INDIANAPOLIS — “The rooms were 1,000 degrees,” an agitated Northwestern coach Chris Collins said.
He’d soon amend it to a more believable 85.
The rooms at the Sheraton hotel the Wildcats stayed in Tuesday night — before opening the Big Ten tournament Wednesday afternoon with a 72-64 win against Minnesota — were crazy-hot, let’s agree on that.
All night, and still in the morning — on game day.
A fruitless conspiracy engineered by the Gophers? Nah, just a maintenance problem throughout the building.
But Collins took it personally on behalf of his team, his program and his school, ripping into the Big Ten.
“That’s where the league puts you,” he said. “Every way they turn, they’re trying to get us.”
Collins alluded to officiating as a factor that has gone against the Wildcats this season. Respect for Northwestern — not exactly the highest-profile basketball school in the conference — sometimes just isn’t there, he indicated.
“We’re used to being treated like that by this league,” he said.
A bit later, he added, “They’ll put us in one that’s hotter if we leave it up to the league.”
The Big Ten assigns team hotels in order of seeds, a conference source said. Northwestern is the No. 13 seed in a 15-team tournament. According to the source, the Sheraton was No. 2 on Northwestern’s wish list based on what was still available. The Wildcats are the only team staying where they are.
“[The hotel] said they’ve had this issue for the past 10 days,” Collins said. “So that’s what made me frustrated.”
Collins to Indiana?
Collins was asked to comment on internet lists that include his name among potential replacements for Indiana’s lame-duck coach, Mike Woodson.
“I’m coaching my team,” he said. “People — my family and all that — might be on social media, but I’m not one of these guys that’s looking at any of that stuff.
“I’m locked in. … I’m locked in on my team, and that’s where it is right now. I’m getting ready to play [Wisconsin on Thursday], so I’d better put my full focus on that.”