No. 5 Villanova (24-7) at No. 1 North Carolina (29-4)

SYRACUSE, New York (Ticker) -- North Carolina is back in what used to be familiar territory.

The top-seeded Tar Heels play in their first regional semifinal in five years when they meet No. 5 Villanova in the Syracuse Region on Friday. The winner faces either Wisconsin or North Carolina State on Sunday.

Hall of Fame coach Dean Smith guided North Carolina to 13 straight trips to the Sweet 16 (1981-93). But since Smith retired in 1997, the Tar Heels have made it this far only twice, including 2000, when they reached the Final Four.

North Carolina defeated Oakland and Iowa State by a combined 55 points in its first two NCAA Tournament games and topped 90 in consecutive tournament contests for the first time since 1987.

Sean May scored 24 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, while Marvin Williams had career-highs with 20 and 15 in Sunday's 92-65 victory over Iowa State last Sunday.

Villanova opened the tournament by defeating New Mexico, then broke a three-game second-round losing streak with a 76-65 victory over Florida on Sunday.

Jason Fraser collected 21 points and 15 rebounds, while Randy Foye scored 18 and Kyle Lowry added 15 for the Wildcats, who have reached the regional semifinals for the first time in 17 years.

But Villanova must play without second-leading scorer and leading rebounder Curtis Sumpter, who tore a ligament in his right knee against the Gators.

Leading scorer Allan Ray, who averages more than 16 points, has struggled in the tournament, making just 1-of-18 from the floor and scoring 11 points in the two games.

North Carolina has won eight of the 12 meetings. The teams have not faced each other since 1995-1996, when the Wildcats beat the Tar Heels twice.