COLLEGE BASKETBALL IN ARIZONA

Arizona women's basketball preview

Aari McDonald (Jr., G, 5-6, Washington), Cate Reese (So., F, 6-2, Cypress, Texas, Woods High School).

Amari Carter (Sr., G, 5-8, Penn State), Shaina Pellington (Jr., G, 5-8, Oklahoma).

Dec. 8 at Arizona State ... Jan. 10 vs Oregon State ... Feb. 28 vs. Stanford ... March 5-8 Pac-12 Championship in Las Vegas.

Arizona was picked to finish sixth in the Pac-12 Women's Basketball Coaches Poll. The Wildcats return eight players from a team that won 24 games during the 2018-19 season and won the WNIT championship. McDonald, an All-American, led the Wildcats with 24.1 points per game last season and was named Preseason All Pac-12. The Wildcats open their season Nov. 5 against North Dakota.

NAU women's basketball preview

Khiarica Rasheed (Jr., F, 5-11, Grant HS, Portland, Ore.), Jacey Bailey (Jr., G/F, 6-0, Florida Atlantic), Lauren Orndoff (Jr., G, 5-10, South Medford, Ore., HS).

Molly Rohrer (Gr., C, 6-3, CSU- Pueblo), Nina Radford (So., F, 6-0, UC Santa Barbara).

Nov 16 vs. Seattle .... Dec. 18 vs. Oregon State at Maui Jim Classic ... Feb. 6 vs. Idaho State ... March 9-15 Big Sky Championship at Boise Idaho.

NAU was picked eighth in both the Big Sky Preseason Coaches and Media Polls. Head coach Loree Payne returns four starters and a total of seven players with significant game experience. The Lumberjacks finished the 2018-19 season 13-18 overall and 8-12 in the Big Sky. Seven teams in the Big Sky received a first-place vote in the media poll, although Montana State remains the favorite. NAU opens its season Nov. 8 at New Mexico.

Up next for GCU men

GCU still is awaiting the NCAA on the status of two of its top players, guard Jaylen Fisher and wing Oscar Frayer . ... Davenport, a Division II school that went 27-4 last year and is ranked No. 3, has played twice already, beating USC Aiken 77-68 and losing to Lincoln Memorial 98-48 . ... GCU will likely start true freshman Jovan Blacksher Jr., at point guard. He helped Phoenix Shadow Mountain to the past four 4A state championships.