Jeron Lewis, a center for Southern Indiana, dies

Tragic news coming out of Owensboro, KY, tonight.

Jeron Lewis, a 6'8" junior center for Southern Indiana, a DII school, has died after collapsing on the court with four minutes to go in a game against Kentucky Wesleyan.

RIP Jeron Lewis, 1-14-10.
(photo credit: USI.edu)

Reports are unclear right now, but it appears what happened is Lewis collapsed, possibly striking his head on the floor when he went down.

UPDATE: The Evansville Courier-Press is reporting that Lewis's death was the result of a head injury suffered in a fall:

At approximately 9:05 p.m., Lewis lay motionless after his feet became tangled and he tumbled to the floor of the Owensboro Sportscenter and hit his head, multiple witnesses said.

He lay prone with his hands outstretched above his head briefly as trainers from both teams ran to him. Then he began convulsing as they tried to secure him.

After the movement subsided, the 6-foot-8, 260-pound Lewis was placed on a backboard and gurney and taken to Owensboro Mercy Health System by ambulance, where he was pronounced dead at 9:52 p.m.

An exact cause of death is not known, but Daviess County Coroner Bob Howe scheduled an autopsy for this morning.

He was taken to Owensboro Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 9:52 pm.

Horrific.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Lewis's family, friends, and teammates. He recently returned to the USI team after returning home to Fort Wayne for the birth of his son.

More on this as news becomes available.