Penn State Guard Has Blood Clot in Brain

Penn State starting guard Marlon Smith is expected to sit out the rest of the season after being diagnosed with a partial blockage of an artery in his brain.

Smith has a “very transient, very temporary blockage in his artery related to a small blood clot,” Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli, Penn State’s director of athletic medicine, said Saturday.

Smith will be on blood-thinning medication for three months, preventing him from playing in any kind of contact sport. It is unclear when he might return to play.

Smith collapsed in practice last week and complained of weakness in his extremities. He was taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center in Hershey, Pa., and was diagnosed with the blockage before being released Thursday.

In his second season with the Nittany Lions, Smith was third on the team in scoring, averaging 11.8 points in 13 games.