North Carolina coach Roy Williams was instrumental in helping Mark Turgeon get the job at Maryland.
Now he has to face his former assistant for the first time when the fifth-ranked Tar Heels travel to College Park for Saturday's ACC matchup.
Turgeon was a former player for Larry Brown at Kansas, coaching under Brown and then Williams for four seasons with the Jayhawks. When long-time Maryland coach Gary Williams left in May, Roy Williams helped lobby for his former assistant with Terrapins athletics director Kevin Anderson.
"I had discussions with Mark and (Kevin) over a two-day period," Roy Williams said. "Just thought it was a great fit for Mark, that he would do a great job at Maryland for everybody. I thought it was a win-win for both parties."
The friends have never faced each other.
"It's going to be weird coaching against him," Roy Williams said. "I've always wanted him to win every single game he's been involved with."
Turgeon, meanwhile, was ejected when he drew back-to-back technical fouls with 7:29 left in regulation of Wednesday's 90-86 double-overtime loss at Miami. The Terrapins (13-8, 3-4) trailed by 16 points before rallying.
"I think he was just trying to send a message to our guys that he's a fighter," assistant Scott Spinelli said. "He's very passionate about his players. He wants to teach them life lessons for basketball."
Maryland fell for the fourth time in five games despite Terrell Stoglin's career-high 33 points. Stoglin leads the ACC - and is fourth in the nation - with a 21.8 scoring average.
"If we play together, we can come back, it doesn't matter," Stoglin said. "We did it without our head coach, too. It showed that five guys on the court, we can play together, we can come back no matter what."
North Carolina (19-3, 6-1) continues to lead the country in scoring (84.1 ppg) and rebounding (46.3 per game). The Tar Heels, however, are looking for improvement after shooting a season-worst 31.0 percent in their fourth straight win, 68-53 at Wake Forest on Tuesday.
"I told my team I'm tired of saying they're good shooters," Roy Williams said. "Start making the dadgum things in the game."
Tyler Zeller had 18 points and 18 boards while John Henson added 14 and 12 for the Tar Heels, who enjoyed a 55-40 advantage on the glass.
Harrison Barnes had 13 - 4.3 below his average - but sprained his ankle, and Roy Williams says his leading scorer will "hopefully be ready to play on the weekend."
Point guard Kendall Marshall, second in the nation with 9.5 assists per game, added a season-high 14 points against the Demon Deacons. He believes the shooting woes won't continue.
"You have to look at that as a positive that we are getting great shots and just keep working to get in extra shots and hope they go in next time," Marshall said.
The Tar Heels have dropped their last three visits to Maryland. Zeller and Barnes combined for 46 points in the lone meeting between these teams last season, North Carolina's 87-76 home win Feb. 27.
Stoglin scored 28 in that loss - his highest total of last season.
