Idaho Basketball Player Quits Team

Chad Coates has quit the University of Idaho men’s basketball team after participating in only a couple of practices.

Coates, a sophomore, started three games last year and averaged 2.7 points. He is still attending school, UI coach Joe Cravens said.

“I guess it’s for personal reasons,” said Cravens, who has not been in contact with Coates.

Attempts to reach Coates were unsuccessful.

UM, Montana State men picked

The Big Sky Conference basketball coaches and the media that cover the sport agree: the favorite heading into the 1995-96 season is in Montana.

But the coaches give the preseason nod to Montana State, while the media point to Montana.

In the coaches’ poll released by the league Tuesday, the two are separated by just two points, 47 for Montana State and 45 for Montana. MSU received five first-place votes, the Grizzlies three. Weber State was picked third by the coaches with 35 points. Idaho got 33 points, followed by Boise State (21), Idaho State (18), Eastern Washington (13) and Northern Arizona (12).

The media chose Montana with 113 total points and seven first-place votes, picking Weber State (108 points) to finish ahead of Montana State (100).

The media picked Idaho fourth with 71 points, including one first-place vote, followed by BSU, ISU, NAU and EWU.

Montana women favored again

The Montana women are the preseason favorite of Big Sky coaches to capture the 1995-96 conference crown - again.

The Grizzlies and 13th-year coach Robin Selvig topped Boise State and coach June Daugherty by four points in the voting, 48-44, and took six of the eight first-place ballots. BSU got two. Weber State was well behind in third with 32 points.

The coaches ranked Eastern Washington fourth with 28, NAU fifth with 27, Montana State sixth with 24, Idaho seventh with 13, and Idaho State eighth with 12.

Idaho football

Idaho running back Joel Thomas, who suffered a broken foot a month ago, said it appears doubtful he’ll return this season.

Thomas, a junior, is eligible to redshirt without losing a year of eligibility.

, DataTimes