Chris Collins 'compliments' Michigan's Vlad Goldin: 'He's going to have a hell of an acting career'
Michigan pulled out an ugly, 80-76 home overtime win over Northwestern, one for which head coach Dusty May made no apologies. Wildcats coach Chris Collins, meanwhile, probably could have apologized for some of his behavior on the sidelines the way he was riding the officials … and maybe to U-M center Vladislav Goldin, too.
Goldin torched Collins’ team for 31 points in the win, the obvious difference in a game that was disjointed and seemed to take forever to finish. The Wildcats fought until the end, even after losing guard Jalen Leach with 9:33 remaining up 54-51. Leach clearly elevated his leg into Goldin’s midsection, and video confirmed a Flagrant 2 that led to Leach’s ejection.
Leach had 19 points at that point and had made three of five triples. Goldin was on the floor for a while after the collision, but Collins apparently wasn’t sold.
“I’ll give him credit,” Collins told reporters after the game. “If he doesn’t make the NBA, he’s going to have a hell of an acting career going forward.
“That’s a great actor. We saw it at Florida Atlantic, two times in a row. He’s really good at it, and I mean that in a complimentary way.”
It didn’t seem like it, however, given how salty Collins seemed in the postgame. He seemed to indicate Goldin was embellishing his pain.
“Look, if it’s malicious and a kid is going for that area with a knee or fist, then absolutely,” Collins said. “But I think the people that make the rules [don’t understand] Vlad Goldin is 7-foot-1, 275 pounds, setting a moving screen, and Jalen is trying to get over…
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“I’m not blaming the officials, because I know that’s the rule. We lived it last year with [Northwestern guard Ryan] Langborg at Rutgers. I just think some common sense has to apply.”
Collins then played the Rodney Dangerfield card (for you veterans), even though his team shot 31 free throws. Michigan had 37, but several of them came at the end when the Wildcats were fouling to extend the game.
“I don’t think we’re getting respect,” he said, noting he wasn’t sure what else he could do. “I don’t know. We just have to keep playing hard and not focus on those things. We have to do what we do and try to put ourselves in a position to win.
“I was fighting for my players in a tough-minded game. Those are veteran officials. I thought they did a good job over the course of the game … He was right to say ‘Hey, I’ve heard your point and that’s enough.’ Then it is enough, and we’re on to the next. That was just me fighting for the guys in a tough, competitive game.”
It wasn’t enough, dropping the Wildcats to 2-5 in Big Ten play, 0-5 overall on the road overall.
