All right, so as everyone knows this is the time of year where everyone around Chapel Hill starts to get really excited. Late Night with Roy is coming up, and that means basketball players dressed like the Beach Boys and dancing to some ridiculous pop song, the best Roy Williams impersonation by a player, and (possibly) the return of Divine Noel and/or Martha Vineyard. Fun for the whole family, no doubt.

But what about the product on the court for the Tar Heels? After all, they lost all-everything Tyler Hansbrough, dynamic Ty Lawson, versatile Danny Green, and deadly Wayne Ellington along with valuable contributors Bobby Frasor and Mike Copeland. Who can replace that level of production?

Start with the two seniors on this team, forwards Marcus Ginyard and Deon Thompson. Both have championship experience, but they've also experienced failure and disappointment. Thompson will be the primary option in the post, alongside sophomore Ed Davis, while Ginyard will be counted on to provide stellar defense and unyielding intangibles.

With a few key contributions - I see sophomore guard Larry Drew II and junior forward Will Graves as the players with the largest burdens headed into the season - and a little luck - look out for freshmen John Henson and Dexter Strickland this year - this team could end up back in the thick of it for the ACC title...and maybe more.