Temple’s first test: No. 1 North Carolina

Nobody can accuse Temple of backing into this college basketball season. The Owls will meet preseason No. 1 North Carolina on Friday in the opening game of the Veterans Classic at the U.S. Naval Academy. Florida and Navy will meet in the nightcap.

The Owls went 26-11 and advanced to the semifinals of the NIT last season. North Carolina was 26-12 and made it to the NCAA Sweet 16.

So right off the bat, Temple gets a chance to play giant slayer.

"Playing the No. 1 team in the country is going to be a great challenge, but I think we will be ready," said senior shooting guard Quenton DeCosey, who enters the game with 987 career points. "I feel they are definitely beatable as long as we play together as a team."

The 6-foot-5 DeCosey is Temple's leading returning scorer, having averaged 12.3 points per game last season. Senior captain Jaylen Bond, a 6-8, 240-pound forward, averaged 7.6 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds.

North Carolina coach Roy Williams had high praise for Bond and DeCosey at a news conference on Wednesday.

"Watching 15 and 25, they are big-time players who can play on any team in our league or any other league," he said, referring to them by their uniform numbers.

Much will be expected of 6-9 sophomore Obi Enechionyia, who showed potential by scoring 17 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and blocking five shots in the Owls' 60-57 NIT semifinal loss to Miami.

"You can't ask for anything better than playing the best team in the country," Enechionyia said. "It's going to be a good game and I can't wait."

Junior Josh Brown, who averaged 6.3 points last year, will take over the point guard duties for Will Cummings. Three freshmen - guards Levan Alston and Trey Lowe and center Ernest Aflakpui - will add to the depth. Holdovers such as senior guard Devin Coleman and junior swingman Daniel Dingle should have expanded roles.

Temple will be facing a UNC team that will be missing its top player, senior combination guard Marcus Paige, who is out after fracturing a bone in his right (non-shooting) hand. He averaged 14.1 points and 4.4 assists last season.

"I know I can't play, but I'm excited to see how our guys are and I can't wait to get back out there," Paige said. "But, man, I'm happy with how our team looks and I hope we come out and play well."

Sophomores Joel Berry and Theo Pinson and freshman Kenny Williams are among the players who look to pick up backcourt minutes for Paige.

Besides Paige, the other starters returning are 6-10 junior Kennedy Meeks (11.7 ppg., 7.3 rpg.), 6-10 senior Brice Johnson (12.9 ppg., 7.8 rpg.), and 6-8 sophomore Justin Jackson (10.7 ppg., 3.7 rpg.).

How Temple deals with the Tar Heels frontcourt will be a major key.

"Our first game is against arguably the best team in the country and that is what you want," said coach Fran Dunphy, who begins his 10th season at Temple. "You want to be challenged greatly and you want to win those games."

Where/When: Friday 7 p.m. U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland.

What: The first of two games of the Veterans Classic with Florida vs. Navy at 9:30 pm.

Television: CBS Sports Network.

Last year's records: Temple 26-11; UNC 26-12.

Finish: Temple advanced to the NIT semifinals; UNC advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16.

All-time series: 3-3.

Last meeting: March 31, 1991, UNC won 75-72 in the Eastern Regional final at the Meadowlands.

Coaches

Temple: Fran Dunphy (10th season, 193, 108; overall, 503-271)
UNC: Roy Williams (13th season at UNC, 332-101; overall, 750-202)

Temple players to watch

Potential starters

G Josh Brown, 6-3 Jr. 6.3 ppg., 1.5 apg.

G Quenton DeCosey, 6-5 Sr. 12.3 ppg. 4.6 rpg.

G Devin Coleman, 6-2 Sr. 3.6 ppg.

F Obi Enechionyia, 6-9 So. 5.3 ppg., 3.6 rpg.

F Jaylen Bond, 6-8 Sr. 7.6 ppg., 7.9 rpg.

Others

G/F Daniel Dingle, 6-7 Jr. 3.6 ppg.

G Levan Alston, 6-4. Fr.

G Trey Lowe, 6-6 Fr.

C Ernest Aflakpui, 6-10 Fr.

F/C Devontae Watson, 6-11 Sr., 3.7 ppg., 3.2 rpg.

F Mark Williams, 6-8 Jr., 3.5 ppg.

North Carolina players to watch

Potential starters

F Kennedy Meeks 6-10 Jr. 11.4 ppg., 7.3 rpg.

F Brice Johnson 6-10 Sr. 12.9 ppg., 7.8 rpg.

F Justin Jackson 6-8 So. 10.4 ppg., 3.7 rpg.

G Joel Berry 6-0 So. 4.2 ppg.

G Nate Britt, 6-1, Jr., 5.5 ppg.

Others

G Kenny Wilson 6-4 Fr.

G Theo Pinson 6-6 So. 2.8 ppg.

F Isaiah Hicks 6-9, Jr. 6.6 ppg., 3.0 rpg.

F Luke Maye, 6-8 Fr.

About Temple: The Owls are 94-25 in season openers and have won seven in a row…Quenton DeCosey enters the game with 987 career points…The Owls are facing a No. 1 ranked team for the 17th time and have a 2-14 record…Temple's last win over a No. 1 team was over Cincinnati in 2000…Last year was the seventh time in Dunphy's nine seasons at Temple that the Owls won at least 20 games.

About North Carolina: The Tar Heels will be without combo guard Marcus Paige, a senior who led the Tar Heels in scoring (14.1 ppg.) and assists (4.4). Paige has a broken bone in his right right (non-shooting) hand…UNC is 93-12 in season openers and has won 10 in a row…The Tar Heels had a 99-49 exhibition win over Guilford as Kennedy Meeks and Nate Britt each scored 14 points.

mnarducci@phillynews.com

@sjnard