There are a lot of differences between the two head coaches on the sidelines for Saturday's game between Arkansas and North Carolina.
From a philosophical standpoint, one has set himself apart as one of the game's best half court coaches, while the other's success is based on the full court defense. One is a basketball hall of famer, has won two national championships and is one win shy of 750 for his career. The other has never made the Final Four.
The annual expectations are vastly different in Carolina blue and Razorback red.
But there is one thing that binds Roy Williams and Mike Anderson: they are both where many felt they always belonged.
The longtime proteges to their schools' head coaching icons, Williams and Anderson share an appreciation for the jobs they expect to ride into retirement.
At North Carolina, Williams played under Dean Smith for two seasons and was later his assistant coach for 10 years. Anderson played for Nolan Richardson at Tulsa and spent 17 more seasons as his right-hand man with the Razorbacks.
In the sense they left behind secure jobs, Anderson's decision to leave Missouri four years ago was similar to Williams' decision to leave Kansas following the 2003 season. The difference was Williams' last game as coach of the Jayhawks was for a national championship.
In both instances, the head coaches came back later than the fan bases expected they would. Williams turned down North Carolina advances when Bill Guthridge retired in 2000. Anderson had been the Missouri coach for only one season and was never a serious candidate when Stan Heath was fired in 2007.
Things wound up getting worse at both schools. When Matt Doherty failed to make the postseason in 2001, it was the first time it had happened in Chapel Hill since 1975. John Pelphrey was the second coach to take the Arkansas job in one week and never came close to living up to the expectations of the job.
Both men opted to return to their roots when it became apparent the opportunity may never arise again. Williams was 53 years old when he accepted the North Carolina job. Anderson was 51 when he returned to Arkansas.
And they've lived up to the expectations for the most part. Williams tied Smith's two national championships with the Tar Heels and Anderson has the Razorbacks at their highest win total since Richardson's national runner-up team.
Like their mentors, they have Arkansas and North Carolina meeting in a game on college basketball's biggest stage. The Razorbacks are playing the Tar Heels for the fifth time in the NCAA Tournament - the most Arkansas has played against any opponent in the postseason.
For two men who are far from mirrored images, their similarities are striking.