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Akron Zips' Seth Wilson brings pregame tradition inspired by Ric Flair to NCAA Tournament
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- Akron Zips' Seth Wilson brings pregame tradition inspired by Ric Flair to NCAA Tournament
SEATTLE — As they dance again, the fun-loving Akron Zips are yelling, "Wooooo!"
A famous speech by professional wrestling legend Ric Flair has become a rallying cry for the Akron men's basketball team , and senior guard Seth Wilson is bringing it to March Madness.
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The Zips have previously referenced their pregame, Flair-inspired ritual a few times, but Wilson shared new details with the Beacon Journal on Thursday before 13th-seeded Akron (28-6) practiced at Climate Pledge Arena in preparation for its first-round NCAA Tournament game at 7:35 p.m. Friday in the East Region against No. 4 Arizona (22-12).
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A former St. Vincent-St. Mary High School player who graduated from Lorain High School in 2021, Wilson explained he began reciting the speech to teammates before they stormed onto the court for a 77-72 win over rival Kent State on Feb. 28 at Rhodes Arena. Because the Zips prevailed, Wilson's Flair act became a tradition he has used before every game since the Wagon Wheel rematch.
"We some Rolex-wearing, diamond-ring wearing, kiss-stealing, wheeling-dealing, limousine-riding, private jet-flying, son of a gun," Wilson said. "And I'm having a hard time holding these alligators down. Now give me two claps and a Rick Flair. Wooooo!"
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Other Akron players who overhead Wilson rattling off those words in the Zips locker room also chimed in with, "Wooooo!"
Akron coach John Groce has repeatedly described the Zips as a relaxed, joyous group, and Wilson's Flair impression is emblematic of the team's personality.
"It fits the mantra a little bit of what we're saying, which is the fact that they're physical, aggressive, loose, confident — have fun," Groce said. "Yeah, Seth's a big part of that. He's one of those guys that just has a really good sense of humor. The guys enjoy Seth, and Seth enjoys the guys."
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Wilson credited Akron senior guard Evan Wilson with encouraging him to roll out the Flair tribute before the Zips' most recent game against Kent State.
"It just lit a flare up in our team right before the game, and it gave us all the energy that we needed in the game," Akron junior forward Amani Lyles said.
Akron senior guard Seth Wilson practices on Thursday, March 20, 2025, with the Zips at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Akron will face Arizona in the NCAA Tournament on Friday.
Seth Wilson and Akron senior forward James Okonkwo were West Virginia teammates before they joined the Zips as transfers. Okonkwo revealed he and Wilson used a different Flair-themed saying as WVU freshmen.
"It definitely gets us amped," Okonkwo said. "It gets the crowd involved. It just shows that we are here to compete before the tip[off] even happens, like 10 to 15 minutes before tip. It just lets them know that our presence is here, and it's going to be felt."
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A starter who averages 6.3 points, Wilson has gotten a kick out of how his Akron teammates respond to his Flair routine.
"It definitely gets us going, lets us know we're ready to play," Wilson said, "and, naturally, since we're all saying everything in unison as far as the 'Wooooos' and everything, that lets us know we're together, we're connected.
"This fits our team. It fits what we do. ... I think that really sticks to how we play 'cause we play together. We share the ball."
Akron guard Seth Wilson (left) and Toledo guard Sam Lewis pursue a first-half loose ball during the Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinals at Rocket Arena, Friday, March 14, 2025, in Cleveland.
The Zips also have a good time, and they're hopeful their collective demeanor will lead to positive results under the bright lights of March Madness.
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"There's times where I've got to reel them in a little bit and get them dialed in on what I need to tell them or what we need to get executed," Groce said. "They're so coachable, obviously, they do that when we have to get to that point.
"But you never have to worry about them being loose, aggressive, having fun, confident. That's just kind of who they are, and so I certainly think that's helpful."
Akron senior guard Seth Wilson practices on Thursday, March 20, 2025, with the Zips at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Akron will face Arizona in the NCAA Tournament on Friday.
Zips redshirt junior guard Nate Johnson said celebrating with Wilson before tipoff "separates us from the other teams."
Akron knows it's an underdog against Arizona, but perhaps some Flair swagger can go a long way.
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"It definitely will help us as far as staying loose and not tightening up in the moment," Wilson said.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Zips use Ric Flair speech to get fired up for NCAA Tournament
