Jeff Compher, NIU athletic director, said Mark Montgomery, NIU men’s basketball coach, has done a great job in his first year.

While a winning-team hasn’t graced the hardwood floors of the Convocation Center since the 2005-06 season, Compher said he told Montgomery not to rush the process of rebuilding the program.

“We’ve told him all along the way, ‘Don’t go for the quick fix. Don’t change who you are. Don’t try and compromise any of the things because we’re losing. Let’s make sure we build the program the right way.’ And that’s what he’s about; he wants to build the program,” Compher said. “I admire him for that and I respect him for that.”

According to attendances recorded by NIU athletics media relations, men’s basketball total reported attendance was 15,685, averaging 980 per home game this season. The highest attendance for this season was a crowd of 1,961 at NIU’s Jan. 21 matchup against MAC west rival Ball State. The lowest attendance for the Huskies was their Jan. 7 game against Eastern Michigan with reported attendance at 615.

According to a March 3, 2011 Northern Star article titled, “The Patton Problem: An unacceptable situation,” in NIU’s 14 home games during the 2010-11 season, the total reported attendance was 16,859, averaging 1,204 per game.

Compher said he recently met with NIU student leaders, and their answer for what they wanted from the men’s basketball team was simple.

“That’s why I wanted to meet with student leaders and say, ‘What can we do to make it easier and more coinvent for you to come to our games?’ And, obviously, they want us to win and play good teams,” Compher said.

Compher said he discussed with the student leaders about a better location for students to sit in the Convocation Center, concerns about parking being more coinvent or creating the possibility of allowing them to use their Huskie Bucks at the Convo’s food stand.

Compher said once topic he talked with the student leaders regarded bringing the student body closer together with the entire student athletes.

“One of the comments the student athletes said was, ‘We need to get to know the student athletes better.’ I think that’s a good point,” Compher said. “And then the other thing we talked about was if there’s a way for a student groups to possibly kind of adopt or support a particular team. So whether it be a sorority, fraternity or a residence hall, or some other student organization, maybe they could partner with a team, really get to know that team, and be supportive of their home events and other things. And then have that team be supportive in their community service activities or other social activities the groups may have.”