Sources: Northwestern near extension for Collins

Northwestern coach Chris Collins is finalizing a three-year agreement extension with the school after assisting the team to its second-ever NCAA competition appearance, sources informed ESPN.Collins, who won Big 10 Coach of the Year honors this previous season, has led the program since 2013. After Northwestern made its first NCAA tournament look in 2017, Collins received a contract extension through the 2024-25 season. He is 153-161 overall at the school.Northwestern endured five consecutive losing seasons after its competition

advancement and was picked to complete at the bottom of the Big Ten. But the Wildcats won 12 conference games, the most in group history, and ended up second in the standings. Northwestern beat Boise State in the preliminary of the NCAA tournament before being up to UCLA.Collins’ extension comes as Northwestern awaits choices from All-Big Ten guards Boo Buie and Chase Audige, who both declared for the NBA draft while maintaining their college eligibility. Buie made first-team All-Big Ten honors, while Audige was a second-team selection and Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year.The kid of NBA coach Doug Collins, Chris grew up near Northwestern’s campus and played guard at Duke prior to acting as a Duke assistant from 2000 to 2013.