Miami Ohio entered championship week at 31-0, and the unfortunate part of their excellent season is that very few people had them pegged to win the MAC tournament. The assumption was that this was the best way to get a 2 Bid MAC. Miami, at 31-0, was not in any danger of missing the tournament; that was what many thought. Akron was the most talented team in the league, and many believed they would receive the automatic bid into the tournament.
Guess What! A two-bid MAC is no longer just a pipe dream; it is a reality. The Akron Zips earned an autobid to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year. Head coach John Groce has built the Akron program into a MAC dynasty. Now all that's left is to win a game in the event. This will be the Zips' 8th overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and they are currently 0-7. Good news, though: the 12 seed is the highest Akron has gotten under head coach Groce, and the hope is to keep on playing.
Play Akron Basketball
Playing the style of basketball that got you into the NCAA Tournament seems like a no-brainer, right? You would think so, but the pressure to win a game, especially when you haven’t won a game before, and couple that with teams that could potentially be bigger, faster, and more athletic than you, makes this one a little harder than it seems.
However, for Akron, it is their third straight appearance after dominating their league for two straight seasons. In those two seasons, they have put up video-game-like numbers. No, really, the Zips play at one of the fastest paces in the country, hoist and make a ton of threes, shoot 60% from 2, and over 50% from the floor. All of that leads to Akron scoring over 88 points per game and making teams look silly on defense.
The Zips are not great on defense, which has led to their downfall in the NCAA Tournament. Akron is a lot better on the defensive end when their shots are falling, and if they can get into a track meet, that is exactly how the Zips like it, giving them an advantage that turns into a race to the basket. Â
In previous tournaments, the Zips have been tentative and have let the other teams dictate the pace of the game. The Zips need to play Akron Basketball to have any chance of winning, and if they let the opponent dictate the pace, it will be a long night for the Zips.
Tavari Johnson
What I am about to say is just one opinion, so take it for what it is worth, but for my money, there is no better guard in this tournament than Johnson. I know that Akron had a member of their backcourt go play at a power school this year and didn’t fare particularly well, but none of those players are Johnson. He is going to be the best player on the floor, no matter who Akron plays.
The point guard is the rare efficient volume shooter who flat-out gets buckets. His 20-point-per-game average leads the MAC; his 5 assists per game rank in the top 75 nationally. He makes threes, shoots over 60% from inside the arc, and leads the MAC in free-throw shooting. Johnson is a lot of fun to watch.
The senior point guard is going to have to play well and probably outplay his opponent to get Akron the win. He wasn’t great in the NCAA Tournament last season, which explains why the Zips didn’t win the game. Johnson has learned a lot from last season, and I guarantee he will be ready to hopefully get the first win in Zips history.
No Pressure
Even though the Zips have not won a game in the NCAA Tournament, there is not nearly as much pressure on them to win this game as there is on their power-five opponent. No Power Five team is going to want to be the team that Troy gets their first win against. However, it has to happen sometimes.
There shouldn’t be any pressure on the Zips because there won't be many people picking them to win, even though they are a good team. Akron should be loose and ready to play, given they are the underdog, but it’s the NCAA Tournament, and underdogs thrive in this environment.
Just relax, Zips play like you did all year, and get Tavari Johnson going as he has against everyone. No pressure, come out and just play, have fun, and that first win will come. Hopefully sooner than later.