Star-studded

History and a homecoming surround tonight's battle of two legendary programs.\nUnranked IU plays host to No. 9 University of North Carolina at 9 p.m. tonight in the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge.\nThe Tar Heels come to Bloomington for the first time since 1979, led by second year coach Roy Williams and Bloomington native Sean May -- son of former Hoosier Scott May. \nSaid by many to be the best team in the country, the Tar Heels returned all five starters and are fresh off a championship win at the Maui Invitational. \nLed by junior Bracey Wright, the Hoosiers need to play like the Detroit Pistons did against the Los Angeles Lakers in last year's NBA Finals, said IU coach Mike Davis. The only difference is IU doesn't have Ben Wallace or Chauncey Billups.\n"These guys are really good," Davis said. "They are the best team I've seen in a long time. They push the ball down the court as quick as I have seen before. We have never faced a team that has the leading scorer, rebounder and assist guy in a conference returning. You have those three guys and all are going to the NBA. There is no weakness on their basketball team." \nHeading into tonight's game, IU has a 2-0 record and is coming off of two four-point wins against Indiana State and Western Illinois. \nNorth Carolina comes to Bloomington with a 4-1 record, with its only loss to Santa Clara University in the Tar Heels' first game of the season. UNC was without star guard Raymond Felton for the loss.\nWith the travel schedule including California and Hawaii, Williams has been lenient with his team lately because of its rigorous schedule.\n"We had a short practice (Monday); I gave them some rest time," he said. "We played five games in nine days and traveled 30 hours during that time period. It was pretty demanding."\nEven though the Hoosiers are off to their fifth 2-0 start in the last six years, the young team has lacked the blowout power that the 2002 Final Four team had. \nPaced by Wright's 12 points per game, the Hoosier starting line-up features two freshmen -- Robert Vaden and D.J. White -- compared to the Tar Heels' starting five, which features a veteran line up of three juniors and two seniors. UNC junior Rashad McCants tops the Tar Heels with 19 points per game. The Tar Heels have three players averaging double-digit points, with senior Jawad Williams with 16.8 ppg and May with 15.8 joining McCants.\nWright, who played with May this summer for Team USA at the 2004 Basketball World Championship For Young Men, said the Heels deserve their ranking.\n"I watched them play a few times so far," he said. "I watched the USC game. They look like the No. 1 team in the country right now. Inside and outside, one through six, they probably have the best players in the country. We just have to come out ready to play."\nWith five freshmen, the Hoosiers will have the chance to grow up in a hurry. Tonight's game starts a 21-day, six-game stretch against NCAA tournament teams. \nDespite the struggles this IU team has faced this year, Williams sees potential for them.\n"Their starting five is a very gifted, very talented group," he said. "I know their team is going to get better and better and better. If you're going to be inexperienced, it's better to be inexperienced up front."\nTonight will be the Hoosiers freshmen introduction into IU lore. \nPlaying UNC, Davis said, comes with the pressure of playing at top form. \n"We have to play our perfect game. We haven't played well the last three games," Davis said. "That's a scary feeling to know that you are playing the best team in the country and haven't played well your last three games."\nThe Hoosiers are trying to rebound from last season and become one of the prominent teams in college basketball, while Williams has brought the Tar Heels back to the glory of old UNC teams.\nDavis hopes to get IU back to that level soon, and tonight he just hopes not to fall back into the groove that has slumped the Hoosiers so far this season.\n"We just have to come out and play like crazy and make sure that whatever we have been doing the last three games does not come out in this game," Davis said.\n-- Contact senior writer Josh Weinfuss at jweinfus@indiana.edu.