The Latest: Medical examiner: Coger died from enlarged heart


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STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — The Latest on the death of an Oklahoma State basketball player (all times local):

2:50 p.m.

The Oklahoma State Medical Examiner's Office says Oklahoma State basketball player Tyrek Coger died from an enlarged heart and that the manner of death was natural.

Office spokeswoman Amy Elliott provided the information in an email Friday. It came a few hours after university officials held a news conference on Coger's death, which happened Thursday evening just after the team held a workout at the football stadium in extreme heat.

Elliott's email says Coger died from cardiomegaly with left ventricular hypertrophy.

The office's family assistance coordinator, Eddie Johnson, told The Associated Press that the final report is not likely to be ready and released for another eight weeks.

OSU spokesman Gary Shutt said Friday that Coger underwent health screenings to ensure he was physically able to participate in sports, but could not release the results due to federal law.

Coger told the Stillwater NewsPress earlier this month that he had surgery several years ago to drain fluid from around his brain. It wasn't clear whether that played a role in his death.

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11:25 a.m.

Oklahoma State basketball coach Brad Underwood broke down in tears as he remembered player Tyrek (ty-REEK') Coger, who died Thursday after practice.

Underwood said Friday at a news conference that he was in Las Vegas on a recruiting trip when he learned of Coger's death Thursday. He says the past two days have been the most difficult of his coaching career.

OSU athletic director Mike Holder says the team will thoroughly examine its practices following Coger's death.

University spokesman Gary Shutt said the team held a 40-minute workout at Boone Pickens Stadium. The Stillwater NewsPress reports that the temperature was 99 degrees with a heat index of 105 degrees at 5 p.m. Thursday. The 22-year-old Coger was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead at 6:23 p.m.

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This story has been corrected to show that Coger is 22, not 21.

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11:10 a.m.

An Oklahoma State spokesman says that the basketball player who died had finished a team workout on the football stadium stairs just before medical issues cropped up.

OSU spokesman Gary Shutt said Friday at a news conference that Tyrek Coger did not appear to be struggling during Thursday's workout at Boone Pickens Stadium, but sat down after and the team went to check on him and noticed there were issues. Shutt said 911 was called and paramedics arrived at 5:08 p.m.

The 22-year-old forward who had recently transferred arrived at Stillwater Medical Center at 5:48 p.m. and was pronounced dead at 6:23 p.m.

Shutt also said that under NCAA rules, basketball teams can meet for eight hours a week during the summer. That time can be broken up as two hours on the count and six on strength and conditioning, or all eight on strength and conditioning.

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This story has been corrected to show that Coger is 22, not 21.

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10:10 a.m.

The Washington Wizards' John Wall is remembering Oklahoma State basketball player Tyrek Coger, who died Thursday after collapsing following practice.

Wall posted on Instagram : "Rest in Peace to the lil homie who always had the competitive spirit..you will be missed Tyrek."

Wall also posted a photo of the two from the 2012 Reebok Breakout Challenge.

A Vice Sports video posted on YouTube in 2012 showed the pair playing a friendly game of one-on-one at the basketball camp for top high school players.

The Oklahoma State athletic department is slated to hold a news conference on Friday morning.

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6:35 a.m.

Oklahoma State says junior college transfer Tyrek Coger has died after collapsing following a basketball team workout.

The school said Thursday that the 22-year-old forward was pronounced dead at Stillwater Medical Center. Oklahoma State plans to release more details Friday about the death. The Stillwater NewsPress reports (http://bit.ly/29R36QY ) that emergency crews responded to a heat exhaustion call at Boone Pickens Stadium on Thursday.

Coger, from Raleigh, North Carolina, played last season for Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, North Carolina. The 6-foot-8 player had initially signed with Ole Miss last fall but opted for Oklahoma State after the Southeastern Conference ruled he was ineligible because of rules on junior college transfers.

Cowboys coach Brad Underwood says Coger's death is "like losing a member of the family."

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This story has been corrected to show that Coger is 22, not 21.

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