Lawhorn leaves Cougars basketball program

PULLMAN – Washington State University’s men’s basketball program announced Friday that junior college transfer Danny Lawhorn has left the team. Lawhorn was expected to play point guard for the Cougars but is gone before ever suiting up.

The athletic department issued a statement in which coach Ken Bone said, “We wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.”

Lawhorn was suspended indefinitely by Bone in late September for reasons that were never made clear.

The loss of Lawhorn is a big blow to the Cougars, who made room for Lawhorn at the apparent expense of would-be incoming freshman forward Tanner Lancona. Lancona has since signed with Saint Louis University, which has played in the NCAA tournament the past two seasons.

Lawhorn was expected to play many minutes for the Cougars at point guard. As a freshman at San Jacinto College (Texas) he led the nation in assists in 2011-12. As a sophomore he was second in the country.

Without the pass-first guard, the floor general duties will likely fall to guards DaVonte Lacy and Royce Woolridge. While they have each played as the primary guard in the past, it is neither player’s natural position. Freshman Ike Iroegbu will also likely need to take on a larger role than originally expected in his first year.

“If a player leaves a program, yeah, it always gives somebody else an opportunity,” Bone said. “I’m excited about our backcourt depth; we have a good group of guards.”

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