Field Level Media
19 Nov 2023, 11:19 GMT+10
(Photo credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports)
Ohio State sophomore Roddy Gayle Jr. displayed glimpses of becoming a standout guard when coach Chris Holtmann inserted him into the starting lineup for the final third of last season.
Gayle took that trust to heart and is one of the players the Buckeyes (2-1) will rely on when they host Western Michigan (0-3) on Sunday in Columbus.
He is coming off tying his career high with 20 points in a 76-52 win against Merrimack on Wednesday and is averaging 15.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists while leading the team in minutes (33.3).
"Compared to last year, the game has slowed down tremendous," Gayle said. "Coming in as a freshman and playing against such elite level talent, those gaps close faster than you think.
"Thanks to (associate head coach Jake) Diebler and Coach Holt for putting me in those positions to fail. I've learned from my mistakes. Now is where my game's beginning to thrive."
Gayle made 8 of 12 field-goal attempts, grabbed five rebounds and had three assists against Merrimack.
"He's playing with great confidence," Holtmann said. "What's holding him back right now is consistent motor and effort every single day in practice."
Western Michigan of the Mid-American Conference is facing a Big Ten opponent for the second game in a row following a 63-59 loss to Northwestern on Tuesday.
Seth Hubbard led the Broncos with 17 points and Northern Illinois transfer Anthony Crump had nine rebounds.
"Crump is a guy that can play the 2-3-4 and then he could even play the five if we needed him to," Western Michigan second-year coach Dwayne Stephens said. "He gives you a ton of versatility, athletic ability and length, and should be one of the better defenders in our league."
The game is the first for both teams in the Emerald Coast Classic, which concludes next week in Niceville, Fla. The Buckeyes will play Alabama on Nov. 24 and either Oregon or Santa Clara the next day.
Western Michigan goes against Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 24 and either Mercer or Tennessee State the following day.
--Field Level Media
Get a daily dose of Birmingham Star news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Birmingham Star.
More InformationIsrael intensified its deadly bombardment of the Gaza Strip Saturday as renewed fighting with Hamas entered a second day following ...
ARLINGTON, Virginia: This week, the conservative U.S. political network Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action), led by billionaire Charles Koch, ...
BEIJING, China: The Chaoyang District Intermediary Court in Beijing has begun compensation hearings for the Chinese relatives of those who ...
Israel resumed its military operation in the Gaza Strip on Friday with heavy bombardments. As strikes continue, the United States ...
LIVINGSTON, Kentucky: CSX railroad said that a failed wheel bearing on a train car caused a derailment on November 22 ...
HELSINKI, Finland: After Finland joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) earlier this year, hundreds of migrants from the Middle ...
PORTLAND, Maine: Maine police said that a wrong-way driver on the Maine Turnpike hit two vehicles and caused a head-on ...
Israel intensified its deadly bombardment of the Gaza Strip Saturday as renewed fighting with Hamas entered a second day following ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: This week, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it implemented a new aircraft certification policy, which requires ...
ARLINGTON, Virginia: This week, the conservative U.S. political network Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action), led by billionaire Charles Koch, ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: As businesses built more warehouses and accumulated machinery equipment, the U.S. economy grew faster than initially forecast in ...
BENTONVILLE, Arkansas: As part of its efforts to reduce reliance on China, cut costs, and diversify its supply chains, Walmart, ...