Los Angeles Rams all-pro wide receiver Puka Nacua has entered a rehab center after some recent off-field issues.

Nacua was recently accused of assault and battery by a woman who alleges he bit her on the shoulder on New Year’s Eve and made an antisemitic remark. 

Neither Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, nor the Rams, immediately responded to an email for confirmation. 

However, the New York Post quoted McCathern as saying, “He was in there a substantial period of time before any of these allegations broke with Madison, and he’s scheduled to be there for a while longer.”

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Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams reacts after a catch during the third quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field Dec. 18, 2025, in Seattle.  (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

“The combination of stories ya’ll have run is certainly a contributing factor,” the attorney said, adding that Nacua wants to “improve his overall behavior in every aspect of his life that he can do it.”

Plaintiff Madison Atiabi says Nacua bit her and left teeth marks on her shoulder when they were in a van together later in the night, and she claims Nacua also bit her friend’s thumb.

McCathern strongly denied Nacua made any antisemitic statements but described the bites as “horseplay.”

Atiabi and her attorney, Joseph Kar, claim Nacua made an antisemitic exclamation that emotionally distressed her when they were together in Century City. 

Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams reacts during the second quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at SoFi Stadium on Sept. 28, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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McCathern said “the whole claim is nothing more than a shakedown attempt” and that the bite “left nothing more than a temporary mark,” according to TMZ.

Nacua apologized for performing an “antisemitic” act on a YouTube stream last last year. Nakua discussed touchdown celebrations on YouTuber Adin Ross’ stream, and, in the video, Ross instructed Nakua to spike the ball, flex and then rub his hands together. Ross, who is Jewish, has referred to the movement as his own “dance” or “emote.”

Many, however, believed the celebration perpetuated a harmful anti-Jewish stereotype. Nacua received overwhelming pushback and issued an apology.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (17) runs the ball against Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) during the first half at SoFi Stadium.  (Gary A. Vasquez/Imagn Images)

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Nacua caught 129 passes for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, all of career highs.

Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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New York Knicks All-Star Jalen Brunson’s sister called out ESPN after personality Stephen A. Smith took aim at her brother’s team and best friend, Josh Hart, during a “First Take” segment. 

Smith called out Hart, Brunson’s teammate and “Roommates Show” podcast co-host, as the Knicks have struggled in recent games, especially against NBA teams with an above-.500 record. 

Erica Brunson, Jalen’s sister, took time to post to X on Wednesday, where she ripped the “Worldwide Leader” after listening to Smith’s rant about the Knicks. 

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Jalen Brunson and Erica Brunson attend Haute Living Jalen Brunson Cover Celebration with J.P. Morgan Wealth Management and Mijenta Tequila at Avra Rockefeller on Oct. 26, 2024 in New York City. (Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)

“I used to always have ESPN on in the background during the day,” Erica Brunson wrote on X. “It was such a staple growing up. Now? I never turn it on. And this is a big reason why. Utterly ridiculous.”

The post was prompted by a video capturing Smith’s rant about the Knicks, who have now lost three straight games. 

MICHIGAN STATE COACH TOM IZZO: IT WAS ‘HARD’ TURNING DOWN SUNS JOB IN 2025

While the team is in playoff position, Smith aimed right at Hart.

“A message to Josh Hart: Do I need to shut the hell up now? Does it make sense what I was saying now? I mean, you’re getting it now?” Smith said. “You haven’t won a game since you clapped back at me. You’re on a losing streak since he talked back to me. Maybe if you prioritize what I was saying, and pay attention to the substance and veracity of my comments instead of protecting your boys, you’d be winning games when you go up against teams that are better than .500 with their record. 

“Do I make sense now? Because I ain’t getting personal. I’m talking basketball, because every time you go up against somebody who’s relatively respectable, you’re wetting the bed. You’re like 4-8, or 4-9, against winning teams since the All-Star break. But you’re 9-0 against sub-.500 teams. Well, who the hell you think you’re going to be playing come playoff time?”

New York Knicks guard Josh Hart reacts to a call during the second quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center.  (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)

The Knicks may be struggling in recent outings, but they’re still winners in seven of their last 10 contests. But Smith added the struggles are coming against teams they will see in the playoffs very soon.  

“The New York Knicks are literally a couple of weeks away from the playoffs starting, and Josh Hart is on camera talking about, ‘We’re moving in the wrong direction. You know, what gotta get our stuff together.’ We’re looking at a team that still doesn’t have a definitive identity. We’re looking at a team that New York Knicks fans know are talented, know they’re playoff caliber,” Smith said. 

Like her brother, Erica Brunson went to Villanova, graduating in 2023 with a degree in communications and a minor in education. She currently works at CAA, Jalen’s agency, in basketball client and marketing services. 

Stephen A. Smith joined Bill Maher on the Mar. 27 episode of “Real Time,” discussing politics and who could potentially lead both parties going forward. (Real Time with Bill Maher/YouTube)

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The Knicks have just six regular-season games remaining before the playoffs begin. They currently sit third in Eastern Conference standings, only behind the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics.

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TORONTO –

Pierre-Luc Dubois was still trying to figure out NHL life.

Helmet firmly fastened under his chin, the Columbus Blue Jackets rookie stepped on the ice for warm-ups ahead of his eighth professional hockey game in October 2017.

The Los Angeles Kings — a roster full packed with Stanley Cup winners — were at the rink’s opposite end, many with slicked back hair as they emerged from the tunnel.

“Like 14 guys without a helmet,” recalled Dubois, now a centre with the Washington Capitals. “I was like, ‘This is so intimidating.’ I’m 19 years old and they’ve won (titles), they’re huge, they have no helmets, no teeth, so scary.

“I remember thinking, ‘Wow, that’d be really cool to do one day.’”

Helmets — or buckets — off in warm-ups remains a unique part daily life for many NHLers despite the league instituting a rule that states anyone not in the league before the 2019-20 season must don the protective gear pre-game.

Players making their debuts are still allowed to take them off for the “rookie lap” initiation before putting the equipment back on, but there remains plenty of athletes leaving helmets in the locker room.

“There’s a few hidden gems in the NHL,” San Jose Sharks winger Tyler Toffoli said. “No helmet in warm-up is in the top-3.”

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Corey Perry has played 21 seasons, mostly without a helmet in warm-up. There have been close calls and scary moments — including off his own stick — as pucks rattle glass and chime posts.

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“I hit myself,” he said. “Off the crossbar and cut my eyebrow open.”

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The NHL issued a memo earlier this season after a few teams had ineligible players go without helmets pre-game.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly used to be mesmerized by the ritual going to Vancouver Canucks games as a kid.

“I remember seeing Markus Naslund out there with no helmet,” he said. “I thought that was the coolest thing.”

Toronto, like Columbus when Dubois entered the league, had an internal team policy that forced players to wear helmets in warm-ups under past management regimes.

The directive now loosened, Rielly, William Nylander, Max Domi and Jake McCabe are among the players sans head garb when the Maple Leafs hit the ice about 30 minutes before puck drop.

“In a tough stretch everyone’s talking about confidence this, confidence that,” Rielly said. “So we said, ‘Screw it, let’s start.’”

But just because a player entered the league back when helmets could be removed didn’t mean it was allowed.

Toffoli got to take his off when he hit 100 games with the Kings after veterans let him know it was time.

“One of the first things I wanted to do was warm-ups with no helmet,” he recalled. “(Former teammate) Jarret Stoll gave me some Dippity Do gel to throw in my hair.”

Added Perry: “Back in the day if you took your helmet off, you knew you’d done something right.”

Anaheim Ducks rookie Beckett Sennecke got to take his off just once.

“Pretty cool feeling,” the forward said of that initial lap. “Wish that was still a rule.”

Los Angeles defenceman Drew Doughty said his group wasn’t allowed to remove them in warm-ups until after capturing their first Cup in 2012.

“We started winning and basically our entire team was no buckets,” he said. “Maybe we should go to buckets on until we win again … but you seem cool if you have no bucket.”

Maple Leafs centre John Tavares, who did warm-ups without a helmet earlier in his career, said there’s a tradition element.

“The league has been around for over 100 years,” he said. “A little bit of getting to play in the NHL, the uniqueness of that.”

There have also been serious injuries, including Taylor Hall falling and getting stepped on when he was with the Edmonton Oilers, resulting in a nasty row of stitches across his forehead in 2012.

Self-preservation without a helmet is key.

“You have to think of warm-ups different,” Tampa Bay Lightning centre Nick Paul said. “You’re always watching, listening for shots off posts and crossbars. I’ve ducked a couple. You never go below the goal line. And when you’re shooting, you see a guy with no helmet, you know not to rip it.”

The risk, however, remains worth it.

“I feel alive and awake,” said Dubois, who doesn’t have a set helmet routine. “You always have to be on the lookout, but it’s scary at times.

“And my parents would like for me not to do it.”

DOWN THE STRETCH

The race for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth looks set to go down to the wire.

Columbus currently occupies the spot with 88 points and seven games left. Ottawa, Detroit and Philadelphia all sit with 86 points and eight contests remaining. Washington, meanwhile, is still in the mix with 85 points and seven dates still on the schedule.

BENCH TURNOVER

The Vegas Golden Knights’ decision to fire head coach Bruce Cassidy and replace him with John Tortorella this week once again demonstrated that career path’s volatility.

Just eight NHL teams have the same coach as at the start of 2023-24 — Ryan Huska (Calgary), Rod Brind’Amour (Carolina), Jared Bednar (Colorado), Paul Maurice (Florida), Martin St. Louis (Montreal), Andrew Brunette (Nashville), Jon Cooper (Tampa Bay) and Spencer Carbery (Washington).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 1, 2026.

Golf influencer Paige Spiranac shared some encouraging words for Tiger Woods, who announced this week he would be stepping away from golf to “seek treatment” after his DUI arrest in Jupiter Island, Florida Friday. 

Spiranac reacted on social media after seeing Woods’ statement and the whole situation unfold after his rollover car crash. 

“I think we are all rooting for Tiger,” she posted on X. “Not as a golfer but more importantly as a person. None of us can fathom what he’s been through both emotionally and physically. 

“Not excusing any behavior, but I hope he’s able to get the help he needs in peace without the whole world dog piling on him in a very difficult situation.”

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Paige Spiranac hits a tee shot during The Creator Classic prior to the Truist Championship at The Philadelphia Cricket Club (Wissahickon Course) May 7, 2025, in Flourtown, Philadelphia.   (Tracy Wilcox/PGA Tour via Getty Images)

Woods entered a not guilty plea in court Tuesday, waiving his right to an arraignment and demanding a trial with a jury. He later released the statement, saying he would seek treatment and focus on his health. 

“I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today,” Woods said in the statement posted on social media. “I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery. 

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“I’m committed to taking the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger, and more focused place, both personally and professionally. I appreciate your understanding and support, and ask for privacy for my family, loved ones and myself at this time.”

Woods’ attorney, Douglas N. Duncan, did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Fox News Digital. 

Tiger Woods was arrested on a DUI charge after a crash in Florida March 27, 2006. (AP/Martin County Sheriff’s Office)

Woods was arrested in Florida, and prescription opioids were found in his pocket after he was involved in a rollover crash Friday, according to court documents.

The 15-time major winner was arrested on charges of driving under the influence with property damage and refusal to submit to a blood alcohol level (BAL) test after law enforcement said his vehicle collided with another while driving impaired.

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital, deputies with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office reported observing several signs of impairment after the crash. They noted Woods was “sweating profusely,” his movements appeared “lethargic and slow” and his eyes were “bloodshot and glassy” as well as “extremely dilated” after removing his sunglasses. Woods admitted to being distracted before the crash. 

“Woods stated he was looking down at his cell phone and changing the radio station and did not notice the vehicle in front of him slowing down,” deputies wrote in the affidavit. 

Golfer Tiger Woods stands by his overturned vehicle in Jupiter Island, Fla., Friday, March 27, 2026.  (Jason Oteri/AP)

After Woods was placed under arrest, authorities found “two white pills inside Woods’ left side pant pocket,” which were later identified as hydrocodone, a prescription pain relief opioid.

This marks the second DUI arrest for Woods in the last decade. He was also taken into custody on Jupiter Island in 2017 after being asleep behind the wheel of a running vehicle at 3 a.m. after taking prescription drugs. 

Woods was also involved in a 2021 rollover crash that resulted in serious leg injuries and emergency surgeries, which is what he was alluding to during the field sobriety tests. 

Woods just returned to The Golf League earlier this month for his first round of competition since undergoing more surgeries on his back while also needing to repair a torn Achilles. 

Paige Spiranac plays the 17th green during the Creator Classic at Philly Cricket Club prior to the Truist Championship at The Philadelphia Cricket Club (Wissahickon Course) May 7, 2025, in Flourtown Philadelphia.  (Ben Jared/PGA Tour via Getty Images)

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While Woods was reportedly trying to get in shape to play in the Masters Tournament, his statement confirmed he won’t be participating in this year’s field. Woods also signed up for the U.S. Senior Open, according to TGL teammate Kevin Kisner, which is scheduled for early July. 

Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley also confirmed Woods will not be at The Masters next week.

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Tony D’Angelo finds himself back in the NXT Championship picture as he heads into Stand & Deliver on Saturday night, but he faces an uphill challenge in winning the title for the first time.

D’Angelo will be in a fatal four-way match against NXT champion Joe Hendry, Ricky Saints and Ethan Page. Nearly a year ago, it was his stablemate Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo turning on him at Stand & Deliver. The Family officially broke up in July and D’Angelo would return to action in December with a completely fresh look.

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Tony D’Angelo helps up Joe Hendry during NXT at the WWE Performance Center on January 13, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. (Mike Marques/WWE via Getty Images)

The Family was behind him and he set his sights on the NXT Championship.

“I learned that you can’t put all your faith and your trust in others,” he told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. “You got to go with your gut. I did that with The Family. I did it with ‘Stacks’ and then you saw how that turned out. It can be your closest people. You never know. You got to trust your gut. Go with what you think is right and I think that can’t really lead you down the wrong path.”

D’Angelo made clear earlier this month he was coming for Hendry and the championship. In his return to the ring, he was able to dispatch Cutler James and then Dion Lennox at Vengeance Day.

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Tony D’Angelo in ring during NXT’s Vengeance Day on March 7, 2026 in Orlando, Florida.  (Matt Pendleton/WWE via Getty Images)

D’Angelo told Fox News Digital he’s laser-focused on the championship.

“I’m no stranger to it. I went to war with Ilja Dragunov in Stand & Deliver in Philly. I came up a little bit short on that one. But, look, I am on a path of destruction right now,” he said. “I don’t think there’s anything that’s gonna stop me from getting what I want and it’s the NXT Championship.

“I mean, it feels good, but I’m not nervous. I don’t feel like I’m in deep waters right now. I feel like, I actually have the advantage in this one.”

D’Angelo is a one-time NXT North American champion, two-time NXT tag team champion and won the Heritage Cup once.

Tony D’Angelo in ring during NXT at the 713 Music Hall on March 17, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Meg Oliphant/WWE via Getty Images)

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Stand & Deliver will take place Saturday night at The Factory in St. Louis, Missouri. The event begins at 7 p.m. ET and can be seen on YouTube.

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Former Wisconsin football player Jack Pugh, who walked away from college football due to mental health struggles, has died, the university announced Tuesday. He was 24. 

Pugh, an Ohio native, was a tight end on the Badgers’ football team from 2021 to 2022. His cause of death was not immediately known. 

Pugh redshirted his freshman year and made his debut for Wisconsin in a game against Minnesota the following season. But in December 2023, he announced he was stepping away from the sport because of mental health struggles. (Courtesy of Wisconsin Athletics)

“The Wisconsin Athletics family is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Jack Pugh. Jack was a positive light and brought a genuine spirit to our football program. More than that, he cared about people and was loved by his teammates and staff,” the statement read. 

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“Jack proudly earned his degree from UW-Madison in 2025 and will forever be remembered and loved.” 

Pugh redshirted his freshman year and made his debut for Wisconsin in a game against Minnesota the following season. But in December 2023, he announced he was stepping away from the sport because of mental health struggles. 

Pugh was a tight end on the Badgers’ football team from 2021 to 2022. (Courtesy of Wisconsin Athletics)

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“I made a decision before the football season to medically retire, that I haven’t yet formally announced. My physical health wasn’t near perfect, but my mental health was the reason I decided to hang it up,” he wrote in an Instagram post at the time.

“Over years of prolonged depression and substance abuse, I decided I deserved a better life and to finally find happiness. In no way was football the root of these problems, but everything in my life had distracted me for so long to the point I never had prioritized my mental health all along, digging a deeper darker hole.” 

“My physical health wasn’t near perfect, but my mental health was the reason I decided to hang it up,” Pugh wrote on Instagram. (Courtesy of Wisconsin Athletics)

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New York Jets running back Braelon Allen, who was Pugh’s teammate during their time at Wisconsin, shared a message on X seemingly in response to news of Pugh’s death.

“Protect your mental,” his post X. 

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Tiger Woods said Tuesday that he is stepping away to seek treatment after pleading not guilty in his driving under the influence case in Florida.

The 50-year-old pro golfer’s lawyer entered a written plea of not guilty, according to the online court docket for Martin County, viewed by Global News. Woods waived his April 23 arraignment hearing and demanded a trial by jury after entering the plea.

The defence has 10 days to file any additional motions and the case is being heard in Florida’s 19th Judicial Circuit.

Four days after his vehicle crashed in Florida and he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, Woods announced that he is “stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health.”

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Tiger Woods released after DUI arrest

“This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery,” Woods, who will miss the Masters for the second year in a row, wrote in a statement.

“I’m committed to taking the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger, and more focused place, both personally and professionally. I appreciate your understanding and support, and ask for privacy for my family, loved ones and myself at this time.”

U.S. President Donald Trump showed his support for Woods following the rollover crash.

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In a phone interview with the New York Post on Tuesday, Trump said he had spoken with Woods since his arrest on Friday.

“I think he’s doing great, he’s doing good,” Trump said. “He tested negative for alcohol, as you know, and he is under a tremendous physical pressure from his various ailments, you know, the back and the leg.

“He lives a life of pain. He has a lot of pain. He’s an amazing guy. He’s an amazing athlete. He does have pain.”

He went on to claim that Woods “doesn’t have an alcohol problem” but “does have pain.”

0:52
Tiger Woods arrested, suspected of DUI in rollover car crash: police

Woods’ not guilty plea came hours after a sheriff’s report said deputies found two pain pills in his pocket and he showed signs of impairment after his SUV clipped a trailer and rolled over onto its side.

His eyes were bloodshot and glassy, his pupils dilated and he had opioid pills — identified as hydrocodone — on him when interviewed at the scene of the crash, according to the arrest report released by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.

Woods’ movements were slow and lethargic, he was sweating as he talked to deputies in the back seat of an air-conditioned car and he told them he had taken prescription medication earlier in the morning, according to the report.

He told deputies he had been looking at his phone and fiddling with the radio moments before he hit the trailer, according to the report.

This is the second time Woods has taken a leave following a car crash. In 2009, after his SUV plowed into a fire hydrant and a tree outside his home near Orlando, he took a leave of absence to work on being a better person. That lasted four months and he returned at the Masters.

Woods has not played an official event since the 2024 British Open. He was recovering from a seventh back surgery in October and was trying to return at the Masters, where he is a five-time champion.

Woods will not be in Augusta, Ga., where he was to appear with Masters chairman Fred Ridley to celebrate the opening of a refurbished municipal course that involved Woods, or for the prestigious Masters Club dinner for champions.

“Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament fully support Tiger Woods as he focuses on his well-being. Although Tiger will not be joining us in person next week, his presence will be felt here in Augusta,” Ridley said in a statement.

— With files from The Associated Press

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Not even the Automated Balls and Strikes (ABS) system can explain getting on base after striking out — and this is not an April Fool’s joke.

Houston Astros player Cam Smith swung and missed on the first three pitches of a plate appearance on Tuesday, yet still managed to work a walk.

The count went to 0-1, but on the second pitch, which Smith whiffed on, a throwing error by Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong on a stolen base attempt brought in a runner from third, making it 6-1, Astros.

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Houston Astros right fielder Cam Smith (11) walks against the Los Angeles Angels in the sixth inning at Daikin Park. (Thomas Shea/Imagn Images)

That brought the count to 0-2, but with the error, it appeared everyone had forgotten what the count was. Smith then swung and missed on the next pitch, but nothing happened on what should have been strike three.

Smith then fouled off the next pitch, saw a ball, fouled off another, saw another one out of the zone, then fouled off one more. Then, Smith took first base on what was actually ball three, which really should not have actually been anything.

So, in total, there were three swinging strikes and three balls, yet Smith walked. And nobody on the field realized what was wrong.

Cam Smith of the Houston Astros reacts after hitting a home run in the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox at Daikin Park on March 31, 2026, in Houston, Texas. (Houston Astros/Getty Images)

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Red Sox manager Alex Cora did not seem to even know what had happened regarding the plate appearance during his postgame availability. Pitcher Brayan Bello said he asked the umpire what the count was, and the umpire, Mark Wegner, admitted his “mistake.”

“I just watched the video,” Wegner told reporters, according to the New York Post. “I somehow didn’t count the second swinging one because I said the count was 1-2. It was actually strike three … I’ve never done that before. I’m not happy about it. Just made a mistake.”

This is not the first time an instance like this has happened — a YouTube channel called “Secret Base,” in its “Dorktown” series, highlighted other funky “two-strike strikeouts, three-ball walks, and other counting failures” in a video posted over five years ago. At the time the video was made, there were at least 35 occurrences in MLB history, with most happening in the 21st century, oddly enough.

Cam Smith and Jake Meyers of the Houston Astros celebrate a home run in the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox at Daikin Park on March 31, 2026, in Houston, Texas. (Houston Astros/Getty Images)

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The mishap hardly mattered for the Sox, as they fell 9-2 to the Astros.

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What seemed like a heated, controversial interaction was just a moment of affection between two people with a long-standing relationship.

So claims Dan Hurley, the UConn coach who went forehead to forehead with referee Roger Ayers in the aftermath of Huskies freshman Braylon Mullins hitting a miracle March Madness 3-pointer with less than one second remaining to defeat Duke and send the Huskies to the Final Four.

“It was not, well — head hug? I don’t know. You ever see reindeer where they kind of, with each other’s nose … more of a nuzzle, an affectionate nuzzle,” Hurley said Wednesday on “Pardon My Take.”

Hurley, who is trying to lead UConn to a third national championship in four years, has a fiery personality and has been hard on referees, but he insists there was no ill intention behind the viral moment.

“With Roger — see, all these refs are different. They’ve all got different thresholds or personalities,” Hurley said. “Roger’s very playful. The guy is one of the greatest refs ever. He don’t mess up a lot of calls. When you’re going too far, he’ll give you a look. He’ll T your ass (give a technical foul), but he’s playful, he’s funny, he messes with you during a game, you bust his chops back. I would say that there’s a lot of coaches that he refs that you have a much different type of a relationship with Roger than you do with pretty much every other official.”

Ayers also downplayed the incident in comments made to ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg, the former Virginia Tech head coach.

“He’s a tremendous communicator. And he refereed a ton of my games. There were games he put his arm around me, walked me back to my bench. There were times where he said, ‘Seth, that’s enough,’” Greenberg explained Monday on ESPN.

“But that situation right there, that is absolutely nothing. I talked to Roger today. He said, ‘What are you talking about?’ He literally didn’t know what I was talking about. He said, ‘Nothing happened. The ball went in. I was running back. They were celebrating. Danny leaned in and said something to me. I said something to him. It was absolutely nothing.’”

Ayers was not selected to work the Final Four, where No. 2 UConn will play No. 3 Illinois Saturday at 6:09 p.m. in Indianapolis. No. 1 Michigan will face No. 1 Arizona afterward.

The semifinal winners will play for the national championship Monday night.