A week ago it would have been a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup when North Carolina visits Kentucky on Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, a Heels loss last Saturday to UNLV dashed those hopes, but No. 5 UNC and new No. 1 UK remain the two favorites to cut down the nets in New Orleans this April. So Saturday’s game could well be a preview of the national final: UK opened as a slight favorite on Bodog’s NCAA basketball odds.
 
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The Tar Heels (6-1) have looked a bit ragged of late, following that UNLV loss with a rather ugly 60-57 home win over No. 7 Wisconsin on Wednesday night. North Carolina, which scored a season-low in points, trailed by five points midway through the second half before going on an 18-5 run that finally put the Tar Heels ahead for good. Harrison Barnes, who was iffy for the game with a sprained ankle, led UNC with 20 points.
 
The loss almost was very costly as freshman guard P.J. Hairston went down hard on his wrist in the second half and didn’t return. There were concerns Hairston broke the wrist; it’s not broken but Hairston won’t play in this one. He is arguably the top perimeter shooter on the team. Hairston, who was coming off the bench and playing about 12 minutes per game, had made 14 of 31 shots (45.2 percent) from beyond the arc this season. His minutes likely will go to swingman Reggie Bullock, who is 11-for-25 from long range.
 
Kentucky (7-0) took care of business on Thursday night at home against St. John’s, 81-59, in UK’s first game as the nation’s top team since the 2009-10 season. Superstar freshman Anthony Davis scored 15 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and had eight of a school-record 18 blocks. It was the Wildcats’ 38th straight win at Rupp Arena. They are in their 90th week at No. 1 -- fourth all-time behind UCLA (134), Duke (122) and North Carolina (108). But the last time they held it, the week of Jan. 25, 2010, the Cats surrendered the top spot the following week. And Kentucky will give up No. 1 to Ohio State on Monday if the Wildcats fall here.
 
As many as nine players in this game could be first-round picks in next year’s NBA draft if they all come out. Either UNC’s Barnes or UK’s Davis figures to go No. 1 overall in the 2012 draft. The Heels and Cats played twice last year. UNC won 75-73 in Chapel Hill during the regular season, but Kentucky beat North Carolina 76-69 in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual national champion UConn in the Final Four.
 
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