Akolda Manyang, a reserve center for Oklahoma, missed Sunday’s second round game against VCU as he returned to Minnesota following a death in the family.
According to multiple reports, that family member was Akolda’s brother, Ater Manyang, a former high school basketball star in the state. He had been admitted into a treatment facility on Thursday morning, the Minnesota Star-Tribune reported, where he was found dead of an apparent suicide on Friday.
He was discovered by a staff member at 4:10 p.m. CT on Friday, according to the report. Oklahoma’s first round game against Cal State Bakersfield tipped off just after 3:00 p.m. CT on Friday.
“We don’t even know yet exactly when he’s going to be back or when the services are for sure,” said head coach Lon Kruger. “I think we’ll find that out today. But yeah, it’s tough. I mean, you just feel for anyone, but especially a young guy at this time of season. It adds to the difficulty because he wants to be here, but he needs to be there, I mean, all those things that he’s got to deal with.”