundy was 96-87 in six seasons at High Point. He led the Panthers to an appearance in the Big South title game in 2004, his first season.
Lundy is 211-128 in 11 seasons as a coach, including five years at Division II Queens.FINAL FOUR
DETROIT ó Fergie, the Pussycat Dolls and Staind are among the musical acts scheduled to perform during three days of free music concerts.