Northwestern head coach Chris Collins may have lost his temper during his team’s recent loss to Purdue. But Collins kept his cool while dealing with a student reporter who stumbled after the game.
Collins on Wednesday was ejected from Northwestern’s 104-95 overtime defeat against Purdue at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind. With his team down by five, the 49-year-old lambasted one official with just seconds to play in OT.
At the buzzer Chris Collins is T'd up and ejected from the game and there is time back on the clock pic.twitter.com/eGqWsdAa8n
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) February 1, 2024
A much calmer Collins faced reporters at his postgame press conference. One student reporter began asking the Northwestern coach a question before forgetting what he wanted to say midway through his first sentence. Collins offered the kid much more empathy than he did the referee just moments prior.
Reporter: “Coach, umm. You guys have been able to, been able to keep. I totally forgot my question, I’m sorry, coach.”
Collins: “Alright. I still love you. Still my guy.”
https://twitter.com/DarkoStateNews/status/1753051053606465576
Collins’ show of grace soon went viral on social media.
The veteran coach appeared to have exhausted all his anger on the court. Collins didn’t show much frustration in front of the press even while discussing the massive free throw disparity that got him heated in the first place.
Chris Collins with a clinic on how not to get fined. pic.twitter.com/Fi338vNyov
— Justin Spiro (@DarkoStateNews) February 1, 2024
Collins pointed out Northwestern star guard Boo Buie not being awarded a single free throw. Buie tallied 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists but failed to draw a shooting foul during the contest.
Purdue attempted 46 free throws compared to Northwestern’s 8. The Boilermakers’ foul line advantage is a common theme during their wins given that they have 7’4″ behemoth Zach Edey in their lineup. Edey went 8/17 from the line by himself.
