On Saturday in the game versus Indiana, Michigan’s coach Dusty May altered his starting lineup for the first time this season. He replaced junior guard Roddy Gayle Jr. with graduate guard Rubin Jones to attempt to increase their output.
Following modest outcomes in the Wolverines’ victory against the Hoosiers, Michigan genuinely capitalized on that change on Tuesday to achieve its most significant win of the season against No. 7 Purdue.
“(Jones) was all over the place,” May stated. “His speed, his foresight… He’s a nuisance, he’s a bother on defense… He’s truly, truly discovering his path.” The same applies to Roddy Gayle. Very proud of Roddy. “In the initial half, he kept us close enough to compete.”
May implemented the change to enhance both Jones and Gayle, as well as improve Michigan overall. When Jones and Gayle performed according to their strategies against the Boilermakers, the Wolverines took advantage of May’s change.
Jones, who typically enters the game as a substitute to defend against the rival’s best player, confronted Purdue guard Braden Smith almost throughout the entire match. Smith, regarded as one of the top playmakers in the Big Ten, experienced nearly 26 minutes without scoring during the game, a result of Jones’ defensive efforts — underscoring the significance of involving Jones early to establish a strong defensive presence.
“I understand what I can contribute on the court,” said Jones. “Defense, intensity, making key stops when necessary — simply applying pressure on the ball and establishing the tone for our defensive approach.”
Jones not only showcased his defensive skills, but he also capped off the top-10 victory with a put-back dunk following a missed 3-pointer with 1:29 remaining, extending Michigan’s lead to six points that they maintained.
The put-back dunk is frequently a typical move from Gayle rather than from Jones. However, Gayle has been experiencing a slight downturn recently, prompting the change in the lineup. He is presently making only 39% of his field goals in conference games, ranking sixth on the team. However, Gayle continued to push through against Purdue, emerging as Michigan’s second-leading scorer of the evening with 14 points from the bench.
“Rubin Jones made that crucial put-back dunk, and other players were stepping up all over to help secure this victory,” said junior forward Danny Wolf. “… Roddy Gayle has struggled in recent games, but he truly was the MVP tonight.”
Gayle scored ten of her points during the final eight minutes of the first half, a pivotal period that reduced Michigan’s deficit from nine to two by halftime. During the entire game, Gayle significantly outperformed his peers from Purdue’s bench, as the Boilermakers’ reserves failed to score any points throughout the match.
“I’d like to extend the largest shoutout I can to Roddy Gayle,” stated redshirt junior forward Will Tschetter. “He performed exceptionally and gave it his all this evening.” Clearly, this season isn’t what he envisioned, but his ability to remain calm and stick to his path has made everyone incredibly proud of him.
Regardless of all the changes and the addition of new responsibilities, both Jones and Gayle have remained steadfast. In the game against Purdue, both players utilized their strengths — Gayle secured impressive finishes near the basket, while Jones excelled defensively against Purdue. Consequently, Michigan achieved a decisive victory and claimed exclusive ownership of the Big Ten’s leading position.
