UNC Basketball: 5 Reasons We Can't Wait for Tar Heels' 2015-16 Season

The start of college basketball season is still three months away, but North Carolina fans can't wait for the year to begin.

After an encouraging finish to the 2014-15 season, which featured a narrow loss to Wisconsin in the Sweet 16, the Tar Heels have a lot of confidence going into 2015-16. The question is whether the squad has what it takes to bring home the school's sixth national championship.

What we do know is there is a lot to be excited about if you are a Tar Heels fan. Here is a look at the reasons why you should be counting down the days to the first game.

Most of Rotation Is Back

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With many of the elite players across college basketball leaving early to the NBA every year, it's hard for teams to stay together for too long. This helps North Carolina's current team separate itself from the pack.

The Tar Heels return their top four scorers from last season with J.P. Tokoto being the only departed starter. More impressively, almost the entire rotation is back as nine of the 10 players who received regular minutes will be back in 2015-16.

UNC will have the experience and cohesion usually unseen at top-level programs in this era of college basketball.

Even with the constant infusion of young talent, these attributes are extremely helpful. Last year's No. 1 seeds Villanova and Wisconsin both returned four starters from the previous season while even Kentucky had three.

This will represent a clear advantage over most opponents this year.

NBA-Level Talent

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It's one thing for an average team to return a lot of players, but the ones coming back to compete for UNC could be among the best in the country.

According to DraftExpress, Justin Jackson, Brice Johnson, Theo Pinson and Kennedy Meeks are all expected to be taken in the first round of the 2016 NBA draft. Marcus Paige is predicted to go in the second round, although he could definitely move up if he puts up numbers similar to his sophomore season.

Head coach Roy Williams has had some talented teams in his career, but you could make an argument for this being one of his best. From former McDonald's All-Americans who haven't yet reached their potential to veterans who are perfectly suited for the college game, there is a lot of skill throughout this squad.

Adding this to the experience makes this group tough to match on paper.

Incredible Depth

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The starting lineup will be deep and experienced, but that is not the only strength of this team. North Carolina can also wear teams down with as many as 11 players who will likely get regular minutes this year.

Of course, it is not just the numbers that will beat teams. Williams will have plenty of choices when it comes to playing style throughout the year.

If the coach wants to go with a smaller lineup, point guards Nate Britt and Joel Berry will be helpful. If he needs more help down low, Isaiah Hicks and Joel James will be ready to contribute. Even freshmen Kenny Williams and Luke Maye can provide a nice addition with their three-point shooting ability, something the squad desperately needed a year ago.

Having this variety of contributors over the course of the season will lead to big things.

Schedule Will Provide Unique Challenges

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It will be hard to match the difficulty of last year's schedule, which KenPom.com rated as the toughest in the nation. Still, there will be plenty of intriguing battles throughout the season.

The ACC, despite its lack of balance, once again features a number of legitimate Final Four contenders that will create some intense battles. Nonconference foes such as Maryland, Texas and UCLA will all represent tough matchups as well.

Finally, a road game at Northern Iowa could be a tough mental hurdle for a veteran team looking for big things out of this season.

While some teams around the nation like to breeze through a weak schedule, the Tar Heels will once again challenge themselves and provide fans with some exciting contests from start to finish.

Duke Will Be Slightly Worse

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One more reason to be excited about the upcoming season is the knowledge that Duke won't be quite as good as it was last year. The Blue Devils took home a national championship behind the play of Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones, Justise Winslow and Quinn Cook, with none of them returning to school for next season.

Obviously, head coach Mike Krzyzewski knows how to reload. Freshmen Brandon Ingram, Derryck Thornton and Chase Jeter will join returning members Grayson Allen and Amile Jefferson to make a formidable team that will only get better as the year progresses. Still, there is a clear drop off from last year's juggernaut.

With North Carolina possibly going into the season No. 1 in the polls, this will be a good feeling for fans.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for year-round college basketball talk and more sports analysis.