CHAPEL HILL, N.C. ? Shot selection was better, the unselfishness returned, and the defense picked up for No. 9 North Carolina in Saturday night’s opener.

And it seemed like old times with Roy Williams back on the bench.

The storied program lost a combined 36 games the last two seasons, but the Tar Heels gave their new coach an impressive victory in his debut, beating Old Dominion, 90-64, Saturday.

“I told the kids that that (game) was No. 1, and now we talk about this year,” Williams said. “We don’t talk about the stuff in the past. That will be a lot of fun for me.”

Rashad McCants had 18 points and a career-high eight assists against an Old Dominion team that returned four of its six best players.

Sean May, who missed most of last season because of a stress fracture in his left foot, was back in form with 17 points, seven rebounds and three blocks as the Tar Heels shot 61 percent.

Williams, who left Kansas University this spring after 15 seasons to replace Matt Doherty, was greeted with a standing ovation as he entered the Smith Center floor, waving to the crowd several times and his family in the stands.

He also won points with the student section when he held up a T-shirt that read: “North Carolina basketball, worth coming home for.”

“My first thought as I came out was that I didn’t see myself ever walking out of that tunnel as the head coach of North Carolina,” Williams said.

North Carolina coach Roy Williams, right, talks with Sean May during the first half against Old Dominion. The Tar Heels won, 90-64, Saturday in Chapel Hill, N.C.

No. 1 Connecticut 111, Sacred Heart 64

Hartford, Conn. — Ben Gordon scored 27 points, Emeka Okafor 23 and Denham Brown 20 for the Huskies (3-0), who shot 71 percent while rolling to a 60-28 halftime lead.

No. 2 Duke 67, Detroit 56

Durham, N.C. — Luol Deng scored 21 points, and J.J. Redick had 19 to help Duke rally and improve to 22-2 in season openers under coach Mike Krzyzewski.

No. 12 Illinois 94,

Western Illinois 66

Champaign, Ill. — Dee Brown had 23 points and five assists to lead Illinois. Five Illini hit double figures on a night when Illinois had only nine players available.

No. 18 Cincinnati 88, Akron 66

Cincinnati — Reserve Tony Bobbitt scored 21 points, and Cincinnati won its 38th consecutive home opener.

No. 19 Wake Forest 97, Elon 55

Winston-Salem, N.C. — Eric Williams scored 16 points, leading Wake Forest to its 15th home-opening victory in a row.

No. 20 Stanford 77, Sacramento State 59

Stanford, Calif. — Justin Davis had 17 points and 10 rebounds, helping No. 20 Stanford win its 16th consecutive season opener.

No. 22 Pittsburgh 90, St. Francis, Pa. 69

Pittsburgh — Chevy Troutman and freshman Chris Taft wore down St. Francis inside. Troutman made all eight shots from the floor and 18 points. Taft added 12 points and eight rebounds for Pitt (2-0).

No. 23 Marquette 75, Valparaiso 70

Milwaukee — Travis Diener scored 26 points as Marquette (3-0) rallied.