Men’s Basketball: Ragin’ Cajuns guard Lowery enters NCAA transfer portal

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, June 9, 2020

Another UL basketball player has left the program.

Freshman guard Javonne Lowery no longer is with the team, a Ragin’ Cajuns spokesman confirmed when asked Monday.

Lowery has entered the NCAA transfer portal, the same spokesman said.

UL coach Bob Marlin did not immediately respond to an interview request made through the team’s spokesman Monday.

Lowery appeared in just one game for the Cajuns as a true freshman, scoring seven points over 19 minutes in a 2019-20 season-opening victory over Loyola-New Orleans.

But the product of Pearland High in Texas injured a knee during the win, underwent subsequent surgery and did not play the rest of the way – preserving a season of eligibility with a medical redshirt.

More: Cajuns not immune from NCAA transfer portal movement

Lowery becomes the fourth Cajun to enter the portal, joining leading scorer and rebounder Jalen Johnson, who is headed to Mississippi State as a graduate transfer; freshman guard Calvin Temple, who according to his personal Twitter account is joining SWAC-member Jackson State; and sophomore big man Kristian Lafayette, whose next stop is not yet known.

Freshman walk-on guard Jaylon Williams, who joined the team after last season’s first semester, also is no longer on the UL roster.

Two other outgoing Cajuns – guard P.J. Hardy and walk-on guard Mason Aucoin – were seniors last season.

The Cajuns are known to have picked up three additions from the transfer portal: former Mississippi State guard Devin Butts, ex-University of Portland big man Theo Akwuba and former Cal small forward Jacobi Gordon.

More: Marlin’s Cajuns add 6-foot-11 Portland transfer Akwuba

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UL has announced the signing of Butts and Akwuba but has not yet acknowledged the addition of Gordon.

It remains to be seen which if any of those three will be eligible next season, due to NCAA transfer rules.

Since the 2019-20 season ended UL also has signed Ranger (Texas) transfer guard Brayan Au and Springfield (Massachusetts) Commonwealth Academy forward Isaiah Richards.

Lake Charles-area guard Michael Thomas was the Cajuns’ lone early signing period addition.

More: Marlin says new Cajuns signee Thomas ‘has good vision’

Au, Richards and Thomas will be eligible right away.

They’ll join eight Cajuns scheduled to return, at least as of now: starting guards Cedric Russell and Mylik Wilson; starter Kobe Julien, who missed most of the season following knee surgery; frequent starting bigs Dou Gueye and Tirus Smith; usual backup point Trajan Wesley, who started 10 games; freshman sub Chris Spenkuch; and Durey Cadwell, who missed all last season following knee surgery.

More: Cajun additions have Marlin feeling good about 2020-21

SPADE HIRED

The UL women’s soccer team has announced the hiring of new assistant coach Cheyenne Spade, who played at both North Carolina State and Tennessee and professionally in Sweden the past two seasons as a midfielder for Enköping SK UK and Sandvikens IF.

She’s also a former assistant coach at Towson University in 2017 and Susquehanna in 2016.

GREENHOUSE GETS DEGREE

A UL spokesman has confirmed that Kamar Greenhouse, a senior cornerback on the UL football team, has met all requirements needed and received his degree as a member of the university’s spring graduating class.

Greenhouse – featured last month and throughout his career by The Daily Advertiser for all the personal obstacles he’s overcome – had an incomplete grade prior to the school’s recent virtual graduation ceremonies, but the issue has since been resolved.

WORKOUTS DELAYED

Voluntary workouts for the scholarship players on UL’s football team were postponed until Tuesday due to Tropical Depression Cristobal, a UL spokesman said.

The Cajuns, away from their practice facility since mid-March due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, originally had been scheduled to return Monday.

Cajun coaches were permitted to work Monday, but players were not allowed in UL’s student-athlete performance center because campus was closed.

More: Ragin’ Cajuns have a return date for football players

GEORGE OFFERED

Acadiana High Class of 2021 defensive end/outside linebacker Cameron George, who has been offered by the Cajuns, tweeted Monday that he has picked up new offers Monday from fellow Sun Belt Conference-member Georgia State and MAC-member Ohio.

Related: Cajuns offer Acadiana product

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