Tennessee Tech basketball's Diante Wood released from hospital after injury at Tennessee State

Mike Organ, Nashville Tennessean
·2 min read
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Tennessee Tech guard Diante Wood was taken by ambulance to Vanderbilt Medical Center after suffering an injury in a basketball game Saturday against Tennessee State at Gentry Center. He was treated and released from the hospital around midnight.

Wood was injured with 3:04 left to play. He fell in a scrum of players from both teams and remained on the court face down after play stopped. Wood was able to move his lower extremities as he laid on the floor and was conscious when he was taken from the arena.

The game was suspended after the injury and TSU, which led at the time 67-53, was later declared the winner.

Tennessee Tech released this statement:

Players, coaches and school officials from Tennessee Tech and Tennessee State gather for prayers at the spot where Diante Wood was injured late in the game Saturday at Gentry Center. Wood was taken by ambulance to Vanderbilt Medical Center and the game was suspended.
Players, coaches and school officials from Tennessee Tech and Tennessee State gather for prayers at the spot where Diante Wood was injured late in the game Saturday at Gentry Center. Wood was taken by ambulance to Vanderbilt Medical Center and the game was suspended.

"Tennessee Tech men’s basketball junior guard Diante Wood sustained an injury during the second half of Saturday’s contest at Tennessee State. He was evaluated by TSU and TTU athletics training staff members and local, Nashville EMS personnel and taken to the hospital for further observation. After undergoing further evaluation, he was discharged and allowed to return to Cookeville late Saturday evening. The Tennessee Tech department of athletics would like to thank everyone for their prayers and well wishes throughout the evening and their continued support."

The players from both teams returned to their locker rooms and the game was suspended shortly after school officials from both schools contacted Ohio Valley Conference officials.

The OVC released this statement:

"In accordance with the NCAA Rulebook (Section 4), both teams agreed to end the game at the point of interruption and declare Tennessee State the winner.Because the contest had reached “a reasonable point of conclusion” (at least 30 minutes for basketball), the statistics will count for both teams.

Our thoughts are with the Tennessee Tech program at this time."

Tennessee Tech basketball player Diante Wood is being tended to after suffering an injury during a game against Tennessee State. Wood was taken to a local hospital.
Tennessee Tech basketball player Diante Wood is being tended to after suffering an injury during a game against Tennessee State. Wood was taken to a local hospital.

Wood is a 6-foot-4, 210-pound junior from Anniston, Alabama. He has a history of shoulder injuries. A transfer who started at Alabama and played two seasons at Jacksonville, he had 12 points and three rebounds.

After he was taken off, both teams; players, coaches and administrators gathered at the spot where Wood fell and prayed.

TSU, which trailed 31-28 at the half, used a 19-6 run to take the 14-point lead. Tech scored only one field goal in the last seven minutes of play.

Tennessee State basketball coach Brian "Penny" Collins, left, and Tennessee Tech coach John Pelphrey watch as medical personnel attend to Golden Eagles basketball player Diante Wood, who suffered an injury with 3:04 left to play and was taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center.
Tennessee State basketball coach Brian "Penny" Collins, left, and Tennessee Tech coach John Pelphrey watch as medical personnel attend to Golden Eagles basketball player Diante Wood, who suffered an injury with 3:04 left to play and was taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center.

Jr. Clay, a transfer from Tech, was TSU's leading scorer when the game was stopped with 16 points. Dedric Boyd had 15 including three 3-pointers.

The victory was the fifth straight for TSU. The Tigers improved to 16-11 overall and 8-6 in the OVC and moved into a second-place tie with UT Martin, Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois Edwardsville. Tech (11-16, 7-7) is now in sixth place.

Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Tech's Diante Wood taken to hospital after injury vs. TSU