Media, Wolverine legends react to Michigan basketball beating Texas A&M in NCAA Tournament

It was looking awfully bleak in Denver for the maize and blue, with the Wolverines down 10 to the Texas A&M Aggies with just over 13 minutes to go in the Round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament. Michigan basketball didn't exactly look lifeless, but it couldn't get simple layups to drop and missed a couple of front-end shots on one-and-one free throw attempts. To get out of the hole and back into the game, something had to give.

Enter Roddy Gayle Jr., the transfer who left rival Ohio State for the maize and blue.

Gayle had been much maligned for months by Michigan fans, as he hadn't done much offensively. Relegated to the bench after being a starter, he started to come alive in the Big Ten Tournament, and then had his best-career game on Saturday to oust the Aggies from March Madness. The Wolverines are thus now headed to Atlanta for the Sweet 16.

Naturally, Michigan luminaries and media entities came alive with big reactions to the 91-79 win over TAMU. Here are our favorite reactions.

Patrick Barron

Hoooooow Sweet it is!!

Michigan advances to the Sweet Sixteen! pic.twitter.com/Z9mpO6dOKP
— Patrick Barron 🌹〽️🐻 (@BlueBarronPhoto) March 23, 2025

Connor Stalions

Ice in his veins. TRE. DONALDSON. pic.twitter.com/WYCEZJEAPL
— Connor Stalions (@cpstalions) March 22, 2025

John Beilein

Before 2013 Michigan MBB had not gone to Sweet 16 in 19 years. Now it’s what we do ! Yes, we are a Blue Blood in Men’s Basketball again! Congrats to everyone who is a part of 2025 @umichbball #goblue https://t.co/RFtDXV2tDQ
— John Beilein (@JohnBeilein) March 23, 2025

Alejandro Zuniga

Cheers of “It’s great! To be! A Michigan Wolverine!”

And then @umichbball mobs the hero of the day, Roddy Gayle Jr., with chants of “Roddy! Roddy! Roddy!”

Michigan to the Sweet Sixteen. pic.twitter.com/RzE5xA41Ge
— Alejandro Zúñiga (@ByAZuniga) March 23, 2025

Steve Deace

This team, man. Unreal.

Closed game on a 41-19 run after falling down by 10. One of the most impressive final 8 minutes Michigan has ever had in the NCAA Tournament.
— MichiganPodcast (@MichiganPodcast) March 22, 2025

Braylon Edwards

Still dancing! Great job fellas and Coach Dusty. 〽️🏀 https://t.co/i8y5oLpvRR
— Braylon Edwards (@OfficialBraylon) March 23, 2025

Scott Bell

Michigan has made it to the Sweet 16 in its sixth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. No other Big Ten school comes close to that accomplishment and the only team nationally that can boast that is Gonzaga, who is about to take on No. 1 Houston in about an hour. Amazing.
— Scott Bell (@sbell021) March 22, 2025

Brandon Justice

Dusty May Forever pic.twitter.com/U2gnKt90CX
— Brandon Justice (@BrandonJustice_) March 22, 2025

Tracy Wolfson

LFG!! Sweet Sixteen Bound!@umichbball #GoBlue
— Tracy Wolfson (@tracywolfson) March 22, 2025

Clayton Sayfie

Dusty May is one of the most elite coaches in America and has Michigan headed to the second weekend of the Dance.
— Clayton Sayfie (@CSayf23) March 22, 2025

David Cone

This team never quits fighting. #Sweet16 https://t.co/aRUYseJPcK
— David Cone (@davidadamcone) March 22, 2025

Trent Knoop

#Michigan is Sweet 16 bound in Dusty May's first year as the head coach. Roddy Gayle Jr. single-handedly led the Wolverines to a massive win as an underdog. What a game for the maize and blue.
— Trent Knoop (@TrentKnoop) March 22, 2025

Jalen Rose

Survive and Advance!!!!!!! GO-BLUE!!!! @umichbball
— Jalen Rose (@JalenRose) March 22, 2025

Spike Albrecht

B1G 10-0 🤫

SEC stick to football
— Spike Albrecht (@SpikeAlbrecht) March 22, 2025

Barstool Sports' Texas viceroy

Hail to the Victors 🤝@BarstoolUofM @stoolpresidente
— Barstool Longhorn (@UTBarstool) March 22, 2025

Jim Brandstatter

HAIL!! The Blue prevails. Hail Gayle! Hail Dusty May and staff, and a team that is resilient and won’t back down. Sweet 16 bound!
— Jim Brandstatter (@jimbrandstatter) March 22, 2025

Dave Portnoy

Sweet 16 here we come!!!! This team is en fuego!!!! #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/FPoej7dphw
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) March 22, 2025

RedditCFB

Michigan was only a 5-seed to begin with because the committee was too lazy to factor the Sunday Big Ten Championship into seeding. Seems like a flaw in the system!
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) March 22, 2025

Jon Rothstein

What a difference 12 months makes.

One year after finishing 8-24, Michigan owns a Big Ten Tournament title and a berth in the Sweet 16.

Dusty May back to the second weekend of March Madness for the second time in the last three seasons.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 22, 2025