No NBA team has ever graced the Palestra floor. But tonight, the ancient arena might be seeing the next best thing.
No. 1 North Carolina has three likely NBA first-rounders in its starting lineup and one of the most legendary figures in college basketball history at the helm.
And when the Tar Heels (7-0) come to town tonight to take on Penn (2-6), it will be the first No. 1 team to play in the Palestra since 1962.
Quakers captain Brian Grandieri says that his biggest job is to knock UNC off its pedestal.
"They're all 20-, 21-, 22- year old kids - just maybe a little bit more athletic," Grandieri said. "You can't be scared, and just go out there and act like you can win."
It's not a result that many think is remotely possible, given that last year's Penn team got blown out by 38 points - and that was with a pair of All-Big 5 first-teamers in the lineup.
But if there's one thing working in Penn's favor, it's the element of surprise.
The team's mid-major status has it flying under the radar of the North Carolina powerhouse.
"They could have five Michael Jordans right now and I wouldn't have a clue," UNC coach Roy Williams said during a press conference on Friday. "I have no clue about their personnel."
Penn, however, has a little more than an inkling of what awaits tonight.
Swingmen Wayne Ellington and Marcus Ginyard, along with point guard Ty Lawson and big man Tyler Hansbrough all represent potential NBA draft picks.
Hansbrough, arguably the best post player in the country, and Ellington, almost unmatched as an outside shooter, pose the biggest threats to Penn. It won't help matters that the Tar Heels' full-court press and quick transition offense could keep the Quakers huffing and puffing from the get-go.
"There's not any one player or any trick defense that's gonna stop Tyler Hansbrough or the rest of the North Carolina team," Penn coach Glen Miller said. "We really just want to come together and play great team defense and play together on offense and see if we can grow."
While Miller stressed good shot selection as a way to prevent this game from becoming a track meet, there might not be too much Penn can do about it against a team that is, as Miller said, "the best fast-break team in college basketball."
Ellington confirmed the Quakers' fears.
"We're definitely gonna get up and run and get out in transition," Ellington said.
On the other side of the ball, the Red and Blue will probably be doing the opposite; a slow-it-down game is in the Quakers' best interest.
Last season, they were able to get out to a 18-8 lead by going back door and moving the ball around against the Tar Heels.
It will take a herculean effort from Penn's freshmen to come out firing like that again. Guard Harrison Gaines and forwards Jack Eggleston and Tyler Bernardini will likely start tonight, and they face the daunting and thrilling task of facing the best team in the nation in just their ninth career game.
But it will be the captain's job to keep the new guys grounded and realize that this is a special opportunity.
"I told the guys . it's gonna be the best environment they'll ever play in, in the four years that they're here," Grandieri said.
"I think a lot of guys will be surprised at what the outcome is if we go out there and play for 40 minutes offensively and defensively."
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