EVANSTON, Ill. -- Chris Collins thinks about the NCAA tournament as he rides.

Morning treks on the Northwestern basketball coach's exercise bike provide cardio work and a platform for contemplation of a feat that the program hasn't achieved.

"I definitely think it is [around the corner]," Collins says. "When that's going to happen, I don't know. It's going to be great when we go to the tournament. And it's going to be a lot of hard work from a lot of people that spans a lot longer than when I got here. And it'll mean a lot to me."

A gulf seemed to separate Northwestern from the NCAA tournament before Collins arrived last year. Now, it all feels plausible.

Collins' simultaneous pedaling and strategizing sessions happen each day. He hears the questions, though, the one Collins' predecessors failed to answer: Is it our time yet?

Collins left a comfy post as Mike Krzyzewski's top assistant to guide a program that's watched its Big Ten colleagues purchase corsages and tuxedos for the Big Dance each season.

The Wildcats could join them at the gala soon. A change could come at Northwestern.

JerShon Cobb and three other starters from last season return. Plus, Collins snatched a brand of players in his first recruiting class -- including top-100 recruit Vic Law (No. 66 per RecruitingNation) -- who avoided Evanston in the past.

"I wanted to be part of a program on the rise," Law said.

A nonconference rut and a 6-12 mark in conference play ruined the team's postseason dreams in 2013-14, but a win over Final Four participant Wisconsin in Madison showed the progress of a squad that's beginning to embrace Collins' philosophy and his commitment to victory.

He demanded the same investment from the school's leadership.

Collins pushed Northwestern's administration for upgrades at Welsh-Ryan Arena, and now the facility boasts new scoreboards and a sparkling floor following a multimillion-dollar offseason renovation. It would be a minimal improvement for most Power 5 programs, but it's a revolution for an institution that hasn't added much flavor to the 62-year-old building.

"A new building, new baskets, new floor, new boards," Collins says. "It's kind of a fresh approach on all levels."

The NCAA tournament and the history that would come with it continue to move within the Wildcats' orbit.

The narrative isn't new. Northwestern fans have bought fireworks and party favors in recent years only to see the festivities halted by misfortune or poor play.

There were the Kevin Coble-led Wildcats in 2008-09 who finished 17-14 but couldn't overcome a late slide or an 8-10 Big Ten record. A year later, conference play ruined their chances of dancing after a 20-win season. Overtime losses in the conference tournament the next two seasons ended any hope that they'd make a late push for a bid.

That's why Collins stares at the image positioned in the left corner of his desk. It shows the first-season results of legendary coaches such as Krzyzewski, Jim Calhoun, Lute Olson and Dean Smith.

"That really helped me last year," Collins says. "All of them were under .500."

He doesn't fear the pressure. He grew up about 10 minutes from where he coaches now. And he remembers the day in July 1989 when Twitter wasn't around to transmit breaking news to a smartphone.

Northwestern made some upgrades, hoping better facilities yield better results. Myron Medcalf/ESPN

He'd just left his high school gym after a summer workout. The facility was close to his house, so he rode his bike there each morning to do skill work. As he approached his home, he noticed a cluster of TV trucks on his block.

His father, Doug Collins, had just been fired by the Chicago Bulls. He didn't know until the microphones were thrust in his face.

"People [were] bum-rushing me," he said. "When it comes to expectations and dealing with people, I think I have a pretty good perspective."

That experience balances him today. The expectations are always internal. He doesn't worry about the chatter. He's aware of his task, though.

What separates college basketball's Northwesterns from its North Carolinas is not only the perennial influx of talent and the long-standing pedigrees, but also the idea that winning is normal. The cerebral hurdle is real for programs that lack that legacy.

Winning has never been normal at Northwestern.

But it was a 26-point loss last season that fueled the team's faith in Collins and his goals. The Wildcats lost to Iowa 93-67 on the road. It was their fourth loss in a row, a stretch that included a 40-14 halftime deficit in a home loss to Wisconsin. The bus ride from Iowa City to Evanston was subdued.

"It was just a bad vibe on the bus," Cobb says. "Nobody was talking."

Players were seeking answers. Collins was beginning to doubt himself and his approach.

And then, emotional team meetings created the synchronization that often takes time once a new coach arrives. Players got some things off their chests. Coaches, too.

Three weeks later, Northwestern beat Wisconsin in Madison.

The season ended with 14 wins and no postseason. But Collins had earned his players' trust and tweaked their attitudes.

"Coach Collins, his mentality is always win," Alex Olah says. "And he told us that. Then, we changed our mentality too."

The Northwestern locker room and lounge resemble others around the nation. There are video games and snacks. A snarky note about a messy kitchen is posted on the wall. Rap music blasts from iPhones.

There's a jovial mood. Every team has this mojo this time of year. After all, everyone is undefeated now. But there's also a new temperament, one that's turned the NCAA tournament into a tangible goal that the Wildcats aren't afraid to embrace and discuss.

Olah smiles about the possibility.

"I believe it," Olah says. "I believe it since we got here that we can do it."

Cobb backs him.

"I think it would mean this program is taking a step in the right direction," he says. "I mean, it's time."