No. 7 North Carolina looks forward to test from Texas

This should be a period of great discovery for Texas and No. 7 North Carolina.

The undefeated teams play in one semifinal matchup of the Las Vegas Invitational on Thursday night at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

"For us, this week is all about continuing to build our identity," Texas coach Shaka Smart said. "This is a terrific early season litmus test just to see where we are."

That's a similar sentiment expressed from the Tar Heels (5-0), who are coming off three straight home victories.

"We are getting ready to play a different animal," North Carolina coach Roy Williams said.

The teams will play No. 11 Michigan State or No. 17 UCLA in the consolation or final Friday, so it's a two-day test for each team.

Texas (4-0) is leaving its home state for the first time. For the Longhorns, it's a chance to see if their accomplishments across the first two weeks of the season translate against what looks like stiffer competition.

"This is the reason that guys come to college to play basketball," Smart said. "Our team is certainly excited to play a team like North Carolina. ... The great thing about it is it's up to us to show how we can carry over (what we've done so far)."

In many ways, these teams want to play similar styles with a brisk pace. That means it could-be a high-possession game.

"Playing with a pace we want at both ends of the basketball court," Smart said. "We want to continue to play with more pace. We want to spread the floor more. ...

"We still have to get better at the violence with which we move and cut and spread the floor."

Texas put up 81 shots in its most recent game -- a 97-69 whipping of The Citadel.

While that worked out for the Longhorns, the Tar Heels like to be off and running as well.

"Coach Williams' teams play with great pace, the way they get the ball out and get the ball up the floor," Smart said. "They've got a lot of experienced guys who know how to play. The key for us is just to continue to fight, to play with urgency at the defensive end."

North Carolina hasn't faced a nationally ranked team yet, something that will happen one way or another Friday. But going against Texas looks like a big task as well.

"No disrespect to the teams that we have played, but these teams are a little bit more physically imposing and match up with us," North Carolina senior guard Kenny Williams said. "We get excited for that. It's going to be a big matchup. ... especially to see where we stack up against some of the better teams in the country."

North Carolina is making its third appearance in the Las Vegas Invitational, going a combined 3-1 in previous games at Orleans Arena. The Tar Heels held a No. 1 national ranking for the event in 2007 and 2011.

"The teams we are about to play against in this stretch are as good as we are so we have to do the little things to succeed," North Carolina guard Seventh Woods said.

Texas leads the series 7-3, winning seven of the last eight meetings with North Carolina. As a coach, Roy Williams is 7-7 against Texas -- 6-1 while at Kansas and 1-6 at North Carolina.