Patterson stabilized after collapse

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior Ty Patterson will remain in an area hospital through Saturday night and at least until Sunday after collapsing to the court Saturday during the Mocs' basketball game.

He remained conscious, coherent and responsive after dropping to his knees and collapsing with 11:14 to play in the Mocs' 96-69 loss to the College of Charleston in the Southern Conference tournament.

Patterson recovered well enough and answered questions well enough on the scene that the ambulance taking him never flipped on its lights and siren.

But the initial reactions were scary.

"He dropped to his knees and grabbed his abdomen," said game referee Robbie Robinson. "We started to go to the monitor to see if he was hit. Then coach started asking for help."

EMTs, team doctor Brian Mayol and trainer MacKenzie McDonald attended to Patterson as he laid on the court in front of the UTC coaching staff for several minutes.

UTC coach John Shulman ordered his assistant coaches to take the rest of the team off the floor and into the lower hallways of Bojangles Coliseum. Sophomore Ricky Taylor led the team in a prayer before the returned to the court.

"To see a teammate calling for help like you've never seen - Ty's a strong person - when you see him say that he can't breathe, I was just scared," sophomore Jasper Williams said. "We believed in God and prayed, and he's fine now."

Patterson was transported with Dr. Mayol, his father, Ricky, and UTC basketball spokesman Jim Horten.

"When we came back, coach said he was OK," sophomore Keegan Bell said. "But I think that had a lot of effect on our guys."

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