Don’t look now, but the University of Akron men’s basketball team is very much sneaking into the national picture.
The Zips are 15-4 overall and 7-0 in the Mid-American Conference, and that’s with the toughest nonconference schedule coach John Groce has put together in Akron history.
With 12 regular-season games left, plus the MAC Tournament, Akron could blow past the highest win total Groce has had with the Zips — 24 in 2020 and 2022.
“We’re just trying to live in the moment, but the thing I do like about our team is we’re deep,” Groce said. “You would hope that would get us better prepared for that moment where we all want to play our best. With the experience these guys have had that’s going to be to our benefit.”
The Zips opened the season 5-3 and lost three consecutive games to Utah State, Drake and UNLV. They bounced back and beat Bradley, which is now 15-5.
The only other loss came by a point to St. Bonaventure at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
To further bolster their standing, Utah State beat Akron by three and UNLV beat the Zips by two, leaving just one bad loss to Drake on the resume.
“We played the strongest non[conference] schedule in the 26-year history of [the Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings system] at Akron, and that helps,” Groce said. “We still have James Madison on the road, who is 17-2 and has a great rating. The unique thing about our team is, in the first eight games, three of those losses we were without Ali Ali. Those games will help us.”
The case for Akron men’s basketball to be in the national conversation
Now that we’ve laid out just how strong the Zips’ schedule has been, let’s talk about all the good stuff.
Since the loss to St. Bonaventure, the Zips have won seven in a row and 11 of their last 12.
Enrique Freeman leads the nation in rebounds per game (12.9) and is a seven-time MAC Player of the Week. His 18.9 points per game are tied for 64th.
What helps even more is the depth on the team as Greg Tribble, Mikal Dawson, Evan Wilson, Nate Johnson, Ali and Freeman were on the 2021-22 team that played in the NCAA Tournament.
Tribble, Freeman, Ali and Dawson have already been on two MAC championship teams.
“Everybody on our team has their own sense of leadership, even the younger guys,” Freeman said. “They have to lead themselves so they can follow us. For us, it’s important to put our culture into them. The best way to do that is to lead yourself … When you work hard, that stuff spreads.”
Why the Zips men’s basketball team is so good
Ali scores 15.7 points per game. Sammy Hunter (9.9) and Tribble (9.8) also hover around the double-digit mark.
Johnson, who broke his hand on Jan. 12 against Buffalo, averages 8.4 points and may be available for the stretch run.
“Winning is deodorant,” Freeman said. “You can’t get lost in any night. You see so many nights in basketball where any night anyone can win. You have to bring it every night.
“It’s easy to say that we have the gears to get there, but I honestly believe we have another gear. I think it’s special. I think our team chemistry will help us get there. I know once we get there, we’ll be ready.”
Could this be the year Akron men’s basketball wins an NCAA Tournament game?
The 67-58 win over Ohio University is a microcosm of what basketball will look like at the MAC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament if the Zips get there.
The best they’ve ever done in the MAC is 14-2 in 2013 under Keith Dambrot.
That’s just one record that might be topped as they’re also taking aim at the 27-7 season of 2016-17 for most wins.
It’s still just one game at a time, but the madness is starting to grow on Carroll Street as Akron looks to win its ninth regular-season conference crown, sixth league tournament and reach the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time
The Zips have never won a game once they get to the dance.
Could this be the year?
“I try to stay away from thinking about March, but I know it’s one of the most important times during the season,” Tribble said. “This team, I feel like we can do something special and make history.”
Contact Brad Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: College basketball: Akron making a case to be in the national picture
