St. Louis • Saint Louis basketball coach Rick Majerus is taking a leave of absence for at least the upcoming season.
The university said Friday that assistant coach Jim Crews will direct the team as interim coach, and that a decision hasn't been made for the 2013-14 season, leaving the door open for Majerus to return.
The 64-year-old Majerus, a former Utah coach, is hospitalized in California undergoing evaluation and treatment for an ongoing heart condition, school spokesman Brian Kunderman said. Majerus 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.