Saint Louis men?s basketball coach Rick Majerus has stepped down because of heart problems, the university announced Friday.
?Rick is in a California hospital undergoing evaluation and treatment for an ongoing heart condition,? athletics director Chris May said in a statement. ?His health is the most important issue right now, and our hope is for full and complete recovery.?
Majerus will be replaced by assistant Jim Crews, who was a head coach for 24 years with stints at Army and Evansville. Crews joined Majerus? staff before the 2011-12 season.
?The players are being informed of coach Majerus? condition and the subsequent announcement of Jim Crews? appointment,? May said. "Jim Crews is a long-time professional and is all-in with the task of leading the program this year.?
Majerus' cell phone was not accepting messages.
Majerus, 64, has a history of heart surgeries dating to 1989, and is on blood thinner medication. He had a stent inserted in his heart last August in Salt Lake City, and missed a handful of games in the 2011-12 season after gashing his leg in a collision with players who had been diving for a loose ball.
He has a career record of 517-216 over 25 seasons, in stints with Marquette, Ball State, Utah and Saint Louis. He was 95-69 at SLU. He took the Saint Louis job in April 2007, and after a couple of up-and-down campaigns, the Billikens had a breakthrough season in 2011-12. Anchored by a stingy defense, Majerus? squad finished 26-8?the second-most wins in school history?and beat Memphis in its NCAA Tournament opener before falling short in a bid for the Sweet 16.
Crews coached seven seasons at Army from 2002 to 2009 and 17 at Evansville prior to that. Crews has a career record of 354-348 as a head coach.
"Jim Crews is a long-time professional and is all-in with the task of leading the program this year," May said. "He has led teams to numerous NCAA tournaments, which is our goal. We welcome and encourage the Billiken faithful and the community to rally around this group of young men as we continue to prepare for what promises to be an exciting basketball season."
Evansville had four NCAA tournament teams under Crews, who was a member of two NCAA championship teams at Indiana including the 1976 that finished 32-0 ? the last unbeaten record for a Division I school.
Crews was an assistant under Bob Knight for eight seasons, including another national title in 1981.
?Coach Majerus is not only a colleague, but a dear friend, so this is a difficult time,? Crews said. ?We are fortunate to have a group of outstanding young men.?
Bob Ramsey, the radio voice of the Billikens, first reported the news on St. Louis radio station ESPN 101.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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