SDSU’s Josh Lowery Gets One-Year Suspension

San Diego State announced Friday that Josh Lowery, a starting guard on the Aztec basketball team last season, has been suspended from the university for one year because of an on-campus fight he was involved in May 15.

Last week Jim Brandenburg, SDSU basketball coach, said he hoped an appeal would reduce Lowery’s suspension from two years to one. However, until Friday, the university had not released a statement concerning Lowery’s status. Brandenburg could not be reached for comment Friday.

If an appeal was made, it would have been made through the university’s office of student affairs. Dan Nowak, the SDSU vice president of student affairs, would not comment on the matter.

Lowery was charged with assault after an incident during a pickup basketball game on the outdoor courts near Peterson Gym. According to police reports, Lowery elbowed Paul Sterling, 22, and knocked him unconscious after claiming Sterling had tripped him. The case was dropped May 27 when charges were not filed.

“The decision (on Lowery) comes out of the vice president of student affairs office,” said Fred Miller, San Diego State athletic director. “They’ve seen fit to put in the suspension for one year. We (the athletic department) will adhere to their wishes.”

Lowery, who is back home in Oakland, could not be reached for comment Friday. His mother, Melinda, said Lowery went out of town for the weekend. She added that Lowery knew of his suspension but that he had not discussed whether he was planning to transfer to another school.

“We would hope that the young man would attend a junior college for one year and then come back to San Diego State to complete his education,” Miller said.

Lowery, 6-feet 4-inches and 170 pounds, started 29 games for the Aztecs last season and was the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging 11.8 points per game.