Status remains unclear for WSU’s Lacy

PULLMAN – DaVonte Lacy’s sophomore season was marred by separate knee injuries that kept him out of six games in November and the final three games of the season.

Now, the Washington State men’s basketball team’s leading scorer is sidelined again.

Lacy was taken to the hospital for appendicitis prior to the Cougars’ game on Saturday against Mississippi Valley State. Surgery was required, and the guard was kept overnight.

According to his coaches, Lacy is in good spirits and out of the hospital. How soon he’ll be able to suit up for the Cougars remains to be seen.

“As of now he’s up and about; he came home from the hospital yesterday,” coach Ken Bone said on Monday. “He was at practice today as a manager. Handed the guys towels and water and did a good job of it.”

Lacy has shown dramatic improvement for the Cougars this year, raising his scoring average from 10.5 points per game to 18.9. Apart from being the undisputed go-to scorer for the team, Lacy’s teammates consider him one of its vocal leaders as well.

In his absence, freshman guard Que Johnson led the team with 19 points on 17 shots against MVSU. Royce Woolridge and Ike Iroegbu will also likely be asked to take on more of the scoring load.

Bone said Lacy will not play against No. 1 Arizona on Thursday, and it is doubtful the junior will be available on Sunday against Arizona State. However, the coach said he would like Lacy to travel with the team whether’s ready to play or not.