NIU players confused, recruits left questioning, assistants wondering “What if?” and one Rob Judson holding his breath.

If the domino effect that sent Bill Self to Kansas last week would’ve taken a couple of years longer, there wouldn’t be any debate right now. Judson would be the man.

Judson, NIU’s men’s basketball coach, for the time being, only has one serious negative going against him for announcement of the University of Illinois head coaching job: He’s only been a head coach for two years.

While he’s shown success – more than tripling NIU’s wins this past season from the previous year he took over (five to 17 wins) – he has yet to get the Huskies into the NCAA Tournament, which traditionally is the marker for success that high majors like Illinois look for.

Serving as an assistant at U of I in the five seasons prior to coming to NIU in 2001, Judson has developed a great relationship with Illini Athletics Director Ron Guenther. Could this be a slap in the face if someone not “in the family” is given the job? Judson has given nine years of his life to bettering the U of I basketball team – he also stared there as a sharp-shooting guard from 1977-’80.

The other candidates being considered only have distant ties to the Champaign-Urbana campus.

Creighton’s Dana Altman was an assistant on former Illinois head coach Lon Kruger’s staff at Kansas State from 1986-’89. Altman was said to be the favorite of Kruger before he reportedly said he was going to stay put at Creighton on Monday.

Xavier’s Thad Matta grew up and played at Hoopeston Area High School, right outside of Champaign.

The fourth of what is considered to be the serious candidates for the U of I job is Southern Illinois’ Bruce Weber. Weber coached in the Big Ten for 18 years as Gene Keady’s protege before heading to the Salukis, who made it to the Sweet 16 in 2002.

As we head into finals week, a decision is expected to be forthcoming on the future of NIU basketball.

Will Judson be back to show Central Michigan and Chris Kaman – assuming Kaman doesn’t go to the NBA – who is the true king of the MAC? Or, will we be wondering if NIU assistant coach and former Huskie Carl Armato, Ball State assistant and former NIU player Jay Bryant, Marquette assistant and former NIU assistant Jeff Strohm, or someone else will step in to lead Marcus Smallwood and company into ’04?