GREENSBORO, N.C.

This season, they're co-favorites.

The defending national champion Tar Heels and the Blue Devils tied in yesterday's balloting at the ACC Operation Basketball preseason media day. Duke received 25 of 48 first-place votes (to UNC's 20) in balloting by sports writers and broadcasters, but each school finished with 545 points. It's the first tie in the 41-year history of the preseason poll.

Clemson was third, followed in order by Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Miami, Virginia and N.C. State.

Duke junior forward Kyle Singler was chosen preseason player of the year and was joined by Maryland's Greivis Vasquez, Clemson's Trevor Booker, Virginia Tech's Malcolm Delaney and UNC's Ed Davis. Georgia Tech freshman Derrick Favors was chosen as preseason rookie of the year.

Rule changes

The most noteworthy new rule in college basketball this season is an imaginary 18- by 24-inch rectangle under the basket where drawing charges is now illegal. The rule applies to "secondary defenders"--players who are not guarding the man with the ball.

Any contact in this zone will result in a block call on the defender. The NBA has a similar area, designated by a dotted line, and at least one coach is puzzled by the college game's lack thereof.

"The easiest thing would be to put an arc down," Virginia Tech's Seth Greenberg said. "I think they're putting officials in a difficult situation. It's so mind-boggling that they won't do it. I think it would take a lot of guesswork out of it."

Many players jokingly refer to the new rule as the "Duke rule," because the Blue Devils have made a habit of drawing charges.

"I'm OK with that," Duke senior guard Jon Scheyer said. "That cracks me up."

Another point of emphasis, according to ACC director of officials John Clougherty, forbids players from swinging their elbows excessively to clear space from a defender. If a player does so and makes contact, he is subject to a flagrant foul call and an ejection. If he fails to make contact, he still could be called for a violation.

Size matters