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University of Akron blasts rival Kent State to earn berth in NCAA Tournament
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- University of Akron blasts rival Kent State to earn berth in NCAA Tournament
CLEVELAND – University of Akron coach John Groce and his team had just won the Mid-American Conference Tournament, beating rival Kent State 75-55.
But Groce couldn't help but think of the team, probably his best since arriving at UA, that didn't get a chance to compete because on the day the tournament was to begin in 2020, everything shut down because of the coronavirus.
"This one is unique because [we were] two or three different teams throughout the year," Groce said on the Rocket Mortgage Field House court amid the post-game celebration. "We played three games in five days three times. There are a lot of things we had to adjust throughout the year. Our team changed often throughout the year. That's what makes this one really unique and really special. It really speaks to the guys' character."
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How much did that 2020 team mean to Groce and current players such as Enrique Freeman, who were here then? They took time out to share their victory party via video teleconference while still on the floor.
"As we team watched together on FaceTime with each other in our different countries and states, it felt like our little brothers finished what we couldn't and for us that's the best feeling in the world," former UA point guard Loren Cristian Jackson said via a Twitter direct message.
There was plenty to celebrate. The Zips, who won the one that mattered most after losing twice to the Golden Flashes in the regular season, pretty much dominated from the middle of the first half on. They grabbed a nine-point lead and rode it to victory and their first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2013.
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Here are three takeaways from the Zips' win:
The Zips had a plan for Sincere Carry
Guard Xavier Castaneda was a significant part of the Zips' plan to slow down Kent State guard Sincere Carry, the MAC Player of the Year. Castaneda made himself a pest against Carry, pressuring him whenever he had the ball.
"I take great pride in defense," Castaneda said. "I know my teammates are counting on me to step up on the defensive end and guard some of these good players, these good guards in the league, and I just try to do my best."
What the Zips did to Carry was probably unexpected.
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They limited him to six points and forced him into nine turnovers.
"I think we had a good defensive scheme and I think we executed it pretty well," Castaneda said. "That was just my main focus throughout the game."
Overall smothering defense
Castaneda and Freeman denied that a now infamous social media video motivated the team, but it certainly didn't stop them and the coaching staff from taking advantage of a Kent State team playing without guard Malique Jacobs, who was suspended for the first half for his alleged role in the video.
"We were aware of it," Groce said. "To be honest with you, it had nothing to do with playing the game … That stuff doesn't win or lose basketball games."
Groce said he had a couple of things ready for the Zips to use but he elected to stay with his plan, even after the Zips fell behind 11-3 early — and that included a lot of pressure on Carry.
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The game plan worked, obviously.
"At this point, these guys don't surprise me," Groce said. "Nothing surprises me with these guys. They're just a special group."
The key defensive statistic was that the Zips forced 19 turnovers and turned them into 20 points.
"I just want to be aggressive like we were [Friday]," Groce said of a semifinal win over Toledo. "We just wanted to be really aggressive and do the best we could."
The Zips feature offensive balance
Until late in the game when it was clear victory was imminent, the Zips' offensive effort featured balance. Freeman led four Zips in double figures and seven of the eight players in Groce's rotation scored. UA shot 52% overall and 53% from behind the 3-point line. Castaneda, Freeman and Ali Ali made the all-tournament team announced after the game.
Reach George M. Thomas at gthomas@thebeaconjournal.com or on Twitter @ByGeorgeThomas .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Zips top Kent State to win MAC Tournament title
