If huge upset doesn't awaken Akron Zips men's basketball team, nothing will | Nate Ulrich

Warning: This question isn't as inspirational as the one legendary broadcaster Al Michaels uttered when the U.S. men's hockey team defeated the Soviet Union during the 1980 Winter Olympics.

No, don't get your hopes up because this isn't, “Do you believe in miracles?”

Instead, this less-compelling query is, “Do you believe in wake-up calls?”

More importantly, does the University of Akron men's basketball team believe in them after it suffered a shocking 61-60 upset loss to Eastern Michigan University on Tuesday night at Rhodes Arena?

Akron could have finished the season with a home record of 14-0. It would have been the first time UA had gone unbeaten at home since the 2015-16 season, when the Zips were 15-0 in the Rubber City.

UA also could have clinched at least a share of the regular-season Mid-American Conference championship and remained in the driver's seat to secure the title outright.

But the Zips blew those chances.

Now Akron (21-9, 13-4) and Toledo (19-11, 13-4) are tied atop the conference standings, with each team playing its regular-season finale Friday night. Akron will visit Western Michigan (11-19, 8-9), and Toledo will host Kent State (15-15, 8-9).

Then it's off to the MAC Tournament March 14-16 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in downtown Cleveland.

Akron, Toledo and third-place Ohio (18-12, 12-5) are the legitimate threats to win the tourney and earn the MAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

However, Akron has been trending in the wrong direction with a lack of collective concentration and inconsistent performances emerging, albeit in some wins.

Those red flags haunted UA against 10th-place Eastern Michigan (13-17, 6-11), a program not among the top eight MAC teams headed to the conference tourney. Akron had its 16-game home winning streak come to a screeching halt, losing at Rhodes Arena for the first time since Feb. 7, 2023. Earlier this season, UA crushed EMU 77-46 on Jan. 30.

The Zips will either snap out of their funk and become alert as a result of the cold water thrown in their faces or they won't fulfill their potential.

Akron will either use the game-winning, putback Eastern Michigan junior forward Jalin Billingsley dunked with two seconds remaining to galvanize its locker room or fizzle down the stretch of what looked like it could be a special season.

So … does Zips coach John Groce believe in wake-up calls?

“No, I believe in playing well,” he said. “Got to play well. Maybe it will be [a wake-up call] for some of those guys [on the team], but we've got older guys. They shouldn't need a wake-up call to realize that we've got to be mentally focused and be more physical in terms of taking care of the basketball and rebounding the basketball.

“They're not dumb guys. They're smart guys. But at the end of the day, they've got to do it, and that responsibility falls on me. So don't anybody think we're blaming them, right? That starts with me and the older guys.”

Well, Zips senior forward Enrique Freeman is Akron's undisputed top player and an older guy. Does he believe in wake-up calls?

“I wouldn't say it's necessarily a wake-up call,” Freeman said of the loss. “I would say it is definitely an opportunity for us to learn and grow and evaluate ourselves as a team and the things that we lack.”

UA lost the turnover battle 15-10, and EMU scored 17 points off those miscues. Akron was outrebounded 34-29, including 15-8 on the offensive end of the floor. Eastern Michigan scored 11 second-chance points.

“They took our ball, and they punked us at the rim,” Groce said. “And we got what we deserved, quite frankly.

“This isn't brain surgery. This is simple stuff here. We've got to be better. We've got to execute better and do our job better.”

Freeman led the Zips with game highs in points (15) and rebounds (13). Unfortunately for Freeman, he also led UA in turnovers (five).

Of course, the letdown isn't the fault of one player or the byproduct of a single possession.

After a blocked shot by Freeman, senior guard Ali Ali made a terrific pass under the basket to redshirt sophomore guard Nate Johnson, but Johnson missed the ensuing layup with about two minutes left to play.

With Akron trying to hold onto a 60-57 lead, senior guard Greg Tribble missed two free throws with 1:02 left.

During the decisive play, senior wing Mikal Dawson missed a block out on Billingsley, giving him a clear path to the rim for his ferocious putback a split second after EMU freshman guard Arne Osojnik missed a 3-pointer.

After Billingsley threw down the highlight dunk with his left hand, Dawson's long inbounds pass intended for Johnson went out of bounds, so the Zips couldn't even fire a desperation shot at the buzzer.

MAC set up to be snubbed?: Akron's John Groce and Kent State's Rob Senderoff agree changed NIT format not ideal for Mid-American Conference

And, yes, the Akron turnover provided a fitting ending.

“I thought they played well, and we stunk — point blank,” Groce said. “Want me to be real? I'm going to tell you real.”

Given the loss in UA's home finale with what was at stake and the MAC tourney around the corner, is Akron real?

“Akron has always been for real,” Freeman said. “Nobody's confidence [is wavering]. My confidence in coach, my confidence in myself and my confidence in our team, absolutely we're completely confident going into the next game.”

Freeman didn't flinch when he said it, a characteristic of a bona fide leader, yet UA's true response will be known next week in Cleveland.

If Tuesday's defeat doesn't wake up the Zips in time for the MAC Tournament, nothing will.

Akron men's basketball news: Details on the Zips being upset at Rhodes Arena by Eastern Michigan

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Zips men's basketball has stunning loss before MAC Tournament