Donaldson, Gayle and Michigan offense drop Iowa, 85-83

Michigan and Iowa like to play fast. And on Saturday that meant Wolverines junior guards Tre Donaldson and Roddy Gayle were playing to their strength.

Gayle and Donaldson led the Michigan men’s basketball team in its return home against the Hawkeyes. Led by their starting guards, the Wolverines’ (8-1 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) offense were a touch more prolific in the high-scoring affair, taking down Iowa (7-2, 1-1), 85-83.

Michigan came into the game riding the high of their consecutive ranked wins, and appeared to continue its upward trajectory. On their first possession, the Wolverines found junior guard Roddy Gayle Jr. on the left wing as the shot clock was winding down. Gayle, with a hand in his face, sunk a three. 

For those first few minutes, Gayle and Donaldson flawlessly ran Michigan’s offense from the backcourt. A few plays after Gayle’s three, Donaldson made one of his own. On the next possession, Donaldson drove and made a no-look pass to give graduate center Vlad Goldin an easy layup.

By the under-12 timeout, Michigan held a 20-6 lead. The Wolverines were in complete control of the game and Donaldson was in complete control of the offense — even once dropping his defender with a crossover amid the run.

But after eight minutes of high-caliber offense, it was a total reversal as the Wolverines reverted to their early-season form. Michigan proved to not fully be past its turnover woes. Highlighted by a stretch of four consecutive turnovers, including a carry violation on Donaldson, Michigan opened the door for Iowa.

Although clearly unable to sustain the 14-point lead, the Wolverines still did enough to go into the locker room up 40-37, with Donaldson hitting a floater with just two seconds on the clock. To start of the second half that remained the level of Michigan’s offense: doing just enough to go back-and-forth in a close game.

Until Donaldson commanded them back into form.

With 13 minutes to play and the Wolverines up 55-53, Donaldson hit a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer off a pass from graduate guard Rubin Jones. When Iowa hit one to match it, Donaldson responded with a three-point play on a layup inside.

Following his lead, up 61-59, Michigan’s offense began flowing again. There were still occasional turnovers, including one from Donaldson, but getting out in transition and hitting their threes, the Wolverines went on a 9-2 run to put themselves in command. With four assists in the second half, Donaldson continued to facilitate the offense, which continued to score its way to an 80-72 lead headed into the under-4 timeout. 

But going cold in the final minutes, Michigan found itself tied 83-83 with 16 seconds on the clock. Of course, Donaldson took the inbound pass. He dumped it to Gayle at the top of the arc, and driving right side, Gayle scored on a goaltend.

And like that, the Wolverines put the Hawkeyes away just as they opened the game, with Donaldson and Gayle driving the offense.

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