By Missy Grimes
3 21 2025
AKRON RADIO BROADCAST
AKRON GAME NOTES
https://gozips.com/documents/2025/3/20/Game_35_vs_Arizona__NCAA_Tournament_.pdf
ARIZONA GAME NOTES
https://gozips.com/documents/2025/3/18/Arizona_Notes-G35-NCAA-vs_Akron.pdf
AKRON, Ohio – The No. 13 Akron Zips battle the No. 4 Arizona Wildcats in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 21 in the first ever meeting between the two schools. Akron and Arizona can be viewed on TruTV with Lisa Byington (PxP), Robbie Hummel (Analyst), Jalen Rose (Analyst), Andy Katz (sideline) on the call. Fans can listen to Westwood One with Ryan Radtke (PxP), P.J. Carlesimo (Analyst) on the call along with the Akron Sports Radio Network on WHLO 640 AM with Dave Skoczen (PxP) and Joe Dunn (Analyst) on the call. Live stats are also available on GoZips.com/coverage.
No. 14 Akron (28-6, 17-1 Mid-American) vs No. 4 Arizona (22-12, 14-6 Big 12)
Friday, Mar. 21 – Climate Pledge Arena – Seattle, Wash.
7:45 pm ET – TruTV – WHLO 640 – Westwood One
Akron: John Groce | Overall Record: 350-219 | At Akron: 168-87
Arizona: Coach:Tommy Lloyd | Overall Record: 110-32 | At Arizona: 52-45
ALL-TIME SERIES
First ever meeting | Groce vs Arizona: 0-0
ZIPS AT A GLANCE
The No. 13 Akron Zips will battle the No. 4 Arizona Wildcats in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 21. This is the second consecutive season the Zips have gone dancing and hold a 28-6 overall record.
Akron clinched their second consecutive Mid-American Conference title with a come-from-behind 76-74 win over Miami. Down by as many as 18, the Zips took the lead in the final seconds on a floating jumper from Nate Johnson. Johnson led the Zips with 22 points while Tavari Johnson added 15 to help the Zips advance to the Big Dance.
Nate Johnson leads the Zips in scoring (14.0) and steals (1.8). Nate is one of two Zips to average 10 or more points per game with Tavari Johnson (13.0) joining him. T. Johnson leads Akron in assists (3.9) while James Okonkwo leads the Zips in rebounds (7.3). Amani Lyles leads the Zips in blocks (40).
Akron is currently scoring 84.6 points per game and has outscored its opponents by 10.1 points per game. The Zips are shooting .473 from the field while shooting .364 from beyond the arc and averages 10.9 3-pointers per game. The Blue and Gold hold a .753 ft percentage while averaging 38.8 rebounds, 18.1 assists,12.0 turnovers, 7.7 steals and 3.7 blocks per game.
Akron ranks in the top five in the MAC in scoring offense (1st – 84.6), scoring margin (1st – +10.1), fg pct. (2nd – .473), opp. fg pct. (2nd – .428), 3pt pct. (2nd – .364), opp 3pt pct. (2nd – .314), 3pters made per game (1st – 10.9), ft pct. (.753), rebounds (1st -38.8), off. rebounds (3rd – 11.9), def. rebounds (1st – 26.9), rebound margin (2nd – +4.3), assist-turnover ratio (1st – +1.51), blocked shots (1st – 3.74), assists (1st – 18.1) and steals (2nd – 7.71).
The Zips rank 26th in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio (+1.51), 4th in assists per game (18.1), 5th in bench points per game (34.35), 30th in effective fg pct. (.557), 29th in fastbreak points (13.47), 49th in fg pct. (.473), 66th in ft pct. (.753), 51st in rebound margin (+4.4), 38th in defensive rebounds (26.91), 67th in offensive rebounds (12.06), 23rd in rebounds per game (38.97), 26th in scoring margin (10.1), 8th in scoring offense (84.6), 80th in steals per game (7.7), 8th in 3pters attempted per game (29.8), 60th in 3pt pct. (.364), 62nd in 3pt pct. defense (.314) and 6th in 3pters made per game (10.9). James Okonkwo ranks 84th in total rebounds (248) and 92nd in off. rebounds per game (2.74). Nate Johnson ranks 53rd in total steals (60) and 86th in steals per game (1.76).
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
The No. 4 Arizona Wildcats come into the NCAA Tournament after losing to No. 2/2 and top-seeded Houston in the Big 12 Championship game on March 15. Arizona fell 72-64 to see its record fall to 22-12 overall.
Caleb Love led Arizona with 19 points, while Jaden Bradley added 14 points and four assists. KJ Lewis contributed 11 points off the bench. The Wildcats (22-12) controlled much of the first half, leading by as many as five points and heading into the break with a 33-28 advantage. However, Houston (30-4) flipped the script in the second half, outscoring Arizona 44-31.
Love serves as the leading scorer (16.6) for Arizona. Jaden Bradley leads the way in assists (3.6) and steals (1.8). Tobe Awaka is the leading rebounder (7.8) while Henri Veesaar leads the way in blocks (39).
Arizona averages 81.7 points per game and has outscored their opponents this season by 9.3 points per game. The Wildcats are shooting .473 from the field and .324 from beyond the arc with 6.8 3-point shots falling per game. Arizona is also shooting .784 from the free-throw line. The Wildcats average 39.6 rebounds, 16.3 assists, 11.5 turnovers, 7.7 steals and 4.3 blocks per game.
Arizona ranks in the top 5 in the Big 12 in scoring offense (1st – 81.7), scoring margin (5th – 9.3), fg pct. (3rd – .473), opp. fg pct. (4th – .415), ft pct. (1st – .784), rebounds (2nd – 39.6), off. rebounds (5th – 12.2), def. rebounds (2nd – 27.4), rebound margin (1st – 6.9), assist-turnover ratio (3rd – +1.42), steals (5th – 16.29) and steals (5th – 7.71).
The Wildcats rank 49th in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio (+1.42), 33rd in assists per game (16.3), 19th in bench points (29.68),61st in blocks per game (4.3), 96th in effective fg pct. (.529), 23rd in fastbreak points (14.03), 51st in fg pct. (.473), 57th in fg pct. defense (.415), 36th in ft attempts per game (22.2), 15th in ft pct. (.784), 14th in ft made per game (17.4), 16th in rebound margin (+6.9), 24th in def. rebounds per game (27.35), 59th in off. rebounds per game (12.24), 18th in rebounds per game (39.59), 34th in scoring margin (+9.3), 21st in scoring offense (81.7) and 80th in steals per game (7.7). Caleb Love ranks 27th in total fg attempt (490), 30th in ft pct. (.885), 83rd for total points (564), 20th in 3pt attempts (266) and 69th in total made 3pters (86). Tobe Awaka ranks 54th in total rebounds (265), 68th in off. rebounds (2.88) and 79th in rebounds per game (7.8). Jaden Bradley ranks 53rd in total steals (60) and 86th in steals per game (1.76).
LAST TIME IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT (VS CREIGHTON 3/21/24)
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The culmination of a record-setting campaign for the Akron men’s basketball team came to an end in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday (March 21) as third-seeded Creighton bested the Zips, 77-60, at PPG Paints Arena.
Enrique Freeman matched a single-season NCAA record with his 31st double-double of the season registering a team-high 21 points, while pulling down 14 rebounds.
With an offensive rebound at the 11:26 mark of the second half Freeman recorded his 31st double-double of the year to equal David Robinson’s NCAA single-season record set during the 1985-86 campaign. North Carolina’s Armando Bacot also matched the mark during the 2021-22 campaign.
Senior Ali Ali (Kendalville, Ind.) added a 14-point effort for the Zips, while senior Greg Tribble (Cincinnati, Ohio) contributed five points and two steals.
Akron finished the afternoon shooting 37.9 percent from the field, while the Bluejays sparked by a 52.4 percent shooting mark in the second half, concluded the contest hitting at a .565 clip from the floor.
Despite 14 rebounds from Freeman, Akron was outrebounded, 38-26. The Zips’ defense was a problem in Thursday’s game, forcing 14 Creighton turnovers while committing five. Those takeaways turned into 14 points on the other end of the floor. Freeman’s two steals led the way individually for the Zips.
The game marked the final career games as a Zip for Ali, Freeman, Sammy Hunter, Kaleb Thornton and Greg Tribble.
AKRON IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Akron will make its 23rd postseason appearance, including the NCAA Tournament 16 times with nine of those showings coming as a Division II institution.
Akron enters its seventh NCAA Division I NCAA Tournament in 2025. Akron is 21-15 all-time in NCAA postseason play, but has yet to advance to the round of 32 in the NCAA DI Tournament. Akron first appeared in March Madness in 1986, as Bob Huggins led the Zips as a 15 seed in the Midwest Regional on March 14, 1986 at the H.H.H. Metrodome (Minneapolis,Minn.) against the second-seeded Michigan Wolverines (L, 70-64).
The Zips never went back to the Big Dance until head coach Keith Dambrot led the Zips to three NCAA appearances in five years, starting in 2009 as a 13 seed against four seed Gonzaga (L, 77-64) in the South Regional on March 19, 2009 at Rose Garden Arena (Portland, Ore.). The Zips next trip was in 2011 at the Southwest Regional on March 18, 2011 at the United Center (Chicago, Ill.) as the 15-seed Zips fell to the teo seed Notre Dame (69-56). Akron made an appearance in 2013 when the Zips earned a 12 seed and fell to fifth-seeded VCU (88-42) in the South Regional on March 21, 2011 at The Palace of Auburn Hills (Detroit, Mich.).
Akron has made the Big Dance in back-to-back seasons, and three total times under coach John Groce. Akron advanced to the NCAA Tournament first under Groce in 2022. The No. 13 Seed Zips faced the No. 4 seed UCLA Bruins in Portland, Ore., in the East Region and fell 57-53 to UCLA. Last season, No. 13 seeded Akron battled No. 3 Creighton in Pittsburgh, Pa., where the Zips fell to the Bluejays 77-60.
COACH GROCE IN THE BIG DANCE
John Groce will be leading the Zips in the NCAA Tournament for the third time as the head coach at Akron. Groce is 4-5 in the NCAA Tournament as a head coach (3-1 at Ohio,1-1 at Illinois, 0-2 at Akron) and is 3-2 in the first round. Groce has recorded wins in the opening round with Illinois (2013) and Ohio (2012 and 2010).
In addition to the 2010 and 2012 NCAA Tournament performances at Ohio , the Bobcats became just the sixth school ever to win games as both a 13 and 14 seed. Also 1-of-6 teams win two games. In 2012, Ohio advanced to the Sweet 16 defeating No. 2 Michigan and No. 12 seed South Florida before falling in overtime to No. 1 seed North Carolina.
ON NATIONAL TV
Akron is 6-1 on the national stage with wins at Bowling Green (71-68),against Ohio (92-80) at Kent State (85-71), against Kent State (77-72),against Toledo (100-90) and against Miami (OH) (76-74). The lone loss was on ESPN2 when the Zips fell at Ohio (84-67) on February 22.
ADD ANOTHER RECORD TO THE LIST
The Zips won their 28th game this season with a 76-74 victory over Miami in the MAC Championship game, which sets a new program record for victories in a single season. The previous record (27) was set by the 2016-17 team.
WHO ELSE GOT A TROPHY?
Five non-conference opponents the Zips played this season were named regular season champs. Along with the Zips, Omaha (Summit League), Yale (Ivy League), Arkansas State + South Alabama (Sun Belt) and Saint Mary’s (West Coast Conference) earned Regular Season Titles.
Omaha, Yale and Alabama State also won their Conference Tournament, while Saint Mary’s received an at-large birth and will be dancing in the NCAA Tournament.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The winner of Akron and Arizona will battle the winner of Oregon and Liberty on March 23.
COURTESY AKRON ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
