Florida International University coach Isiah Thomas plans to coach Monday's season opener against the defending national champion North Carolina Tar Heels despite his mother suffering a heart attack on Saturday night.

"She told me to go to work," Thomas told FOXSports.com.

Thomas spent all day Sunday with his mother, 86-year-old Mary Thomas, in Chicago before he was set to catch a flight to North Carolina later at night.

Mary Thomas is scheduled to have heart surgery on Monday morning.

FIU will play against North Carolina at 7 p.m. ET on Monday in a game that kicks off the college basketball season.

Thomas, an NBA Hall of Famer who coached the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks, signed a five-year deal in April to coach FIU – a school that has had nine consecutive losing seasons.

The Golden Panthers lost an exhibition game this past week to Northwood University, a NAIA school coached by former Villanova coach Rollie Massimino.

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