A.J. Lawson joins McNeese men’s basketball program from North Texas

LAKE CHARLES – New McNeese Cowboys basketball coach Heath Schroyer has added his second Division I transfer in the past week with the signing of guard A.J. Lawson who is coming to McNeese from the University of North Texas.

Lawson will have to sit out the 2018-19 season due to transfer rules and will have two years remaining to play with the Cowboys.

The Bryan, Texas native appeared in 37 of the Mean Green’s 38 games in the 2017-18 season, making 30 starts and averaged nine points and 4.9 rebounds per game, ranking third on the team in both categories and 19th in the Conference USA.

The 6-foot-5, 195-pounder scored in double-digits 16 times while knocking down 41 percent from the field.

“I’m really excited about adding A.J. to our roster,” said Schroyer. “He’s a talented and versatile kid who can play four positions.”

As a freshman, he was named to the C-USA All-Freshman team after leading the team with 11.4 points per game and ranking second in rebounding with a 4.4 clip. He scored a career-high 31 points against Rice and had 26 points against Marshall in the season finale.

He scored in double-figures a team-best 18 times and was three times named a C-USA Freshman of the Week.

“I think with him sitting out a year, he’ll get stronger and will get a lot of time to work on his skills while learning our system,” said Schroyer. “That will set him up to have a major impact on our team for the 2019-20 season.

“He’s another great kid from a great family who is excited to be here and help take this program to another level.”

Last Friday, Schroyer announced the transfer of graduate Malik Hines from the University of Massachusetts.

Since being named the head coach in March, Schroyer has signed nine new Cowboys to the squad.