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Can Akron Zips basketball advance in March Madness bracket? Outlining their path | Ulrich
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- Can Akron Zips basketball advance in March Madness bracket? Outlining their path | Ulrich
In case you have not been paying close attention to Akron Zips men's basketball , let this serve as a quick crash course while UA heads to March Madness .
If you have been monitoring the Cavaliers this season, knowledge of Cleveland's NBA team will help you understand Akron's approach, because when the Zips are at their best, they play with a similar style and strategy .
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Think of fast breaks off turnovers and defensive rebounds along with a heavy dose of 3-pointers .
The blueprint has played a significant role in Akron losing just once this calendar year.
However, the Mid-American Conference regular-season and MAC Tournament champion Zips were more talented than their opponents in all 22 of those games played in 2025.
It won't be the case when 13th-seeded Akron (28-6) meets fourth-seeded Arizona (22-12) in a first-round game of the NCAA Tournament in the East Region. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. Friday at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.
Akron is 0-6 in Division I NCAA tourney games (1986, 2009, '11, '13, '22 and '24).
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Here are reasons to believe the Zips will or won't finally hop over the March Madness hump:
Akron Zips guard Nate Johnson (34) celebrates during the first half of the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship game at Rocket Arena on Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Akron Zips are a candidate to pull off a March Madness upset because of their 3-point shooting, yet an off night would spell doom
Like Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson , Zips coach John Groce has fully bought into the importance of winning the 3-pointer math game.
Groce has said he is fine with UA taking 50 3s in a game as long as they're good looks. The Zips average 29.8 attempted 3s. They have come close to 50 twice this season, reaching 47 tries (13 made) Dec. 7 in a 101-48 win over SUNY Brockport and 45 attempts (19 made) Feb. 8 in an 80-67 victory against South Alabama.
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This season, Akron has averaged 10.9 made 3s and allowed opponents to average of 7.4 successful 3s. It has shot 36.4% from beyond the arc, with opponents shooting 31.4%. It's been a winning formula.
Arizona has averaged 6.8 made 3s and surrendered an average of 8.6 successful 3s to opponents. The Wildcats have shot 32.4% on 3s and allowed opponents to shoot 33.6% from deep.
From an Akron perspective, these numbers are encouraging.
More Akron basketball: John Groce coaching vs. brother Travis Steele adds rare layer to Zips' MAC title
If Akron shoots 3s like it did in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of the MAC Tournament, when it went 16 of 39 (41%) on Thursday in a 96-67 win over Bowling Green and 10 of 18 (55.6%) on Friday in a 100-90 victory over Toledo , UA can stun Arizona.
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But if Akron shoots 3s like it did in Saturday's 76-74 win over Miami in the MAC tourney championship game , when the top-seeded Zips went 9 of 27 (33.3%) from deep against the No. 2 RedHawks, Arizona will bounce UA from the March Madness bracket.
Akron deserves credit for gutting out a victory on a poor shooting night versus Miami . Still, the Zips will need to be more efficient to pull off an upset against a superior opponent. Remember, Akron is the underdog now.
Akron Zips forward James Okonkwo (32) hangs on the rim after a dunk during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament at Rocket Arena on Friday, March 14, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
The guard-dominant Akron Zips are vulnerable in the paint, unless their big men step up big time
The Zips have great depth, but of the nine players in Groce's rotation, only two of them are big men: starting forward James Okonkwo and backup forward Amani Lyles.
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Okonkwo and Lyles are scrappy on the boards, averaging 7.3 and 5.3 rebounds, respectively, but neither is a consistently reliable scoring threat in the post. Lyles averages 7.7 points and Okonkwo 7 points.
The 6-foot-8 Okonkwo and 6-7 Lyles are also vulnerable to mismatches when they're on defense. Even when the Zips had star forward Enrique Freeman , a 6-7 Indiana Pacers rookie picked in the second round of the NBA draft, they experienced trouble as a No. 14 seed in last year's NCAA Tournament against No. 3 Creighton and its size advantage. UA fell 77-60 in the first round .
Akron basketball news: 'Wow, what a game': Nate Johnson leads Zips men's basketball to MAC Tournament title
In addition to Akron getting a bevy of 3-pointers to fall, the Zips would likely need Okonkwo and Lyles to play as if they're possessed to advance past Arizona.
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The Wildcats are led inside by 6-8 Tobe Awaka (8.2 points and 7.8 rebounds), 7-foot Henri Veesaar (9.5 points and five rebounds) and 6-6 Trey Townsend (8.3 points and 3.9 rebounds).
Akron Zips guard Nate Johnson (34) is fouled by Miami RedHawks forward Brant Byers (22) during the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship game March 15, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Zips only have a true, consistent, go-to scorer if Nate Johnson picks up where he left off in Akron's final two MAC Tournament games
With Freeman, Akron had a legitimate go-to scorer capable of carrying the team amid pressure-packed scenarios. He averaged 18.6 points and 12.9 rebounds as a senior last season, when he became an Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention selection and the MAC Player of the Year.
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Akron's Nate Johnson is this season's MAC Player of the Year, MAC Defensive Player of the Year and MAC tourney Most Valuable Player.
Simply put, the Zips need Johnson to be a go-to scorer during March Madness. It's a role the redshirt junior guard has filled many times, but it hasn't been a given, either. For example, Johnson has scored in double figures in 25 of his 34 games this season. Freeman scored in double figures in all 35 of his games last season.
Akron Zips guard Nate Johnson (34) drives to the basket for a layup against Miami during the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship game March 15, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
The MAC tourney provided another snapshot. Johnson scored just three points in the quarterfinal against Bowling Green, yet Akron won by 29 points, proving it possesses depth opponents should fear.
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Johnson responded by scoring a career-high 31 points in the semifinal against Toledo and 22 points in the title game against Miami. With the MAC tourney crown hanging in the balance, he made the game-winning, floating layup against Miami with 2.3 seconds left.
Johnson is averaging 14 points this season on 44.7% shooting from the field (30.6% on 3-pointers), five rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.8 steals.
Arizona's top player is fifth-year senior guard Caleb Love (16.6 points on 38.6% shooting from the floor, 32.3% on 3s, 4.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 steals). Like Johnson, Love has hot-and-cold tendencies.
For the Zips to win on the grand stage the NCAA Tournament provides, they need their best player to be assertive and deliver. It would be even better for Akron if Johnson were to outplay Love. If Johnson were to struggle, the Zips would find themselves in a tough spot.
Akron Zips coach John Groce celebrates during the first half of the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship game March 15, 2025, in Cleveland.
2025 March Madness prediction for Akron
Our official pick has been on the record since "Selection Sunday" — Arizona 86, Akron 82 — though this point-counterpoint exercise outlines how the Zips can win, and it's not a far-fetched scenario, especially if you value hot streaks come tournament time.
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Akron has won 21 of its past 22 games. Arizona has lost six of its past 11.
Welcome to March Madness. Whether it lasts for a single game or longer, enjoy the ride, Zips fans.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron NCAA bracket: How Zips can beat Arizona in March Madness Round 1
