The University of Akron men's basketball team is heading to its third NCAA Tournament in four seasons under head coach John Groce. They did it by winning the Mid-American Conference Tournament last weekend in Cleveland. The Zips also won their first MAC regular season title since 2020. But Ideastream Public Media’s sports commentator Terry Pluto it all comes down the MAC Tournament for a shot at the Big Dance.
“The regular season is nice, but it doesn't get you a ticket to the NCAA tournament,” Pluto said. “Toledo recently won four consecutive regular season titles, but each time they lost in the MAC tournament and no NCAA bid.”
The Akron Zips set a program record with 28 wins this season, including winning 20 out of 21 Mid-American Conference games.
“There's always a little bit of anxiety," Pluto said. '"Well, what happens if I have a bad weekend in Cleveland in the MAC tournament?' And that could happen.”
Akron faced a tough challenge in the MAC tournament championship game, rallying from an 18-point deficit to defeat Miami of Ohio.
“Slowly they clawed their way back into the game and suddenly their winning DNA came out,” Pluto said.
The reigning MAC Player of the Year, 6-foot-3 junior guard Nate Johnson, made the winning layup on a rebound and pass from 6-foot-7 junior forward Amani Lyles.
Groce, in his eight season at Akron, started his coaching career as an assistant with his alma mater, Taylor University. His next job was as an assistant at North Carolina State. Then, he became an assistant at Butler under Thad Matta. He followed Matta to Xavier and then to Ohio State, where he was an assistant from 2004 to 2008.
From 2008 to 2012, he was head coach at Ohio University, leading the Bobcats to two NCAA Tournament berths and reached the Sweet 16 in 2012, where they defeated Michigan and South Florida.
After that successful run, Groce was hired by Illinois in 2012. He was fired in 2017.
“This was at the same time, when he was fired, when Keith Dambrot, who had brought Akron back into the MAC powerhouse category, left Akron to go to Duquesne," Pluto said. "I remember sitting at the press conference where John Groce is being hired (and) I'm thinking, ‘Good luck with this, buddy.’ It took him a few years, but you know, he began to start winning, (and) winning big about five years ago.”
Akron is the No. 13 seed in the East Regional and will play the No. 4 seed Arizona on Friday night in Seattle.
“Arizona is a really good program," Pluto said. "They won 22 games. They play like Akron. They play a quick, up-tempo style of play (and) shoot a lot of three-pointers. They're the kind of team, they could blow Akron out, but they're also a team, periodically, that when their shots aren't falling, those long jumpers...they get beat.”
This will be Akron’s seventh trip to the NCAA Tournament in program history. They have never won a March Madness game. Pluto believes this Akron team has the potential to pull off an upset.
“I remember what they tell you when you're an underdog in the NCAA tournament; This is not like the NBA playoffs where you've got to win a best-of-seven series," Pluto said. "You only got to beat them once to advance, so the best team doesn't always win.”
The game between Akron (28-6) vs. Arizona (22-12) is scheduled to tip off at 7:35 p.m. (EST) on TruTV.