Gonzaga, WSU women win exhibition games

Gonzaga opened its women’s basketball season by presenting new head coach Lisa Fortier with a 92-44 exhibition victory over NAIA-opponent Eastern Oregon before 4,765 fans in Spokane on Sunday.

Lindsay Sherbert led the Bulldogs with 16 points. Shelby Cheslek scored 10 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Sunny Greinacher added 13 points, Emma Wolfram 12 and Keani Albanez 11.

The Bulldogs shot 49 percent and held Eastern Oregon, which scored 119 points against Walla Walla University in its previous game, to 35 percent. None of the Mountaineers scored in double figures.

Gonzaga forced 25 turnovers and had a 50-24 rebounding edge. The Bulldogs made 9 of 20 3-point attempts while Eastern Oregon hit only 1 of 9.

The Bulldogs open the regular season at home against 22nd-ranked Dayton on Nov. 16.

Washington State 71, Central Methodist 56: Lia Galdeira scored 26 points in leading the Cougars to an exhibition victory over the NAIA Eagles from Missouri in WSU’s opener at Pullman.

Tia Presley added 10 points and Louise Brown 10 rebounds.

Galdeira scored nine straight points late in the first half to help the Cougars build a 41-18 advantage with 2:19 left before the break. She had 18 points in the half.

Washington State scored 23 points off 28 turnovers. The Cougars shot 38 percent to Central Methodist’s 36 percent.

Taylor McDowell led the Eagles with 18 points, 15 coming on five 3-pointers in the second half.

Washington State opens its regular season at home on Nov. 14 against No. 22 Dayton.

Men’s basketball

Whitworth opens its season tonight (6 p.m. Pacific) with an exhibition game against Montana in Missoula.

Last year, Whitworth won its fifth straight Northwest Conference regular-season title and went 23-6 overall.