It’s not often that a school can name the biggest play in their program’s history the night it happens. This is particularly the case when it’s been open for over a hundred years. However, Northwestern basketball did just that on Wednesday night when Nathan Taphorn threw a full court pass to Dererk Pardon who laid it in as time expired in Northwestern’s win over Michigan. This shot will not only go down in Northwestern Basketball history, but it will also go down in all of Northwestern sports history.
Because of Dererk Pardon’s layup, Northwestern quite possibly clinched their first-ever NCAA tournament berth.
Seriously.
The Wildcats are a team no one should want to see in their bracket as a 10-12 seed. Armed with nothing to lose, they are a team that relies on their defense. They currently rank 28th in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency numbers. The phrase ‘defense travels’ definitely applies to the Cats here. That, combined with the Cinderella story of them getting in, could be a reason the ‘Cats get their first win in their first tourney berth.
Chris Collins, now in his fourth year at the school, has completely changed the culture of the program. He’s taken this once dormant Big Ten program to heights never before seen by the school. With his work over the past four years, one has to think Collins is now the front-runner to take over Coach K’s spot at Duke when he decides to hang it up.
Coach K’s Successor?
With a litany of former Duke assistants scattered around the country nowadays, it is clear Collins has moved to the top of the list. Mike Brey is the best of the bunch, but he may be too old by the time Coach K finally retires. Of the other head coaches out there, Johnny Dawkins and Tommy Amaker haven’t strung enough successful seasons together. Steve Wojciechowski may still be too young. Being the only one left, and having created something special in Evanston, Chris Collins could be the best man for the job.
One has to think Coach K at 70 years old won’t be coaching past 80, and the number is somewhere around 75. That would give Collins a few more years to either sustain this success and become the obvious choice. Collins was by Coach K’s side as an assistant for 13 years, the last five as the associate head coach. With a couple more tournament appearances with Northwestern or at a new school he jumps to, Duke would be wise to stay within the family and hire Collins as its next head coach.
