Scouting: North Carolina @ Illinois

North Carolina (4-2) at Illinois (6-1)

When: 8:30 p.m. at Assembly Hall Tuesday

TV: ESPN; Radio: WIND 560-AM

Skinny: Welcome to the second meeting between these teams since the ill-fated 2005 NCAA national championship game. The Tar Heels opened the year at No. 8 in The Associated Press poll, and the Illini started No. 13, but the hosts have slid seven spots and Roy Williams' boys have fallen all the way out of the poll after losses to Minnesota and Vanderbilt. North Carolina is loaded, of course, starting with big men Tyler Zeller (15.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg) and John Henson (10.3 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 3.2 bpg). They'll present a severe test for Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis, who've allowed more than their share of points and rebounds inside. The sideshow will be the battle of McDonald's All-American freshman forwards. Illinois' Jereme Richmond, who hasn't needed to start on a veteran team, contributes 8.6 points and 4.3 rebounds in 21.6 minutes per game. Carolina's Harrison Barnes, who was voted to the AP's preseason All-America team, has shot just 35 percent in the early going. He averages 11.8 points and 6.3 rebounds in 28.3 minutes per game.