At Downtown Barber Shop, 824 Mass., “Roy’s room” is another name for the bathroom.

The day former Kansas University basketball coach Roy Williams announced he was leaving KU and going to North Carolina, the barbers here pulled a picture of Williams off the wall and relegated it to the bathroom at the rear of the shop. It now hangs directly in front of the toilet.

“This town’s a bunch of haters,” barber and recently converted KU fan Pete Fitzgerald said Sunday, summarizing the feelings he’s heard customers and co-workers express about Williams. “They hate him because they loved him.”

Tonight, as UNC plays Illinois in the national basketball championship, Williams has the chance to do what he couldn’t do with the Jayhawks in 15 seasons, four trips to the Final Four and two championship games: Win the title.

Despite the bitterness from Williams’ 2003 departure, which came after he toyed with leaving in 2000, then pledged to retire at KU, a good number of Lawrence residents and KU fans say they’ll be rooting for Roy.

Or, at least they won’t be rooting against him.

“He’s been working hard for a couple of decades. Just because he’s no longer at Kansas isn’t a reason to wish for him to fail,” Lawrence resident David Carttar, 37, said as he walked downtown Sunday with two of his daughters.

Brian Collins, 22, a Kansas University student who was working at Francis Sporting Goods, said he didn’t like the fact Williams left after saying he would stay — or that he kept in contact with former players.

“He rubs it in,” Collins said. “If you’re going to go, then go.”

Collins said he would cheer for Illinois tonight but wouldn’t resent Williams for winning.

“I’ll feel good for him,” Collins said. “He’s been coaching a long time.”

Others interviewed downtown Sunday were indifferent.

“It doesn’t matter, really,” said Jocaan Edwards, 28, Lawrence, who was wearing a North Carolina jersey because she recently visited the state.

One woman said she’d rather talk about President Bush than about another sports figure.

Former KU player Jeff Boschee said he hoped Williams, who took a staff of assistants with him to Carolina, would win to silence critics who have said he can’t win the big game.

“I am glad for them as a staff because as a former player you realize how much work the coaches put into the season,” he said.

At Downtown Barber Shop, though, fans aren’t as generous.

“I’m pulling against him. I would say more against North Carolina,” customer Matt Pritchard said after he got up from the barber’s chair. “I want to see Bill Self get one before Roy Williams.”

Barber Jay Amyx estimated that about 90 percent of the store’s clientele would be rooting against Williams.

“I’m actually pulling for Roy,” Amyx said. “I’m not a Carolina fan by any stretch of the imagination, but I do want Roy Williams to win one.”

He paused, then added, “I think a trained monkey could win the national championship with his team.”

— Staff writer Gary Bedore contributed information to this article.