FACTS & STATS: Site: Smith Center (21,750) -- Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Television: Fox Sports South. Home Record: Valpo 0-0, UNC 2-0. Away Record: Valpo 0-1, UNC 0-0. Neutral Record: Valpo 0-0, UNC 0-0. Conference Record: Valpo 0-0, UNC 0-0. Series Record: North Carolina leads, 2-0.

GAME NOTES: The sixth-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels seek a 3-0 start to the 2009-10 season when they entertain the Valparaiso Crusaders this afternoon at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill.

Valpo kicked off its season on Friday night, falling at Ball State in an 88-78 final. This game marks the first of four the Crusaders will play against teams currently ranked in the top 10 -- the others coming against Michigan State, Horizon League rival Butler and Purdue. All four will happen in the first month of the season, and on the road no less.

North Carolina has won its first two games of the campaign in relatively easy fashion, first disposing of Florida International (88-72), and then North Carolina Central (89-42). Following this clash, the Tar Heels will take on Ohio State and either California or Syracuse, all of which represent much stiffer competition for the defending national champs. Those games are part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic and will take place next week in New York City.

UNC is 2-0 in the all-time series with Valpo, and the most recent meeting took place in Chicago last year with the Heels posting an 85-63 triumph. The Crusaders actually led 12-3 early in that tilt, but then UNC took control and cruised to the comfortable win.

Valparaiso got 20-point performances from newcomers Cory Johnson and Brandon Wood, but it wasn't enough as the Crusaders dropped a 10-point decision to Ball State in Friday's season opener. Wood hit three treys on his way to a game-high 25 points, while Johnson was an efficient 9-of-14 from the floor in finishing with 21 points. Unfortunately for coach Homer Drew's squad, Ball State shot 57.8 percent from the field and outscored Valpo at the foul line by a 32-17 margin. Despite the setback, the Crusaders averaged just 61.3 ppg a season ago, so the offensive outburst was certainly a positive sign. BSU's bench outscored Valpo's, 16-5, another key to victory for the Cardinals.

North Carolina will play five ranked teams between now and December 19th, and if the first two games are any indication, coach Roy Williams' team should be in good shape once ACC play gets underway. Deon Thompson (16.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg), Marcus Ginyard (14.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg) and Tyler Zeller (12.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg) are all averaging double figures, and the team as a whole is shooting 57.5 percent from the field, although improving from long range will only benefit the Heels who have hit just 9-of-26 three-point attempts thus far. Ed Davis is another guy to keep an eye on as the season progresses, as he is averaging a near double-double with his 9.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Defensively, the Tar Heels are yielding just 57.0 ppg on a typical field goal percentage of only .317. Ginyard, who scored a career-high-tying 17 points in UNC's blowout win over NC Central the last time out, could be the key to the Tar Heels' season if he is able to stay healthy and play like the experienced fifth-year senior is capable.

It's not exactly going out on a limb to predict a UNC victory in this game, but simply put...Valpo has no shot in this game.

Predicted Outcome

North Carolina 88, Valparaiso 58