The North Carolina Tar Heels are the No. 1 ranked team in the AP Preseason Top 25 Poll. Yes, that’s quite an accomplishment for head coach Roy Williams, now in his 13th season as coach of the Tar Heels.

What is even more impressive is the fact that this is the fourth time UNC basketball has been the preseason No. 1 under Williams.

But wait, it gets even better for the Tar Heels. North Carolina now holds the NCAA record for most seasons ranked as the No. 1 team in the AP Preseason Top 25 Poll with nine.

UNC was previously tied with UCLA for the record.

Williams has won two national championships since he took over the program in 2003. He led UNC to a title in his second season in 2004-05, and he did it again in 2008-09.

It’s definitely a position that comes with lofty expectations. Last year’s preseason No. 1 team was the Kentucky Wildcats, but John Calipari’s undefeated squad fell in the Final Four to Wisconsin.

This UNC roster isn’t as young as Kentucky was last year, though. Guard Marcus Paige leads a senior class that also includes two of his 2011 recruiting class buddies: power forward Brice Johnson and center Joel James.

It’s an experienced roster, which is a good thing for Williams. During both of UNC’s championship runs under Williams, the Tar Heels had at least 10 players comprised of juniors and seniors.

Paige is going to need to settle into his role as floor general if UNC is going to match that success. He averaged 14.1 points and 4.5 assists last season, but has yet to average five assists or more during his college career.

In both years that Williams cut down the nylon, UNC’s starting point guard averaged at least six assists. Raymond Felton dished 6.6 assists per game during the 2004-05 season, and Ty Lawson averaged 6.9 assists during the 2008-09 season.

The Tar Heels will go as Paige goes, and if Paige can elevate his game, that preseason No. 1 ranking might hold true until the very end.

LOOK: Veteran North Carolina aims to end where it starts: at No. 1