Tark remains in local hospital

One day after suffering a mild heart attack, Jerry Tarkanian was having difficulty breathing. But none of that was enough to stop him from talking.

Expectations were for Tarkanian, 81, to return home Wednesday, yet the former UNLV basketball coach was not progressing enough to be released and remained in intensive care at MountainView Hospital for a second straight night.

"I'm feeling OK, I think," Tarkanian said. "I hope I will be all right."

Tarkanian was dealing with bronchitis when he started to wheeze during a doctor's visit Tuesday. After an EKG test, Tarkanian was told he was facing a more serious issue, and it caught him by surprise.

"They said I was having a heart attack. But I wasn't feeling sick," he said. "My nose was running and I had a bad cough."

Accompanied by his daughter Jodie Diamant, Tarkanian was recovering Wednesday by sleeping and taking breathing treatments. Diamant said doctors indicated surgery was unlikely.

"He's having some type of problem getting oxygen in his system," son Danny Tarkanian said. "I'm a little bit concerned again."

Jerry Tarkanian's voice was weak, but he welcomed a handful of visitors and was able to talk on the phone. The topics were his health and basketball.

He watched on television as the Rebels' season came to an end last week with a 68-64 loss to Colorado in the NCAA Tournament. UNLV was 21-3 and ranked No. 11 in the nation before losing six of its final 11 games.

"I've watched the whole tournament," Tarkanian said. "The (Rebels) really struggled at the end of the year. I don't know what happened. It's hard to figure out."

Tarkanian, who compiled a 509-105 record at UNLV from 1973 to 1992 and led the Rebels to the 1990 NCAA championship, said he's confident that two of his former players -- coach Dave Rice and assistant Stacey Augmon -- are steering the program in the right direction.

"They should have a good ballclub next year," he said.

Eager to get out of the hospital, Tarkanian talked about watching the rest of the NCAA Tournament -- Kentucky is his pick to win it -- and vacationing.

"Look me up in San Diego," he said. "I'll be down there all summer."

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907.