West Virginia Center Moss Takes Leave

West Virginia center Chris Moss left the team for personal reasons Monday and apologized for spitting on a Notre Dame cheerleader.

“I’m sorry for my behavior that occurred within the heat of competition, which caused me to overreact to a situation,” Moss said. “This was totally out of character for me.”

Coach Gale Catlett said Monday that he would allow Moss to take an unspecified leave to “get his personal life in order.” The player’s mother has multiple sclerosis, a school official said.

“He wants to take some time away from the team,” Catlett said. “He’s a great young man. He has never been a problem. Chris comes from a great family. I’m sure he will get this corrected and get on with his life.”

Moss had to be restrained after fouling out during a 78-61 loss Sunday. Catlett sent assistant coach Lester Rowe to escort Moss to the locker room.

As Moss walked in front of the Notre Dame student section, fans began taunting him. He turned quickly and spit toward the crowd, hitting a female cheerleader. “I embarrassed myself as well as West Virginia University,” Moss said. “This will never happen again.”

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Senior forward Eddie Miller, Washington State’s second-leading scorer from Reseda, has been dismissed from the team because of a weekend curfew violation, his refusal to join his teammates in accepting additional penalties for their action, and “overall attitude,” Coach Paul Graham said. . . . Fresno State (16-2), coming off a 19-point second-half comeback victory over Nevada, was ranked No. 22 in the Associated Press poll--its first appearance in the Top 25 since early in the 1997-98 season.