SEATTLE — The Akron Zips are dancing again with the hope securing their first March Madness victory in program history.
Thirteenth-seeded Akron is facing No. 4 Arizona during a first-round NCAA Tournament game in the East Region on Friday night at Climate Pledge Arena. The winner will advance to meet No. 5 Oregon or No. 12 Liberty on Sunday in the same venue.
Akron (28-6) versus Arizona (22-12) tipped off at 7:49 p.m Friday. Check back here for updates throughout the game.
Akron Zips face 41-31 halftime deficit vs. Arizona Wildcats
The ending of the first half proved to be fitting for the Zips. The one Akron player who has excelled thus far is guard Tavari Johnson, and he made a floater just before the buzzer to trim the Zips’ deficit to 41-31 at halftime.
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Shortly before Johnson’s bucket, Arizona forward Carter Bryant followed his own missed 3-pointer and produced a putback dunk.
The Wildcats won the rebounding battle 30-13 and outscored the Zips 24-12 in the paint and 10-2 on second-chance points through the first half.
Johnson led the Zips with 13 points in the first half, followed by guards Nate Johnson and Shammah Scott with five points apiece.
Forward Trey Townsend led Arizona with 11 points and added five rebounds in the first half. Guard Jaden Bradley contributed nine points, and Bryant pitched in seven.
Akron trails Arizona 39-29 with 34.4 seconds left in the first half
Arizona is willing to concede field goals inside the 3-point arc, but the Wildcats are determined to dissuade the Zips from shooting 3s.
So far, Akron is 3-of-10 shooting from deep. The Zips won’t pull off an upset at this rate. Remember, Akron averages 29.8 3-point attempts and 10.9 made 3s this season.
Arizona has 33-22 advantage vs. Akron with 3:50 remaining in the first half
The Zips are having trouble guarding several Wildcats players who are adept at creating their own shots off the dribble.
Bryant provided an example by draining a 3-pointer with 4:35 remaining in the first half, and guard Caleb Love hammered the point home by making a floater over Akron’s Nate Johnson with 3:59 left.
Arizona led 33-22 during a media timeout with 3:50 left in the first half.
Wildcats lead Zips 25-16 with 7:30 left before halftime
Arizona led Akron 25-16 during a media timeout with 7:30 remaining in the first half.
For the Zips, this isn’t a recipe for success: Arizona is shooting 50% from the field (11 of 22, including 3 of 9 on 3-pointers), and Akron is shooting 28% from the floor (7 of 25, including 2 of 6 on 3s) thus far.
Akron is the smaller team by a wide margin, so the Zips need to get much hotter to stand a chance against Arizona.
Akron Zips face 17-13 deficit vs. Arizona Wildcats with 10:58 left in the first half
The Zips were behind 17-13 during a media timeout with 10:58 remaining in the first half.
The superior size and physical nature of the Wildcats is obvious, and they lead the rebounding battle 14-8 thus far. Arizona 7-foot forward Henri Veesaar had five rebounds in his first six minutes off the bench.
Bradley led Arizona with seven points at this early stage of the game. Guards Tavari Johnson and Scott paced Akron in scoring with six and five points, respectively.
Akron trails Arizona 11-6, with Tavari Johnson giving Zips a spark
The Zips were behind 11-6 during a media timeout with 16 minutes left in the first half.
At this point, the only Akron player who had scored was guard Tavari Johnson.
After Akron fell behind 9-0 to begin the game, Johnson gave the Zips a spark by making two layups and a floater for six points.
Bradley led Arizona at this juncture with five points.
Arizona jumps out to a 9-0 lead with a hot start from 3-point range and prompts an early Akron timeout
Arizona is not known for 3-point shooting prowess, but the Wildcats began the game on fire from deep.
They made 3 of 4 3s to open the game, took a 9-0 lead and compelled Akron coach John Groce to use a timeout with 18:11 left in the first half.
Making the first three 3s for Arizona were Bradley, Townsend and Love.
Here is some pregame information:
What is Akron Zips‘ March Madness history in the NCAA Tournament?
The Zips are 0-6 in Division I NCAA Tournament games (1986, 2009, ’11, ’13, ’22 and ’24). The 1980-81 season was Akron’s first as a Division I team.
Under the guidance of coach John Groce, Akron has won three of the past four Mid-American Conference Tournaments and thereby seized the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament in 2022, ’24 and ’25.
The Zips also entered March Madness three times with coach Keith Dambrot (2009, ’11 and ’13) and once with coach Bob Huggins (1986).
NCAA Tournament: ‘It just brings supreme confidence’: Akron’s John Groce has March Madness upsets on resume
Here are the results of Akron’s six Division I NCAA Tournament games:
- 2024: No. 14 Akron lost 77-60 to No. 3 Creighton in Pittsburgh
- 2022: No. 14 Akron lost 57-53 to No. 3 UCLA in Portland, Oregon
- 2013: No. 12 Akron lost 88-42 to No. 5 VCU in Detroit
- 2011: No. 15 Akron lost 69-56 to No. 2 Notre Dame in Chicago
- 2009: No. 13 Akron lost 77-64 to No. 4 Gonzaga in Portland, Oregon
- 1986: No. 15 Akron lost 70-64 to No. 2 Michigan in Minneapolis
What is the Arizona men’s basketball team’s history in the NCAA Tournament?
This is Arizona’s 39th time in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats entered this year’s tourney with a record of 60-37 in March Madness. They have been to the Final Four four times and won one national championship in 1997 with coach Lute Olson.
Arizona has earned an NCAA Tournament appearance in each of Tommy Lloyd’s four seasons as its head coach and compiled a record of 4-3. The Wildcats advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2022 and 2024. Those runs sandwiched a first-round exit in 2023, when second-seeded Arizona lost 59-55 to No. 15 Princeton.
Akron basketball column: Can the Zips advance in March Madness bracket? Outlining their path
What is the NCAA Tournament men’s basketball history for games between No. 4 seeds and No. 13 seeds?
Entering this year’s NCAA Tournament, No. 13 seeds have upset No. 4 seeds in 21.2% of their matchups since the March Madness field expanded in 1985.
Heading into the 2025 games, No. 13 seeds had an all-time record of 33-123 against No. 4 seeds.
March Madness: Akron basketball crams for Arizona. What to know about their matchup
Did the Akron Zips and Arizona Wildcats have any common opponents this season?
Akron plays in the Mid-American Conference, and Arizona plays in the Big 12. They each met the MAC’s Central Michigan this season.
Arizona crushed visiting Central Michigan 94-41 on Dec. 21.
Akron defeated Central Michigan 87-71 on Jan. 7 at Rhodes Arena and won 85-82 at Central Michigan on Feb. 15.
More Akron Zips hoops: Seth Wilson brings pregame tradition inspired by Ric Flair to NCAA Tournament
Who are Akron’s starters?
Here are Akron’s official starters:
- Guard Nate Johnson (14 points, 5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.8 steals)
- Guard Tavari Johnson (13 points, 3.9 assists, 1.9 rebounds)
- Guard Isaiah Gray (9.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals)
- Guard Seth Wilson (6.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists)
- Forward James Okonkwo (7 points, 7.3 rebounds)
Who are Arizona’s starters?
Here are Arizona’s official starters:
- Guard Jaden Bradley (11.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.8 steals)
- Guard Caleb Love (16.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals)
- Guard Anthony Dell’Orso (7.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists)
- Forward Trey Townsend (8.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1 assist)
- Forward Tobe Awaka (8.2 points, 7.8 rebounds)
How to watch today’s Akron-Arizona basketball NCAA Tournament game on TV. How to listen on radio
The game will be televised nationally by truTV, with Lisa Byington serving as the play-by-play announcer, Robbie Hummel and Jalen Rose as analysts and Andy Katz as the sideline reporter.
It can be heard on national radio via Westwood One Sports, with Ryan Radtke assigned as the play-by-play announcer and P.J. Carlesimo as the analyst.
It can be heard on local radio via WHLO (640-AM), with Dave Skoczen doing play by play and Joe Dunn analyzing.
What is the history between Akron and Arizona in men’s basketball?
Akron and Arizona have never played each other.
Before Akron hired Groce in 2017, he had been at the helms of Ohio (2008-12) and Illinois (2012-17). However, he has never previously faced Arizona as a head coach.
Groce led Ohio into March Madness twice and Illinois once. In 2012, Ohio advanced to the Sweet 16 as a No. 13 seed. Groce’s NCAA Tournament record as a head coach is 4-5.
Lloyd has been a head coach since 2021, when Arizona hired him, so he has not previously met Akron as a head coach.
However, Lloyd was notably a Gonzaga assistant coach from 2001-21, and Gonzaga eliminated Akron from the NCAA Tournament in 2009.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at [email protected]. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
