KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced a new Men’s Basketball Athlete of the Week award winner in week 12 of the 2025-26 season. The Mules collected their third-straight MIAA Athlete of the Week award with Central Missouri’s Lazerek Houston earning the honor after a big win over No. 1 Washburn.
MIAA MEN’S BASKETBALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Lazerek Houston, Central Missouri
Lazerek Houston led Central Missouri in its upset over the previously undefeated and top-ranked team in Division II. Houston and the Mules defeated Washburn 74-72 inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center this past Saturday afternoon (Feb. 7), handing the No. 1 Ichabods their first loss of the season. Houston recorded a game-high 31 points, shooting 10-of-19 from the floor, which included a season-best seven triples. The freshman guard also added a game-high seven assists, three rebounds and two steals for good measure, helping the Mules improve to 18-7 on the year and 9-4 in MIAA play. This is Central Missouri’s third straight MIAA Athlete of the Week honor, with Houston claiming the title first in week 10 and teammate Javon Hill earning the honor in week 11.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
Colin Ruffin, Missouri Southern
Colin Ruffin led Missouri Southern through a 2-0 week in MIAA play, averaging 24.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 10 assists. Ruffin shot 66 percent from the field and 50 percent from distance over the pair of wins. He opened the week with a career-best 26 points with six rebounds, two assists and a steal in the 93-75 win at Newman, shooting 67 percent. The junior guard then added 23 points, eight rebounds and had a personal-best eight assists while shooting .643 in the 93-73 victory at Emporia State. Ruffin has finished with 19 or more points in each of the last three games and in double-digits each of the last four contests.
Matthew Willenborg, Central Oklahoma
Matthew Willenborg continued his dominating play for the Bronchos by averaging 23.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, 4.0 blocks, and 2.0 steals in games against Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western. The junior forward broke UCO’s career blocks record of 147 last Saturday (Feb. 7), reaching 150 for his career (three seasons). Willenborg scored 29 points and had eight rebounds with four blocks and three steals in a narrow 72-65 loss at Northwest Missouri. He then put up 17 points and 18 rebounds with four blocks and a steal in the 75-70 overtime win at Missouri Western.
Ty Henry, Missouri Western
Ty Henry led Missouri Western’s offense through a pair of MIAA contests with 23.0 points per game with an impressive shooting percentage of 68 percent (17-of-25) from the floor and 62.5 percent from the three (5-of-8). The senior guard totaled 23 points in both games while adding nine rebounds and four assists on the Griffons’ 1-1 week.
ALSO NOMINATED:
Mason English [Pittsburg State], Ja’Bryant Hill [Nebraska Kearney], Andrew Mason [Washburn], Kyle Grill [Fort Hays State], Andrew Mason [Rogers State], Christian Moore [Arkansas-Fort Smith], Jack Weigus [Emporia State]
WEEK ONE: Jaden Taylor, Missouri Southern
WEEK TWO: Dan Mukuna, Fort Hays State
WEEK THREE: Matthew Willenborg, Central Oklahoma
WEEK FOUR: Landon Short, Pittsburg State
WEEK FIVE: Dillon Claussen, Washburn
WEEK SIX: Jack Bachelor, Washburn
WEEK SEVEN: Brandon Scott, Arkansas-Fort Smith
WEEK EIGHT: Matthew Willenborg, Central Oklahoma
WEEK NINE: Matthew Willenborg, Central Oklahoma
WEEK TEN: Lazerek Houston, Central Missouri
WEEK ELEVEN: Jevon Hill, Central Missouri
WEEK TWELVE: Lazerek Houston, Central Missouri