Paul Davis had the look of a beaten warrior.
Blood seeped through a small bandage covering his right eyebrow. Floor burns spotted both arms and legs. Still, the 6-foot-11 sophomore center stood tall in the confines of the locker room with a survivor's smile on his face.
Not too long before, Davis muscled around and seemingly toyed with MSU's intrastate rival Michigan for 40 minutes. Davis dominated the paint and finished the game with 22 points, seven rebounds, three steals and three assists, and received much of the credit for the Spartans' 71-54 win.
"Paul was a monster and that's what we needed out of him," junior swingman Alan Anderson said. "He was getting beaten up down there and he was battling and he kept getting better."
Early on, it looked like Davis was flopping in the spotlight against the Wolverines yet again. MSU sunk its first four shots and jumped out to a five-point lead. Then Davis began shooting.
His first shot, a soft jumper, was blocked, and his second clanked off the iron. MSU's next trip down the floor ended with a turnover - a traveling call on Davis.
That, however, was the ignition that set off the fiery phenom.
"Paul got off to a slow start in both halves, and he really grew up," MSU head coach Tom Izzo said. "I think our players - when he gets in the huddles and wants the ball and says 'Come to me again, coach,' - they know to listen."
Davis said those who follow MSU basketball shouldn't expect performances like his against U-M duplicated every game - they should expect to see better ones.
"For the most part, I still think there is a lot more I can give," Davis said. "I don't know what came over me."
The Spartans had all but put the Wolverines away in the second half, but U-M refused to die. Again, Davis unleashed his inner beast.
On two straight possessions, Davis called for the ball and uncharacteristically drove to the basket for a layup. Twice in a row, the ball danced on the rim before turning into a Wolverine rebound.
Izzo was so upset he almost left a fist print in the scorer's table. But Davis wasn't finished.
He called for the ball and drove again. This time, he was fouled.
He would continue to be fouled and six free throw attempts turned into six Davis points. Then, after sophomore guard Maurice Ager missed a one-and-one free throw, Davis grabbed the offensive board and tipped it back in. It was Davis' eighth straight point for the Spartans, who, with his help, began to end the game's suspense.
"I'm just doing what I know I can," Davis said. "Basically, (the Wolverines) are there, hanging around, and we just needed to start putting them away."
As he walked off the Breslin Center floor, a jubilant smile came across his face. It was undoubtedly the look of a guy who had just won a war.
