A nasty argument during the Utah-North Carolina NCAA tournament semifinal resulted in charges, counter-charges and denials from both sides.

Utah’s Britton Johnsen was accused of calling North Carolina’s Makhtar Ndiaye a nig***, and Ndiaye was accused of spitting on Johnsen. Both denied the claims, but agreed there had been a nasty argument during the Utes’ 65-59 upset.

Utah coach Rick Majerus was so sure Johnsen did not use the slur he said he would resign if it turned out to be true.

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I stand by this boy’s statement 100 percent, Majerus said. Steve Kirschner, North Carolina’s sports information director, said Monday that Ndiaye told him he was misquoted.

Maktar told me that a reporter asked him if (their exchange) was racial, and he said, What do you want me to say the kid used the N-word and I spit on him?’ Earlier, Kirschner said when Ndiaye was asked if the comments were racial in nature, the player said, There you guys go again trying to turn this whole thing into a black-white thing. You want me to say something I don’t want to say.

Makhtar said somehow, his answer to the reporter’s question turned into this. He feels he was misquoted.

Ndiaye and coach Bill Guthridge planned to discuss the exchange at length Monday, and the university is expected to issue a statement later in the day, Kirschner said.

Johnsen said that during the game Ndiaye slapped me across the face and told me he was going to kick my [expletive deleted].

The only words that came out of my mouth were I told him I’m 100 pounds lighter than you and I’m kicking your butt, Johnsen said. Then he spit on me. I never called him the N-word. It’s a joke that this is even happening. This is like blocking some of our success and happiness. This shouldn’t even be an issue.

Majerus said if it came down to it:I’ll fly Johnsen there (North Carolina) and let him take a lie detector test. He never called anybody nig***’ in his life.

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Vanderbilt coach interviews for Texas A&M job

Vanderbilt coach Jan van Breda Kolff, who led the Commodores to a 20-win season but failed to make the NCAA Tournament, has interviewed for the job at Texas A&M.

Van Breda Kolff met with Texas A&M officials Sunday in College Station and said he would return to Nashville Tuesday to put this situation in perspective and see where things stand.

The way things are in college basketball these days, when somebody calls and wants to talk to you about a job, it’s in your best interest to look and listen and observe the situation, he told The Tennessean.

Van Breda Kolff, 46, succeeded Eddie Fogler after the 1993 season.

Braves’ Dennis Martinez to fill in for Smoltz

Dennis Martinez has been pitching in the major leagues since 1976. But he was as excited as a rookie Sunday when the Atlanta Braves confirmed that he won a job.

Martinez will fill in for the injured John Smoltz, who is rehabilitating at extended spring training.

Martinez, who is only two victories behind Juan Marichal as the winningest Latin American pitcher in baseball history, was part of the 25-man roster announced by the Braves after their final exhibition game, a 6-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox at Turner Field.

I had to show I was healthy and could get people out. I did that, said Martinez, who pitched better than his 0-2 record and 5.00 ERA in spring training indicates. Still, I was excited when I heard the news.

Martinez began last season in Seattle’s rotation but was cut May 24 after going 1-5 with a 7.71 ERA. Troubled by elbow and knee troubles, he sat out the rest of the season then pitched well enough in the Puerto Rico winter league to earn a tryout with the Braves as a non-roster player.