Eastern Washington
Wazzu keeps Eastern Washington in one place: 3 stories so far. The section currently leads with “Cedric Coward's Summer League debut was worth the year-long wait”, “First 2027 Coug is a Bothell guard who chose Wazzu over the rest”, and “Cougs and Redhawks to clash at Climate Pledge in December doubleheader”. CEDRIC COWARD FINALLY PLAYED Summer League basketball, and he looked like a guy who's been doing this at a higher level for a year. Jaylen McLaughlin dropped 50 in a game this summer, and now he's dropping a commitment on Wazzu. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every Eastern Washington story on Wazzu, newest first.
Cedric Coward's Summer League debut was worth the year-long wait
CEDRIC COWARD FINALLY PLAYED Summer League basketball, and he looked like a guy who's been doing this at a higher level for a year. The former Washington State wing dropped 17 and 10 in Memphis' one-point win over Chicago, and that stat line undersells it. He was the only double-double on the floor in a game featuring the No. 3 and No. 4 picks. That's the kind of night you wait a year for. Coward missed last summer recovering from the shoulder injury that limited his senior season in Pullman. He spent the actual NBA season finishing fifth in Rookie of the Year voting, starting 47 games for the Grizzlies. Now he's back in Vegas telling reporters the math is simple: six wins for a Summer League title. He wants the whole thing. Jaylen Wells was watching courtside, which is a nice visual for Coug fans who remember when those two were in the same uniform. For a deeper look at how another former Coug is finding his way in the league, check out our piece on Isaac Jones landing in Detroit after a mid-flight cut. Coward's got the confidence of a guy who's already proven it. He called his rookie teammate Cam Boozer 18 and said he's glad Boozer's on his side. That's the kind of veteran energy Memphis wants from him. The Grizzlies are running their Summer League defense through him, and he's responding. One game down. Five to go. Go Cougs.
First 2027 Coug is a Bothell guard who chose Wazzu over the rest
Jaylen McLaughlin dropped 50 in a game this summer, and now he's dropping a commitment on Wazzu. The Bothell guard became the first 2027 Coug on Monday, picking Washington State over Arkansas State, Toledo, Eastern Washington, and Cal State Fullerton. That list might not scream blue blood, but McLaughlin is no afterthought. He's the No. 2 player in Washington in his class per 247 Sports, the No. 39 point guard nationally, and he averaged 29 points a game last season. For a program still rebuilding its prep pipeline, that's a get. McLaughlin is the fourth American high school recruit the Cougs have landed in two years. That number matters. It says the staff is making inroads where it counts, and it says kids from this state are starting to look at Pullman as a real option again. He calls himself a pure scorer, and the tape backs it up. The 50-point summer game. The 35-point AAU outing where he hit 10 threes. The 20-point, seven-assist night against Miami Triple Threat. This is a guard who can fill it up, and he's only a sophomore. If you want to know how fast things change in Cougar hoops, go read about the exhibition-only future of the Apple Cup series. That one stings. But landing a kid like McLaughlin is how you start making the sting matter less. Go Cougs.
Cougs and Redhawks to clash at Climate Pledge in December doubleheader
David Riley is doing something smart: getting the Cougs back in front of the Seattle crowd. On Dec. 19, Wazzu meets Seattle U at Climate Pledge Arena as part of a doubleheader that also features UW and Baylor. That's a good night of hoops in a building that deserves it. This is the third meeting in two seasons between the Cougs and Redhawks. They split last year, Seattle U won 69-55 at home, WSU answered 70-58 in Pullman. Those games had some juice. Riley and Seattle U coach Chris Victor worked together at Eastern Washington, and last season they even ran the same first play. Riley called it funny. He's right. That kind of history makes a mid-December game feel like more than a tune-up. Riley's roster is almost entirely new, 13 newcomers, including transfers from TCU, Wake Forest, UNLV, and Oregon. That's a lot of new faces to gel before conference play. A game like this, in front of Coug fans west of the mountains, is a chance to build something. For more on the schedule and what's ahead, check out our coverage of WSU and Gonzaga closing league play. That one's a Wednesday night showdown worth circling. Go Cougs.