9 College Basketball Teams on the Rise in the New Year Posted Jan 2, 2014 North Carolina: Befitting UNC’s up-and-down season, the Tar Heels may well end up on a list of teams on pace to improve and take a step back. The good news: The Tar Heels returned shooting guard Leslie McDonald after he missed nine games with an NCAA-mandated suspension. He’s 10 of 23 from the field and 8 of 17 from 3-point range in his first three games back. (Athlon Sports)