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Akron Zips great Enrique Freeman helps Pacers earn historic comeback vs. his hometown Cavs
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- Akron Zips great Enrique Freeman helps Pacers earn historic comeback vs. his hometown Cavs
CLEVELAND — Don't worry, Akron Zips .
University of Akron basketball legend Enrique Freeman still loves you despite a fashion faux pas forced upon him Sunday by an Indiana Pacers teammate.
Freeman donned a University of Arizona shirt in his hometown of Cleveland before helping the Pacers complete a historic comeback and defeat the Cavs 126-118 in double overtime of the regular-season finale at Rocket Arena.
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The reason for Freeman's unusual outfit? Pacers guard T.J. McConnell finished his college basketball career at Arizona, so he and Freeman had a bet on the March 21 first-round NCAA Tournament men's game between the Wildcats and Zips in Seattle. Fourth-seeded Arizona beat No. 14 Akron 93-65 .
Adding salt to Freeman's wound, McConnell waited until the Pacers returned to Northeast Ohio to make the rookie forward face the consequences of their wager. It was a ruthless move by McConnell, yet Freeman has no regrets about his loyalty to the Zips.
"I made a bet. I always bet on Akron ," Freeman told the Beacon Journal.
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Indiana Pacers forward Enrique Freeman drives to the basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 13, 2025, in Cleveland.
As it turns out, Freeman may have benefited from some kangaroo karma after all. He entered the action Sunday for the first time with 9:09 left in the third quarter and finished with single-game NBA career highs in points (eight) and rebounds (eight) in 31 minutes. He also had an assist, a steal and a blocked shot.
"It just continues to help me grow as a player," Freeman, 24, said as he reflected on the experience.
With Freeman on the court, the Pacers (50-32) outscored the Cavs (64-18) by 29 points. He ranked third among Indiana players in plus-minus rating. The Pacers trailed by as many as 27 points in the third quarter before completing their largest comeback in franchise history (at least since such statistics have been tracked with the play-by-play era beginning in the 1996-97 season) and the biggest comeback in the NBA this season.
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"He played beautifully," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said of Freeman. "I mean, he took the right shots. He was involved in a lot of rebound plays, a lot of loose ball plays. The guy's a fearless competitor, and he stands for what our organization wants to stand for, which is defiant competitiveness and a guy that earns trust because of who he is and how he operates."
Indiana Pacers forward Enrique Freeman (8) rebounds the ball while Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells defends on Oct. 14, 2024, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
With Eastern Conference playoff positioning set before the finale, the top-seeded Cavs rested the vast majority of their significant contributors, and the fourth-seeded Pacers sat several key players as well.
A second-round pick in last year's draft, Freeman took advantage in his 22nd appearance with the Pacers and first regular-season outing against his hometown Cavs. The St. Martin de Porres High School graduate had many friends and relatives in attendance. With 2:46 left in regulation, he made a fast-break layup to aid the Pacers' rally and cut their deficit to 98-97.
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"We know he's got such a big community here, a lot of fans, a lot of family that obviously came out today, and it being at his last regular-season game, it was pretty awesome to see," Pacers rookie guard Johnny Furphy said.
A young fan sports a Pacers jersey signed by Akron alum Enrique Freeman, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025.
Because Freeman is on a two-way contract, he is not eligible to play for the Pacers in the upcoming postseason, which Indiana will begin against the fifth-seeded Milwaukee Bucks (48-34).
In the regular season, Freeman averaged 2.1 points and 1.4 rebounds in 8.2 minutes in games with the Pacers and 17.6 points and 10.4 rebounds in 34.3 minutes in 14 games with the NBA G League's Indiana Mad Ants.
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How does Freeman assess his rookie year?
"I think it went really good," he said. "Really kind of unique because I'm up and down [from the Pacers to the Mad Ants], but I think it went well. Overall, I think I learned a lot, and I'm continuing to learn."
And Freeman finished strong.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Enrique Freeman has strong finish to rookie season as Pacers beat Cavs
