FOXBOROUGH - It was almost impossible for John Tillman to bring his University of Maryland men’s lacrosse team to Harvard Stadium Thursday for practice and not get nostalgic as it prepared for its Final Four matchup Saturday with Duke.

In 2008, when lacrosse coach Scott Anderson stepped down after 20 years to become Harvard’s assistant athletic director, the Crimson took a chance on Tillman, 38 at the time. He had been an assistant at Ithaca and Navy but never a head coach.