With Miami (OH) making it as an at-large, Akron basketball’s MAC Tournament win made it a two-bid MAC! But can the Zips make sure they’re still playing in the round of 32?
For the third straight season, Akron basketball is dancing in the biggest dance of them all. And as a 12-seed in a conference that’s been under the limelight for most of the season, what better way than to pull off an upset and keep on playing?
It won’t be easy for the Zips – they’re matched up with 5-seed Texas Tech, who had National Championship aspirations this season. But once JT Toppin went down for the year – although they’ve been playing well – it hasn’t been the same. Akron will look to take advantage of Tech’s misfortunes and move on to the round of 32 on Sunday.
How they got there:
With Miami (OH) losing to UMass in the quarterfinals of the MAC Tournament, the door swung wide open for 2-seed Akron, which was actually the betting favorite. The Zips got everything they could handle from Buffalo, Kent State, and Toledo, but fought hard in all three to come out on top.
And for a team that’s gotten used to playing meaningful basketball in March, it’s somewhat of a new territory. Akron’s 29 wins are the most in program history, so John Groce really does have something special going on in Ohio.
General information:
Team: Akron
Location: Akron, OH
Record: 29-5 (17-1)
Head Coach: John Groce (9th season at Akron, 18th overall)
What to know about Akron basketball:
You can’t start to talk about this Akron basketball team without first mentioning Tavari Johnson. The 5-foot-11 point guard is as good as they come, averaging 20.1 points and 5.0 assists on the season. He’s the perfect example of heart over height, and no matter how much Texas Tech might be preparing for him, I’m sure they’re leaving something out.
I liken this Akron team to the Oral Roberts team that went on a run as a 15 seed a few years ago. Johnson is their Max Abmas, while Amani Lyles is their Kevin Obanor, a power forward who hits the three at a high rate and while Johnson may command a lot of attention, Lyles can also take over games offensively.
But what makes this Zips team even more dangerous is how it isn’t just those two. Shammah Scott can TORCH teams from outside. Evan Mahaffey brought his talents from Ohio State and joined his brother Eric as two experienced brothers on this roster. Bowen Hardman and Sharron Young can also hit from outside and join the scoring party.
Altogether, it forms a team that averages 88.4 points per game – the seventh most in college hoops.
When you think of a team that moves the ball, hoists threes, makes most of them, and is all around fun to watch on offense, it’s this Akron team. And defensively, they can hold their own, making for the perfect Cinderella story.
NCAA Tournament prediction for Akron basketball: Round of 32 exit
Seed: 12
So how far can Akron go? I see second-weekend talent, but I do have Hofstra (yes, surprise, surprise!) making it out of this pod.
Realistically, there is no ceiling for this Akron team, unless they just aren’t hitting their shots. If they’re on, the Zips can compete with anyone in the country, and that makes for a scary team to play here in the NCAA Tournament. Good luck to the Red Raiders with that!