Michigan State basketball HC Tom Izzo goes off on fiery ‘ticked off’ rant about ejecting Spartans legend from stands

The 2025 Michigan State basketball season has started well, with the Spartans at 13-2. They are coming off another big win after dominating USC, but the victory was overshadowed by what happened in the stands. When the game was already out of hand and the Spartans were up big, it was stopped after former Michigan State star Paul Davis was ejected for something he said.

Michigan State basketball head coach Tom Izzo told the media after the game that Davis’ ejection was warranted. Davis was ejected for exchanging words with referee Jeffrey Anderson. Izzo talked to Anderson and yelled at Davis afterward. He also said he loves him as a former player, but he would call him afterward about the moment.

“You know I love Paul Davis. He’s one of my favorite guys,” Izzo said after the Spartans’ victory. “He’s always calling and doing things.

“But what he said — he should never say anywhere in the world. That ticked me off. Just because it’s 25, 20 years later, I’m going to have to call him tomorrow and tell him what I thought of it. And you know what he’ll say? ‘I screwed up, Coach. Sorry.”

Izzo clarified that Davis’ comment “wasn’t something racial, it wasn’t something sexual,” but emphasized that “it was just the wrong thing to say, and I’ll leave it at that.”

The moment interrupted an otherwise historic night for Izzo, who recorded his 750th career victory to move to eighth among active Division I coaches.

Davis had a great career with the Spartans. He is 10th in school history with 1,718 career points, averaging 13.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game during his four-year career at Michigan State from 2002 through 2006.

“He kind of got after the official, and he was 150% wrong,” Izzo said. “And for a guy like me to 150% agree with the official, it’s almost illegal. So I feel bad because [Davis] did that because he’s been a guy that comes back a lot, and we’ve got to keep him coming back. He made a mistake.”

Izzo also clarified that, as mad and disappointed as he is in Davis, he is still a valuable member of the Spartan program.

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