ANN ARBOR — For much of last winter, it would have been hard to imagine the scene that unfolded on the Ball Arena court in Denver on March 22: The Wolverines racing to a corner to celebrate with fans after advancing to the Sweet 16, chanting “Rod-dy!”

They revisited the chant in the locker room, where Gayle slapped a Michigan sticker on a bracket, symbolically advancing the Wolverines. The sticker, which wouldn’t take his first two tries, proved to be more difficult than anything he did on the court that night.

Gayle was an easy target for disgruntled Michigan fans last season. As the Wolverines lost three straight to end the regular season, their title hopes disappearing like fans from Crisler Center in the final minute of a blowout, Gayle caught some flak.

At that point, entering the

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