GREENSBORO - A psychiatrist testified Monday that the son of N.C. State men's basketball coach Sidney Lowe was so fragile and socially awkward that he fell into drugs and bad company when he left home for college.

Moira F. Artigues, a forensic psychiatrist from Cary, told a judge that Sidney Lowe II's childhood left him ill-prepared for college life at N.C. A&T State University in Greensboro.

"The instability of not having parents around all the time and growing up in the shadow of his larger-than-life father really affected him," Artigues said.

Lowe II is likely headed to prison today for his part in two 2007 armed robberies carried out under the guise of low-level drug buys.

Lowe II pleaded guilty Monday to six counts of armed robbery, six counts of kidnapping and several drug-related offenses. His plea stacks up to at least 38 months in prison unless the judge finds, in a very rare move, extraordinary mitigating factors that would make sending Lowe II to prison a "grave injustice."

The doctor's portrait of Lowe II came as Guilford County Superior Court Judge Henry E. Frye Jr. considered Lowe II's pleas for leniency during sentencing, which is expected to take place today.

The elder Lowe, who starred on N.C. State's 1983 national championship team and played in the NBA before returning as State's basketball coach two seasons ago, sat silently behind his son as the doctor spoke in court.

Monday, he wasn't the star coach. He was a father being partly blamed for his faltering son's woes. It's possible that he, too, will climb into the witness box today and ask the judge to grant mercy to his son.

In March 2007, Lowe II's troubles swirled out of control, Artigues said. His girlfriend was pregnant. He couldn't keep up in school, either. He popped five to 15 ecstacy pills a day and smoked marijuana to cope, Artigues said.

"He essentially became nonfunctional," Artigues said.

On March 16, 2007, Lowe II took some of the hallucinogens, smoked pot, then borrowed his girlfriend's car. He saw Brian Patrick Martin, another A&T student. The two headed to the house of six students from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro to buy some marijuana, said Guilford County Assistant District Attorney Stephen Cole.

When Martin and Lowe arrived, they barged through the door, Cole said. Martin rummaged for valuables, while Lowe hovered over the students, keeping them still on the couch with the threat of a rifle he pointed at them, Cole said. Martin and Lowe then ordered them into the bathroom and fled.

Little more than a week later, Martin and Lowe banded together again. They headed to the dorm room of a UNCG student to score some marijuana, Cole said in court. There, Martin and the UNCG student, Stephen Cobb, got into a squabble about the quality of the marijuana, Cole said. Martin shot Cobb in the back before a handful of other students tackled him to keep him from getting away; Lowe II fled.

Martin, too, pleaded guilty to a string of robbery, kidnapping and assault charges Monday. He will be sentenced later this month.

For the UNCG dormitory robbery, Lowe II entered an Alford plea, in which he does not admit guilt but acknowledges the plea is in his best interest.

Artigues said Lowe II is remorseful for his part in the robberies, confiding: "I did a horrible thing. I scared those people, and I deserve to be punished."

She said that Lowe II has since turned his life around. He's clean and has gotten involved in church. Artigues said Lowe II is raising his infant child alone and helps care for his ailing grandmother.

Artigues said she's confident there's little chance Lowe II will fall back into trouble if granted some leniency.