For the second year in a row, Penn will head to the Research Triangle to take on a top-5 Atlantic Coast Conference opponent. After losing at then-No. 1 Duke a year ago, the Quakers will find themselves 10 miles up Tobacco Road in Chapel Hill, N.C., where they will face No. 3 North Carolina on Jan. 3.
Although Penn coach Glen Miller has not yet begun to scout North Carolina in depth, he understands that his team will have to slow down the Tar Heels' up-tempo game.
"Transition defense will be a huge key," he said at practice last week.
The problem that Miller faces, though, is that he also likes his team to play up-tempo and push the fast break.
If they do run, the Quakers may have to go deeper into their bench than they have recently, as UNC coach Roy Williams routinely employs a deep rotation with nine players averaging at least 10 minutes a game and a 10th averaging 9.8 per contest.
While Penn's four main starters all average at least 30 minutes per game, the four main Carolina starters - forwards Tyler Hansbrough, Brandan Wright and Reyshawn Terry as well as guard Wayne Ellington - all average less than 30 per contest.
The Quakers will also be faced with some matchup problems, with all three Carolina forwards standing at least 6-foot-8. If Penn's starting lineup stays consistent, the Quakers will either have to play a zone or guard the 6-8, 232-pound Terry with smaller players - 6-foot-4 Brian Grandieri, 6-foot-4 Michael Kach, or 6-foot-7 but only 210-pound Tommy McMahon.
Miller also said that Penn will need to deal with the Tar Heels' pressure defense, something the Quakers have struggled against at times this year.
"We could do a better job in that area," Miller said.
It will be a tough task for the Quakers, but Miller is sticking to his guns and hoping his team will play well enough to have a chance to pull off the upset.
The second half of Penn's southern trip will be 35 miles west of Chapel Hill against Elon on Jan. 6. The Phoenix are 1-6 - with their one win coming against NAIA Montreat - and are struggling mightily, averaging 58.6 points per game while allowing 78.3.
The Quakers should be able to run up and down the court against Elon, which has allowed opponents to shoot nearly 50 percent against them this year. Defensively, Penn will try to take advantage of a team that has been giving up almost 19 turnovers per game. Only one Elon player, freshman forward Scott Grable, has more assists than turnovers on the season, and he has only three assists and two turnovers.
Elon's most dangerous offensive threat is senior guard LeVonn Jordan, who averages a team-high 20 points and six rebounds per game.
Only one other Phoenix player, sophomore guard Brett James, averages double figure scoring, at 13 points per game.
The difference between the two North Carolina teams can be found in games against a common opponent, High Point. The Tar Heels beat the Panthers 94-69 last Saturday for Williams' 500th career win. Meanwhile, on Dec. 4, Elon turned the ball over 26 times and lost 62-48.
At the very least, Penn is hoping that their record will emerge the same as High Point's did over the same stretch.
