By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
Few knew LSU basketball coaching legend Dale Brown better than LSU senior associate communications director for basketball Kent Lowe.
Lowe, a Shreveport native and LSU master’s degree graduate in 1982, was LSU basketball sports information director from the 1988-89 season through now. He also covered the team for the Shreveport Times while an LSU graduate student from 1979-82 during some of Brown’s best seasons, including the Tigers’ first SEC regular season championship since 1954 in 1979, only SEC Tournament title in 1980 and first Final Four since 1953 in 1981.
Lowe worked with Brown as his publicity director during the last five seasons of Brown’s run of 10 straight NCAA Tournaments and through his final season in 1996-97. During this era, Brown had such superstar players as Chris Jackson, Shaquille O’Neal and Ricky Blanton.
Brown passed away at age 90 on Friday, Oct. 23. Lowe joined Tiger Rag Radio to discuss Brown’s time at LSU on Tuesday night.
“We had just finished practice last Friday morning, and Johnny Jones walked over and told me he just heard that coach Brown had passed,” Lowe said.
Jones, one of the top point guards in the country when he was coming out of DeRidder High in DeRidder, played for Brown from 1980-84 and was an assistant coach for him from 1984-97. He then returned to be LSU’s head coach from 2012-17 and joined current LSU coach Will Wade’s staff as an assistant coach last March.
Lowe hurriedly confirmed the news and found out whatever details he could before he left with the team for Tallahassee, Florida, for an exhibition game the next day at Florida State.
“When we got to Tallahassee, I was able to process it all, and at that point, a lot of the memories of the nine years with Coach and the many conversations the years after he retired,” Lowe said. “I was his de facto SID still for coach Brown after he retired. We talked a lot over the years.”
A favorite conversation topic for Brown to most everyone he knew was legendary UCLA coach John Wooden, whom Brown became friends with and idolized. Wooden took UCLA to 10 national championships from 1964-75. He passed away at age 99 in 2010.
“Guys, I have to say this,” Lowe said. “One thing I am probably happiest about was the Los Angeles Athletic Club announcing the John Wooden Legends of Coaching Award for coach Brown on Tuesday of last week. That had to mean the world to him. That’s an award named for a guy and a coach that he revered. I know a couple of people talked to him that night, and he was so appreciative and so hnored to get that award.”
Brown’s daughter Robyn Brown Prudhomme will be in Los Angeles next April to accept the award. Brown is also survived by his wife of 57 years, Vonnie Brown.
“I know Robyn and the family will gladly accept that for Daddy Dale next April in Los Angeles,” Lowe said.
Lowe enjoyed working with Brown, but it could be challenging.
“Dale was Dale,” Lowe said. “We got along very well. We always did. There were times when he probably went in different directions than I wanted him to. He always kidded that he knew he was in trouble with me when I would just point my finger. He’d say, ‘Uh-oh, Kent wants to see me.'”
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