Southern Indiana Player Dies During Basketball Game, Death May Have Been Heart-Related

((HT: WFIE-TV Evansville))

A University of Southern Indiana basketball player has died after collapsing during a game Thursday night.

Daviess County ((KY)) Coroner Bob Howe confirmed that 21-year-old Jeron Lewis ((pictured, thanks USI SID)) of Ft. Wayne died Thursday night at 9:52PM.

Here's the 911 call to authorities...

Lewis was on the court during a game against Kentucky Wesleyan with only about four minutes left in the game. USI's sports information director says Lewis fell hard to the floor and was rushed to Owensboro Medical Health Center.

County Coroner Bob Howe says that preliminary autopsy results are that Lewis appears to have died of natural causes, and he may have died of a heart condition- perhaps an enlarged heart. Initial reports led some to think a head trauma was involved due to Lewis' violent collision on the floor at Kentucky Wesleyan. As of now, that is not something the ME's office is chasing...

USI's Saturday games have been postponed, and a press conference is also scheduled for later Friday afternoon...

Here's coverage from WFIE-TV in Evansville, the home of USI...
Laura Forbes was on a dark campus for her live shot...


USI held a press conference Friday afternoon to remember Lewis and to answer questions as best the university could with limited information...

Here's coverage from Evansville's ABC affiliate, WEHT-TV...


Here's the release from USI...

Lewis is also being remembered on Facebook here and here... Kentucky Wesleyan students are even floating the idea of wearing red for their Saturday games as a tribute...