Doug Collins

Illinois State University basketball legend Doug Collins will now be forever linked to a part of campus that helped transform him into an All-American and — ultimately — a basketball Hall of Famer.

Illinois State University is trying to revive a stalled dorm and dining center project. It also wants to put a solar farm on the land, roofs, and maybe parking structures at its College of Engineering campus on GE Road in Bloomington.

When Ryan Pedon’s Redbirds meet Chris Collins’ Wildcats on Oct. 29 at Evanston, it will be more than a garden variety exhibition game. It will be two good friends seeking to learn about their teams and a proud father/father figure (Doug Collins) loving every minute.

Doug Collins is the most decorated athlete in Illinois State University Redbird history. The player, turned coach, turned broadcaster, is set to receive the highest individual honor in his sport. He will be inducted this weekend into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Doug Collins, the most decorated athlete in ISU history, was a three-time All-American and 1972 Olympian. He remains the Redbirds’ all-time leader in multiple categories, including career and single-season scoring,

Illinois State University basketball legend Doug Collins was back in Normal this weekend to help raise money for Marcfirst, which serves people with disabilities.