Northwestern gave No. 2 Purdue all it could handle Wednesday in an eventual 105-96 overtime loss, but it did not go quietly from the rowdy atmosphere of Mackey Arena. As the overtime period was coming to a close, Wildcats coach Chris Collins caused quite a stir after confronting an official with time still ticking on the clock, earning a technical foul and an ejection to help Purdue ice the game at the free-throw line.
Collins confronted the official and gave him an earful just after Northwestern missed a shot trailing by five points in the closing few seconds. The game by that point was all but over, but he got his money's worth with a rant aimed at an official and kept barking before being restrained by one of his players. Collins continued his tirade to mid-court and politely shook hands with Purdue coach Matt Painter and Purdue star Zach Edey before egging on the Boilermakers faithful as he walked down the tunnel. Northwestern star Boo Buie also earned a technical amidst the hullabaloo.
Chris Collins is EJECTED pic.twitter.com/eKENTvH6Oc
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) February 1, 2024
Here's another angle -- this one from the baseline -- of the meltdown from Collins.
Chris Collins was HEATED at the end of Purdue/Northwestern. He got a technical and was ejected after confronting one of the officials just as the game was ending. pic.twitter.com/kzoaCiPQFB
— Kyle Boone (@kyletheboone) February 1, 2024
It's unclear exactly what had Collins fuming but his team's treatment inside Mackey Arena by the officials may have been the subject of his spirited debate. Collins wasn't up for talking after the game in his postgame press conference, likely to avoid a fine, but Northwestern as a team shot just eight free throws the entire game, less than half the amount Zach Edey shot as an individual. Purdue for the game made 29 free throws on 46 (!) attempts.
"I'm not going to go into the officiating," said Collins. "I just don't know if I've ever seen a box score like that. I don't know if I've ever seen a [free throw] disparity like that."
Collins' team had Purdue on the ropes and was leading by five in the final minutes before letting the Boilermakers back into it. The loss doesn't take away from a legendary performance from two of his stars, Ty Berry and Boo Buie, who each scored 25 points and put on a shooting clinic in the loss.
