Sports in brief: GU women picked to win

Women’s basketball: Coaches of Gonzaga’s rivals in the West Coast Conference unanimously agreed that the Bulldogs will capture their sixth straight regular-season championship.

The Bulldogs were picked first on seven ballots – with coaches not allowed to vote for their own team. Loyola Marymount, which received the vote of GU coach Kelly Graves (above), came in second.

Gonzaga seniors Heather Bowman and Vivian Frieson and junior Courtney Vandersloot were voted to the preseason all-WCC team. Vandersloot and Bowman are the past two league MVPs.

The Bulldogs earned their second berth in the NCAA tournament last season and, as a 12th seed, defeated fifth-seeded Xavier before losing to No. 4 Pittsburgh. Only one starter graduated from that team.

Weber State chosen to repeat

Men’s basketball: Weber State is picked to repeat as regular-season champion in the Big Sky Conference.

The Wildcats topped polls from the media and the conference’s coaches.

Weber State got 23 of 28 first-place votes in the media poll and four votes for No. 1 from the coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own team.

Montana was picked second in the coaches’ poll, but third by the media.

Reporters tabbed Portland State, which has won the last two Big Sky tournaments, at No. 2 and Montana third. Idaho State is third in the coaches poll, followed by Portland State.

The polls were identical for spots 5-9: Montana State, Northern Colorado, Northern Arizona, Eastern Washington and Sacramento State.

Associated Press

Kelati, Dickau cut in NBA

Basketball: The Los Angeles Lakers cut Thomas Kelati, a former Washington State guard. Kelati played last season in Spain and also played two seasons in Poland.

Kelati played in five preseason games for the Lakers, averaging 1.6 points.

The Phoenix Suns lowered their preseason roster to 13 players by waiving guard Dan Dickau, a former Gonzaga University guard.

Dickau averaged 2.8 points and 1.4 assists in five games.

Dickau, who has played in six NBA seasons, most recently played in Europe.

From news services