Associated Press
RICHMOND, Va.ó Virginia waited less than 12 hours after Richmond’s football season ended to seek permission to speak with Spiders coach Mike London about its coaching vacancy.
Virginia called Richmond officials on Sunday, London’s agent, Dennis Cordell, said.
The Spiders, who won the Football Championship Subdivision national championship last season in London’s first year as coach, were beaten 35-31 by Appalachian State on Saturday night in the quarterfinals. The winning points came on a touchdown with 10 seconds left.
Virginia became at least the fourth school with a coaching vacancy to call seeking the right to pursue London, joining Western Kentucky, Akron and Memphis, Cordell said.
He said no meetings had been set up with Virginia, but that the opportunities for his client are “obviously something we’re thinking about with all the interest that’s come up.”
That possibility, he added, is one that London doesn’t take lightly.
“A lot of people would think about themselves” and the money they could make, he said. “Mike doesn’t sleep because of things like that, thinking about all the people involved.”
West Rowan’s K.P. Parks has committed to the Cavs.
COLLEGE POLL
NEW YORK ó Alabama will head into the postseason as the No. 1 team in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 1973, while Southern California dropped out of the ranking Sunday after an eight-year run.
The Crimson Tide claimed the top spot after its emphatic 32-13 victory against previously No. 1 Florida in the Southeastern Conference title game.
Texas moved up one spot to No. 2 and received two first-place votes, after squeaking past Nebraska 13-12 in the Big 12 title game Saturday night. TCU is No. 3, followed by Cincinnati, Florida and unbeaten Boise State.
NBA
PHILADELPHIA ó Allen Iverson practiced with the Philadelphia 76ers for the first time in three years and is expected to start when they play tonight against Denver.
Iverson practiced with the first team of Elton Brand, Samuel Dalembert, Thaddeus Young and Willie Green on Sunday.
Coach Eddie Jordan expects Iverson to start against the Nuggets.
“He made a difference already in practice,” Jordan said. “His talking, his presence, being a step ahead of the play defensively.”
Iverson’s second stint won’t look much different from when he left the first time. The Sixers are 5-15 and have lost nine straight games. When the Sixers traded him on Dec. 19, 2006, they were 5-18 and on an 11-game losing streak.
BASEBALL
CAP CANA, Dominican Republic ó Pedro Martinez says he’s thankful that the Philadelphia Phillies gave him a chance to play for them and is eager to compete for the NL East champions next season.
The 38-yearold Martinez went 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA in nine starts down the stretch.
COLLEGE HOOPS
CLEMSON, S.C. ó Tanner Smith and Demontez Stitt scored 14 points each and No. 18 Clemson won its sixth straight game over South Carolina, 72-61 on Sunday.
The Tigers (7-2) used a late 18-6 run to pull away ó and bounce back from a bad defeat to Illinois on Wednesday night when they surrendered a 23-point second-half lead and lost 76-74.
No. 14 UConn 79, Harvard 73
STORRS, Conn. (AP) ó Jerome Dyson scored 24 points and came within an assist of a triple-double as No. 14 Connecticut held off Harvard 79-73 on Sunday.
No. 21 Florida St. 82, Fla. International 62
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ó Deividas Dulkys scored a career-high 19 points and Florida State overcame a slow start and poor first-half shooting.
Florida State (7-2) scored the first nine points of the second half to build a 43-17 lead.
Notre Dame 90, Central Florida 72
SOUTH BEND, Ind. ó Tim Abromaitis scored a career-high 31 points, Luke Harangody added 29 and Notre Dame shot 55 percent to beat Central Florida.