EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Former Michigan State and NBA player Paul Davis apologized for verbally abusing an official at the Breslin Center and being removed from his seat during the 12th-ranked Spartans’ 80-51 victory over Southern California.
Davis addressed his actions with reporters and expressed remorse on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after an official pointed him out and asked him to be escorted away from his seat near the court.
“I'm up here to take accountability — to own it," he told reporters before coach Tom Izzo's news conference.
Davis said he apologized to official Jeffrey Anderson during a call on Tuesday.
“Short conversation, but an amazing conversation,” Davis said. “Amazing guy.”
Davis said he was sorry for being a distraction for Michigan State's players during their strong start this season and for taking away from USC's experience. Davis also apologized to Michigan State fans at the game, and watching on television, the university, along with parents and kids for not being a role model.
Davis called Izzo several hours after the game and wanted to publicly address his mistake.
“It kind of went global,” said Izzo, who coached Davis when he played for the Spartans 20 years ago.
With six-plus minutes left and the Spartans leading the Trojans 67-46, television cameras showed Izzo shouting across the court at Davis after the officials stopped the game.
“What are you doing?" Izzo screamed.
Izzo said after the game that Davis was one of his favorite guys.
“He’s always calling and doing things, but what he said, he should never say in the world,” Izzo said. "That ticked me off.”
The 41-year-old Davis played for Michigan State from 2002-06 and was a three-year starter. He had career averages of 13.2 points and seven rebounds, including 17.5 points and 9.1 rebounds his senior season.
“You're a basketball player when you're here, and you're an ambassador when you leave,” Davis said.
Davis played in the NBA with the Los Angeles Clippers from 2006-09 and the Washington Wizards in 2009-10.
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FILE - Michigan State coach Tom Izzo talks to Paul Davis during second half action of their NCAA basketball game against Wisconsin-Green Bay, Dec. 21, 2005, in Green Bay, Wis. Michigan State won 98-69. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer, File)
FILE - NCAA officials Matt Potter, left, Tim Clougherty, center, and Jeffrey Anderson, right, confer to decide whether Seton Hall's Angel Delgado committed a flagrant foul during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Creighton in Omaha, Neb., Jan. 17, 2018. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)
FILE - Michigan State's Paul Davis, left, and Illinois' James Augustine fight for a rebound during the first half of a college basketball game, March 4, 2006, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Al Goldis, File)
PHOENIX (AP) — This year's Final Four at the women's NCAA Tournament features a quartet of powerhouse programs, teams that have overwhelmed almost all of their opponents with superior talent and veteran coaching.
They have size. They are athletic. They have pedigree.
But they haven't faced a ton of on-court adversity — particularly in March.
That could change on Friday night when UConn faces South Carolina and Texas meets UCLA in the national semifinals at Mortgage Matchup Center. After beating up on inferior adversaries for the majority of March, it's time for the game's elite to pick on someone their own size.
Here's how they're preparing for potential clutch moments this weekend.
The Gamecocks have had a few tough losses this season, including two to Texas. They also dropped a road game against Oklahoma, blowing a seven-point halftime lead before losing in overtime.
South Carolina got its revenge last week, beating the Sooners in the Sweet 16.
The Gamecocks haven’t faced much friction in the NCAA Tournament, winning their four games by an average of 40.3 points.
Coach Dawn Staley said the way to stay fresh for late-game situations is to simulate them in practice so that players are comfortable when tense moments come. For instance, during last week’s regional in Sacramento, the coach said they made sure to go over sidelines inbounds plays since the benches were in a spot that was different than most of the games they had played.
Guard Raven Johnson said Staley did a good job of ramping up the intensity after the early-season setbacks, holding them to the program’s standard that has been built over the past two decades.
“When we took losses throughout the season, I think practices, they shifted,” Johnson said. “They were hard. She was on our butts. She was a different person.
“I think that made us come closer. That made us realize that people here, this is their first time ever experiencing things like this. We had to remind them that our standard here is very high. We had to remind them in practice, good habits are contagious. When you have good habits, they carry on into the game.”
The Huskies' dominance has been historic. They've won their 38 games by an average of 37.8 points, which is on track to rank third all-time behind its record 40.6 in 2015 and 39.7 in 2016.
On-court adversity hasn't been common. The Huskies played a tight game against Michigan early in the year, pulling out a 72-69 win on Nov. 21. They also trailed by one point against North Carolina after one quarter in the Sweet 16 before pulling away for a 63-42 victory.
Other than that, it's been pretty smooth sailing.
Azzi Fudd said she's confident the Huskies will be ready to execute in a tight fourth quarter if needed.
“You simulate as much as you can in practice, which the coaches have done for us all year long," Fudd said. “At the end of the day, the habits that we've built in practices and games will definitely help keep us settled, keep us calm, keep us together this weekend.”
Texas played a difficult schedule, going 14-3 against nationally ranked teams before March Madness even started. The Longhorns are the one team in the Final Four that has had a two-game losing streak, dropping back-to-back games to LSU and South Carolina in mid-January.
In that regard, they might be the most battle-tested team remaining.
Texas also might be the hottest team in the nation at the moment. The Longhorns are on a 12-game winning streak, which includes a 78-61 win over South Carolina in the SEC Tournament and a 77-41 win over Michigan in the Elite Eight.
Coach Vic Schaefer said he's not concerned about the lack of close games. He believes his team has proven its mettle thanks to the tough schedule.
“I've got a fifth-year point guard and I've got Madison Booker, who has been in those games and those wars,” Schaefer said. “I stopped worrying about this group about three or four weeks ago. What they've done and how they've done it — at some point you've got to step back and go ‘OK, they’re good.'”
Texas has won its games by an average of 29.1 points this season and by 35.5 in the tournament.
The Bruins are the only team remaining that has experienced a recent brush with a loss, trailing by eight points at halftime against Duke in the Elite Eight before rallying for a relatively comfortable 70-58 win.
Their lone loss came at the hands of their upcoming opponent — Texas.
Senior guard Gabriela Jaquez said the Duke game was a great learning moment heading into what she hopes are two more games.
“We never want to be down, but it's really important to respond quickly,” Jaquez said. “In the Duke game, we should have responded quicker, but it's OK, we responded at halftime. In the Final Four, all these teams are really good. They've worked hard all season, they're going to be ready, they're going to be prepared.”
UCLA has won its games by an average of 28 points this season, including 27 in the tournament.
AP Sports Writer Eric Olson contributed to this report.
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
UCLA center Lauren Betts passes the ball during practice prior to the national semifinals at the Women's Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
UConn head coach Geno Auriemma answers a question during a news conference prior to the national semifinals at the Women's Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
South Carolina's Raven Johnson answers a question during a new conference prior to the national semifinals at the Women's Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
