Alford Returns to Big Ten as Iowa’s Coach

The last time Steve Alford was in the Big Ten Conference, he was a sharpshooting guard at Indiana. Alford returned Monday as Iowa’s new basketball coach.

Alford, who guided Southwest Missouri State to the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16, was, as expected, hired to replace Tom Davis, whose contract was not renewed after 13 years in Iowa City.

Alford, 34, was a two-time All-American who led the Hoosiers to the NCAA title in 1987 and was the school’s No. 2 career scorer with 2,438 points.

Alford accepted a five-year contract that calls for a base salary of about $350,000 annually. He made about $188,000 at Southwest Missouri State.

With camps, shoe-and-clothing contracts and broadcasting contracts, that could swell to about $600,000, Iowa Athletic Director Bob Bowlsby said. Additional, incremental incentives will be negotiated that would put Alford “in the $900,000 range,” he said.

Alford’s father, Sam, will join him as an assistant coach.

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Weber State, which upset North Carolina in the first round of the NCAA tournament, promoted assistant Joe Cravens to head coach. He succeeds Ron Abegglen, the Big Sky coach of the year. Abegglen agreed last August to a $95,000 buyout of his contract following the season after his wife accused him of domestic abuse. Abegglen was already on a two-year probation at Weber State for recruiting violations. His eight-year career at Weber State ended with an 82-74 overtime loss to Florida in the NCAA tournament’s second round after the Wildcats had upset third-seeded North Carolina, 76-74. . . . Virginia Tech Coach Bobby Hussey was fired. Hussey, who replaced Bill Foster before the 1997-98 season, guided Virginia Tech to records of 10-17 and 13-15. The men’s team drew an average of 4,040 to the 10,052-seat Cassell Coliseum this season, more than 1,000 fewer than the women’s team.

Notre Dame officials have interviewed Princeton’s Bill Carmody for their vacant head coaching position and plan to meet with Xavier’s Skip Prosser soon. Notre Dame is searching for a replacement for John MacLeod, who resigned under pressure March 9. . . . Dan Monson, who coached Gonzaga within one game of the Final Four, has withdrawn from consideration for the vacant job at San Diego State. . . . Duke center Elton Brand was named the winner of the Oscar Robertson Trophy by the U.S. Basketball Writers Assn. . . . Minnesota Coach Clem Haskins denied giving money to former player Russ Archambault and again denied tutor Jan Gangelhoff wrote papers for basketball players. Gangelhoff is expected to hold a news conference today.

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Despite few close games, CBS’ tournament coverage is managing to hold its own in the ratings. Through Sunday’s regional finals, CBS was averaging a 6.0 overnight rating and a 13 share, down only 3% from last year.

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Corey Evans sank a 25-footer with 2.1 seconds remaining to lead a late-game comeback as unseeded Life beat No. 8 Mobile, 63-60, to claim the NAIA Division I title.

Life (29-10) had trailed by as many as 26 points.