Northwestern’s Chris Collins was named Big Ten Coach of the Year on Tuesday by both the conference’s coaches and a media panel, while Wildcats guards Boo Buie and Chase Audige and assistant coach Chris Lowery also were honored.
Collins has guided the Wildcats to a 21-10 record — the second-most victories in program history — and the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, which begins Wednesday at the United Center. Northwestern tied for second in the conference with Indiana at 12-8, setting a school record for Big Ten wins.
Collins shared The Associated Press Coach of the Year honor, awarded by a separate media panel, with Matt Painter of Big Ten champion Purdue.
Buie was named to the media’s All-Big Ten first team and the coaches’ second team. The senior from Albany, N.Y., leads the Wildcats with 17.2 points and 4.5 assists per game and leads the conference with an 87.6% free-throw percentage.
Audige shared Defensive Player of the Year honors with Rutgers’ Caleb McConnell, as voted by the coaches. The fifth-year senior from Long Island also made the all-defensive team, joined Buie on the coaches’ All-Big Ten second team and was a third-team all-conference selection by the media. Audige averages 14.1 points and 2.4 steals, second in the conference.
Illinois also had two players honored on the All-Big Ten teams. Senior guard Terrence Shannon Jr. was a first-team selection by the coaches and a second-team media pick. The Chicago native is averaging 17.1 points and 4.7 rebounds in his first season in Champaign after transferring from Texas Tech.
Fifth-year senior forward Matthew Mayer made both the coaches’ and media’s third team. A graduate transfer from Baylor, Mayer is averaging 13 points and 5.4 rebounds and shooting 34.7% on 3-pointers.
Northwestern’s Chris Lowery received the conference’s inaugural Howard Moore Assistant Coach of the Year Award, named for the Chicago native and former Wisconsin player and assistant who suffered career-ending disabilities in a 2019 car accident with a drunk driver that also killed Moore’s wife and daughter.
Lowery, who was head coach at Southern Illinois from 2004-12, is considered the architect of the NU defense that’s allowing just 62.3 points per game, second in the conference to Rutgers and 18th in the country.
Purdue center Zach Edey was named Player of the Year by coaches and media. Here is the full list of honorees.