Feb 23, 2013; Tucson, AZ, USA; Washington State Cougars guard DaVont Lacy (3) prepares to pass as guard/forward Kevin Parrom (3) defends during the first half at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
The annual home-and-home Apple Cup game on the hardwood has lost it’s luster this season, due to many reasons and most of them coming from the Washington State side of the coin. The largest and painfully obvious problem for the Cougars is that junior shooting guard DaVonte Lacy has missed a month with a rib injury after colliding with a support brace under the basket.
Cougar coach Ken Bone is hoping to have Lacy back this Saturday at 3:00 pm when the Huskies invade Pullman for tip, but while it is most definitely something that would help the team, it’s not something I’m going to recommend Bone do.
The key words that Bone used when talking about Lacy getting back are “I think… he has a chance”. Yeah, not “he’ll be able to go”, or “he’ll be one hundred percent by Saturday and able to join us”. The kid will be participating in his first shooting and passing drills since Jan. 5th. He won’t even be full go probably until game day, if at all this week.
I know Lacy is on scholarship and all and if he can play, normally he should. But we’re talking about Washington State’s clear-cut No. 1 player getting healthy in a lost season. I suppose I can’t blame Bone for trying to get the team to the most competitive point possible, but any chance at saving the season is long since gone. A rib injury is nothing to balk at for the sake of being competitive in a single game that will not alter the outcome of this year one little bit. If Bone does think any run can be made, it would have to be in the Pac-12 Tournament and of course the only hope is to have a healthy DaVonte going into tourney-play.
It’s just my opinion that if Lacy isn’t 100% and has absolutely no rib pain, he should be recovering til he is. I might think differently if I was in Ken Bone’s shoes, especially watching the team be so terrible without him, but why risk it? If the game meant something to the Pac-12 standings then it might be a completely different story as well, but it clearly doesn’t.
The game will be televised on Pac-12 Networks for anyone wanting to watch.
Go Cougs!