Spokesman.com
Wazzu's newest Coug comes from D-II, and he can fill it up
Pullman just watched its backcourt get a whole lot more interesting. Washington State landed Central Missouri transfer Lazerek Houston on Tuesday, and if you haven't seen the numbers yet, strap in. The 6-foot, 155-pound guard averaged 20.8 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists as a true freshman, shooting 46.2% from the floor and 37% from deep. That's not just filling it up; that's a full-blown breakout. Houston's debut was a 35-point eruption against Colorado School of Mines, and he added 11 assists and 4 steals for good measure. He cleared 30 points six more times, including a 34-point night against Northwest Missouri State. He's also a willing passer, dishing 12 dimes against Emporia State and 10 against Drury. The MIAA Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors are nice, but the fact that DraftExpress's D2 model ranked him as the top Division II player in the portal? That's the kind of résumé that travels. Can he make the leap? Wazzu has seen this movie before. Jaylen Wells came from Division II and turned into the No. 39 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Houston doesn't need to be that, but if he's half as productive, Riley's got something. He's the second addition of the offseason, joining Manhattan transfer Fraser Roxburgh, and with 12 players gone from last year's roster, the Cougars need every bucket they can get.
