The Michigan State basketball team entered the transfer portal, acquiring players from the American Athletic Conference, Ivy League, and Southeastern Conference.
The Wolverines added a Big Ten rival to their list on Monday when Ohio State transfer Roddy Gale Jr. became the latest player to announce he was coming to Ann Arbor to play for new coach Dusty May.
Gail, a former top 50 recruit with two years of eligibility remaining, was on campus last weekend. He entered the portal on April 3 after two seasons with the Buckeyes.
During his sophomore season, the 6-foot-4, 210-pound guard averaged 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He played in all 36 games, starting 35 of them, for an Ohio State team that went 22-14 and advanced to the NIT quarterfinals after a late-season coaching change.
Gayle was Ohio State's third leading scorer and played the second most minutes. He scored in double figures 28 times, had four 20-point games, and had a career-high 32-point performance against West Virginia.
Compared to his freshman season, Gayle improved his shooting inside the arc (51.1% on 2-pointers) and at the free throw line (83.2%) as a sophomore compared to his freshman season. However, his 3-point percentage took a step back as volume increased, dropping from 42.9% (21 of 49) in his first year to 28.4% (29 of 102) in his second year. .
Gayle played in 71 games for the Buckeyes, starting 46 and averaging 9.1 points. He is also 1-2 against the Wolverines, scoring 15 points in a win over Columbus last season and totaling 15 points in a loss against Ann Arbor.
Gayle, a New York native, becomes Michigan State's fifth roster addition in the past four days. Four-star guard Justin Pippen and North Texas graduate Rubin Jones committed on Friday, Danny Wolfe, a transfer from Yale, committed on Saturday and Tre Donald, a transfer from Auburn, committed on Sunday. Son followed suit.
The Wolverines have filled eight of the 13 available scholarship spots for next season, a total that includes returning players Will Tschetter and George Washington III and freshman Dural Brooks. Maye has at least three more scholarships at his disposal, but that number will depend on whether remaining eligible players Nimari Barnett and Jace Howard stay or leave.
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