"It was a great night, one of those things I'll look back on," said Bernardini, who was the Ivy League's rookie of the year after averaging 12.9 points per game. "But I'm sure they're not wanting me to go off for 26 points again."
The rematch is akin to being homecoming-day fodder for the Quakers, who finished 13-18 last season. North Carolina is the first team to be the unanimous No. 1 team in the preseason poll since the Associated Press began publishing one in 1981-82.
The Tar Heels have their top six scorers back, though Tyler Hansbrough, a two-time national player of the year, is doubtful because the 6-9 forward has a stress reaction in his right shin. Senior Bobby Frasor is doubtful after spraining his left ankle Monday night, and top defender Marcus Ginyard had surgery on his left foot and won't return until next month.
Guard Wayne Ellington, the 6-4 junior from Episcopal Academy, is back after averaging 16.6 points and 4.5 rebounds last winter.
When he came home to play against Penn, Ellington did not have one of his better games, finishing with 13 points on 5-for-14 shooting. But for the season, he helped North Carolina win a school-record 36 games and reach the NCAA Final Four.
Starting the season against the Tar Heels is "a positive for us because it put a premium on preparation," Penn coach Glen Miller said. "It's not going to get any more difficult than playing North Carolina."
Miller has another precocious freshman to throw at the Heels in Zack Rosen, a 6-1 point guard who came to Penn after playing against high-level competition for St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, N.J.
"He's not your typical freshman," Miller said. "He won't be awed by playing against anybody."
Rosen doesn't mind starting his college career against the defensive pressure North Carolina will bring.
"I love a challenge," he said. "We don't have much to lose. Just go in there and compete, and see where we're at from day one."
Contact staff writer Kevin Tatum at 215-854-2583 or ktatum@phillynews.com.
