DENVER – The No. 5 seed Michigan Wolverines are heading to the Sweet 16 for the 19th time in program history after upsetting the No. 4 seed Texas A&M Aggies 91-79.
The Sweet 16 appearance is the first time since the 2022 and 2023 seasons that the men in maize will make their trip to the historical dance. They’ll face No. 1 seed Auburn next.
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Saturday’s (March 22) victory in Denver clinched their appearance in the Big Dance and extended their winning streak, counting the Big Ten Tournament, to five in a row.
1st half
The first half was a back-and-forth affair. There were six lead changes and six ties before the Aggies entered the half with a 5-0 run to take a 39-35 lead.
Texas A&M was aggressive on the glass but was outrebounded 26-25 by the Wolverines.
Parrel Payne scored most of his team’s points, leading both teams at the break with 14.
The Wolverines were led by Vladislav Goldin, who had 12 points and seven rebounds, but the half came down to free throws, three-pointers made, and turnovers as Texas A&M went 7-9 from the line and Michigan went 6-9.
Texas A&M also shot 4-13 from deep, while Michigan shot 3-11. Michigan also had five turnovers to the Aggies’ one in 20 minutes of play.
Danny Wolf contributed six points to the Wolverines, but he was also finding teammates, as he dropped four assists and six rebounds.
But they got a nice spark, L.J. Cason, who scored three points while dropping two assists to Wolf at the rim and also grabbing two rebounds.
They also got a spark from Roddy Gayle Jr., who knocked down five points alongside Rubin Jones, who had five points at the half as well.
2nd half
The Aggies got their second turnover of the game to open the half, leading to a Wolf buzzer-beating jump shot to bring the game to 39-37.
Garcia came back with a jumper to extend the lead back to four. Goldin turns the ball over, leading to another layup to take a 43-37 lead.
The lead jumped up to eight following another layup.
Michigan needs a miracle at this point in the game as they turned the ball over again.
Cason answered the bell with a contested layup to cut the lead to six, but Jace Carter made a three-pointer to go up 48-39.
Wolf got a putback to cut the lead to 48-41.
A time-out is called as the Aggies, including to end the first half, are on a 9-4 run.
Wolverines head coach Dusty May is looking to get his players back into the game with 15:49 left in the second half.
CJ Wilcher made a three-pointer to put his team up 51-41 to play.
Goldin was fouled and knocked down both to cut the lead back to eight, but Payne got the ball off the glass for a contested bucket to take a 55-45 lead.
Gayle Jr. cut the lead back to eight, but Wade Taylor IV made a layup.
Cason knocks down two free throws, followed by another Payne layup.
Payne made a layup, but Gayle Jr. knocked down a three to cut the lead to seven.
Payne got a three-point play to go back up 10, but Wolf countered with his own three-point play to cut the lead back to seven.
Down 60-53, needing a bucked, Cason gets fouled on a contested jump shot, knocking down both to cut the lead in half.
Wade Taylor IV drew a foul and knocked down a free throw to take a 61-55 lead.
Cason got the lead down to four with an easy layup.
The Wolverines get a huge block by Wolf, leading to a shot clock violation on the Aggies.
The Maize Rage are back into the game as Michigan cut back into the 61-57 deficit with 11:35 to play.
Cason, who has been aggressive, draws another foul while going to the rack, but he misses a 1-and-1, leading to an alley-oop to Payne to push the lead back to six.
Trailing by six, Will Tschetter is fouled on a three-pointer, making two of three to cut into the 63-59 lead with 10:30 to play.
Gayle Jr. got fouled while grabbing a defensive rebound, knocking down both to cut the lead down to 63-61.
Payne scored his 25th point on a contested jump shot to extend the 65-61 lead.
Taylor IV knocked down two free throws to take a 67-61 lead with 9:14 to play.
Gayle Jr. knocks down a big three-pointer to cut the lead to 67-64. He then made a tough lay-up to the lead down to one.
Taylor IV followed Michigan’s 5-0 run by Gayle Jr. with a long-range three-pointer to extend the lead back to four with 7:56 to play.
Michigan is playing out of character as they’re not playing their style of ball. There is no post presence, as Wolf and Goldin are just setting screens.
Gayle Jr. scored his 10th straight point after knocking down another three-pointer. The crowd is back into the game. Gayle Jr. has 20 points with 6:08 to play.
Gayle Jr. is fouled and knocked down both free throws to take a 71-70 lead.
He then drew an offensive foul on the Aggies, and the fans are rolling.
Goldin scores a tough lay-up to take a 73-70 lead with 5:35 to play.
Goldin scores on a tough floater to take a 75-70 lead with 5:12 to play. He has 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Michigan is on a 9-0 run, but Taylor IV draws a foul and knocks down both to answer the bleeding.
Goldin draws the fourth foul on Payne, making both to increase the lead to five with 4:45 to play.
Goldin scores another bucket to push the lead up to seven, then Tre Donaldson adds to a 24-point swing by making an easy bunny before Texas A&M calls a timeout with 3:37 to play.
The Wolverines are on a 15-2 run led by Gayle Jr., who has 22 points with 17 coming in the second half.
Payne draws a foul on Tschetter, splitting the pair to put him at 26 for the game, which is a career-high.
Goldin draws a foul on a contested layup, knocking down one of two to take a nine-point lead.
Michigan gets a key turnover with 3:00 to play.
Solomon Washington draws a foul and knocks down both to cut into the 82-75 lead with 2:21 to play.
Zhuric Phelps makes a layup to cut the lead to 82-77.
Jones gets a clutch put-back jam, but the referees called basket interference with 1:44 to play.
Phelps draws a foul with 1:29 to play. He makes both to cut the game to 82-79.
Donaldson calls a one-four flat and makes a difficult left-handed layup to take an 84-79 lead with 59 seconds to play.
Taylor IV takes a wide-open three-pointer that rimmed out.
Gayle Jr. added to his career high (25) as he knocked down two free throws to go up 86-79.
Jones gets a defensive rebound and is fouled for the Wolverines.
With the game on the line, Jones knocked down both to take an 88-79 lead.
Gayle Jr. gets a steal and is fouled with 24.4 remaining in the game. He drained both to take a 90-79 lead.
Wolf is fouled with 15.8 seconds left, splitting the pair to take a 12-point lead.
“Unbelievable confidence from my players and my staff got in me,” said Gayle Jr., who led the team with 26 points. “I feel like we’re clicking at the right time. Especially how we ended the Big Ten Tournament. We’re rolling.”
The Wolverines got 39 points off of its bench in the victory.
What a performance by the Wolverines as Goldin, who was in foul trouble, finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds.
Wolf dropped 14 points and 9 rebounds, while Donaldson finished with eight points and six rebounds.
But the performance of the night was Gayle Jr. (26 points) and Cason (11 points), who combined for 37 points in the matchup.
“We knew that we were going to have to step up, especially me and L.J. Cason, who is a young player, and we expect a lot from him to have the success that we have,” Gayle Jr. said.
The Wolverines are headed to the Sweet 16, where they will face the No. 1-seeded Auburn Tigers.
