FORT MYERS, Fla. — In a thrilling matchup on Monday, Roddy Gayle Jr. shone for Michigan, scoring 20 points and hitting all six of his free throw attempts, leading his team to a 75-63 victory over Virginia Tech in the Fort Myers Tip-Off semi-finals.

With this win, Michigan improved its record to 5-1, showcasing their effectiveness at the charity stripe, where they converted 13 of 18 free throws in the second half and finished 15 of 20 overall.

Virginia Tech initially took a 49-46 lead halfway through the second half with a three-pointer from Jaydon Young. However, Tre Donaldson’s back-to-back three-pointers ignited a crucial run for Michigan. He followed that up with a layup, while L.J. Cason contributed with a jumper and a three-pointer, allowing Michigan to regain a 53-49 advantage with just under 13 minutes left in the game.

Gayle’s scoring continued to escalate as he added four consecutive free throws, and Vladislav Goldin’s jumper extended Michigan’s lead to 61-52. Rubin Jones then contributed a three-point play, boosting the lead to 70-57 with 3:21 left on the clock. Gayle sealed the game for Michigan with a three-pointer, pushing the lead further to 73-57 shortly after.

In his performance, Gayle recorded six field goals out of 13 attempts, including two three-pointers, along with four rebounds and four assists. Will Tschetter came off the bench to chip in 10 points, while Danny Wolf excelled underneath the basket, grabbing 11 rebounds.

On the other side, Toibu Lawal was the leading scorer for Virginia Tech (3-3), making 9 of 10 free throws to finish with 14 points. Jaydon Young, who came off the bench, added 12 points but struggled from beyond the arc, hitting only two of six attempts.

Moving forward, Michigan is set to face the winner of the contest between South Carolina and Xavier in the tournament championship game on Wednesday. In the meantime, Virginia Tech will meet the losing team from that matchup in a consolation game.