Akron pulls off double digit second half comeback to win MAC Championship and secure spot in NCAA Tournament

The Akron Zips secured an automatic bid in the NCAA tournament with their 76-74 victory over Miami in the MAC tournament championship game that was all but easy. The Zip's biggest deficit was 18 points in the first half, and they even trailed by double digits with just over 10 minutes left in the game. In fact the only time that Akron held a lead in this one was for most of the first three minutes and the final 2 seconds of the game.

Miami came out scorching hot starting 8 for 12 from behind the three point line and in complete control.

Akron failed to go away though using a valiant second half effort on the defensive end and dominant performance down low to help get them back into the game.

With five minutes remaining Zips guard Nate Johnson knocked down a big three pointer that would cut the deficit to two making it 72-70 which would remain the score for the next six possessions. The teams would then lock at 74 before Miami missed a heavily contested shot that would be rebounded by the Zips, quickly taken down the floor, and converted into a game winning lay up by Johnson. 

Johnson led Akron with 22 points, but RedHawks Junior guard Peter Suder poured in a game-high 24, which included four first-half three-pointers. This ends a historical campaign for Miami (OH), which finished with a program-record 25 wins overall.

John Groce and Akron will now turn their attention to the NCAA Tournament where they are making their seventh appearance all time and first in back-to-back years. The Zips, who are a projected 13 seed, have never won a game in March Madness but are a talented and dangerous team this year that is more than capable of pulling off an upset.