Harrison Barnes Returns to UNC: Will the Tar Heels Be on Top in the ACC?

The 2010-11 season ended with a sense of disappointment for the North Carolina Tar Heels, as they lost in the Elite Eight to the Kentucky Wildcats.

Entering the 2011-12 season, the Tar Heels look to wash the bitter taste of disappointment out of their mouths, and make a run to hang another banner from the Dean Smith Center rafters.

Harrison Barnes' decision Monday morning to return to Chapel Hill next season, combined with last week's news of the return of dynamic interior duo Tyler Zeller and John Henson, should have the Tar Heels poised to do just that.

Outside of the national picture, the Tar Heels are also ready to claim the top spot in the ACC with the usual competition from the Duke Blue Devils at the top.

The Tar Heels return every player from their 2010 roster besides forward Justin Knox.

Couple that fact with the Tar Heels 2011 recruiting class boasting two McDonald's All-American's in James McAdoo and P.J. Hairston, and the Tar Heels are a team no one in the ACC will want to butt heads with.

While the Tar Heels at times in 2010 lacked depth and firepower from the perimeter, those issues should not be problems again in 2011.

P.J. Hairston is a dynamic yet streaky shooter, and will be able to score in bunches off the bench. The same goes for Leslie McDonald, and a healthy Reggie Bullock. The ability to bring instant offense off the bench, should go miles for the Tar Heels in conference play.

Also coming off the bench will be highly-touted James McAdoo, who would probably start for any other team in the country.

McAdoo, the nephew of former Tar Heel Bob McAdoo, is a consistent face-up scorer and a hard-working interior presence who will make himself known to Tar Heel faithful from the get-go.

Adding brawn off the bench for the Tar Heels will also be Justin Watts, along with freshman Desmond Hubert and preferred walk-on freshman Jackson Simmons.

The Tar Heels main competition will, as usual, be the Duke Blue Devils.

While the Blue Devils lost senior leaders Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler, and likely will lose electric point guard Kyrie Irving to the NBA draft, the Blue Devils have a very deep recruiting class.

Headlined by Austin Rivers, but also boasting Quinn Cook, Michael Gbinje, and also the youngest of the Plumlee's, Marshall, the Blue Devils will have their share of talent to spread the floor with in Cameron.

However, with the celebrated return of Harrison Barnes, North Carolina should have an edge in the storied rivalry.

Barnes gives the Tar Heels a dynamic, do-it-all presence and a legitimate superstar-caliber talent.

The extra year of experience should allow Barnes to round out his game and give him the ability to carry this team down the stretch as we saw him do at times during his freshman season.

Combine uber-talented players such as Barnes, Henson, and Zeller in the frontcourt, with the continued development of a savvy, past-first point guard in Kendall Marshall and the Tar Heels appear to be the early favorites heading into next season.

As for Barnes individually, he could be a pre-season All-American heading into the 2011-12 season, and this time it will be well deserved.