Michigan basketball ‘clicking at the right time’ heading into sweet 16

The NCAA men’s basketball tournament is down to the sweet 16, and the No. 5 seed Michigan Wolverines (27-9) are alive and well. The Wolverines are on a five-game winning streak since the end of the regular season, most recently taking down No. 4 seed Texas A&M Saturday.

A career-high 26 points from junior guard Roddy Gayle Jr. propelled Michigan over the Aggies and set up a sweet 16 showdown with top-seeded Auburn (30-5).

Momentum behind Michigan basketball in run to sweet 16

The Wolverines are one of the lowest seeds left in the tournament, only ahead of No. 10 Arkansas (West region), No. 6 BYU (East region) and No. 6 Ole Miss (South region). Michigan was a popular upset pick for the first round, and few people expected it to make a run.

Gayle Jr. said trials and tribulations make success even sweeter.

“It’s an amazing feeling, especially (with) all that we’ve been through,” Gayle Jr. said after the win over Texas A&M. “I feel like we’re clicking at the right time, especially how we were able to finish the Big Ten tournament. I just feel like we have a great team chemistry right now, so the kind of energy my teammates give me, I just feed off of it.”

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Before the tournament started, Michigan head coach Dusty May said the team is “a challenge to match up (with) in a short turn”, and he’s proven himself right. The Wolverines struggled with turnovers and rebounding all season, yet they gave the ball away just nine times against Texas A&M and won the battle on the glass 48-39.

Senior Michigan center Vladislav Goldin posted 23 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks against the Aggies. Goldin said it all comes down to knowing your opponent in the tournament.

“Coaches give us a great understanding (of) who they are and what they do well,” Goldin said of how the team prepares for a tournament game. “We played (the) game before against one of the best stealing teams (in the nation), now we played against one of the best offensive rebound teams, so (it’s) just a mindset.”

Freshman guard LJ Cason was crucial in the Wolverines’ win over Texas A&M. Not only did he provide 11 points, he recorded three assists compared to one turnover in 20 minutes of playing time. Cason said the coaching staff trusts him.

“Every time I check in, the staff, including coach May, they encourage me and just tell me to be me,” Cason said. “I feel like that’s what I did and that’s how it came out.”

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With the emergence of Cason, fellow freshman guard Justin Pippen entered the transfer portal earlier this week. Michigan tips off with Auburn Friday in Atlanta, GA, at 9:39 p.m. (ET) on CBS.

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