Akron’s John Groce and Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd face off for the first time as head coaches Friday in the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
PHOENIX – Akron, Ohio, the birthplace of basketball greats such as LeBron James and Stephen Curry, is getting noticed for a different reason this time of year. The Akron Zips, coming off a record-setting 28-6 season, are back in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament for the third time in four years.
Their tournament journey begins Friday with a first-round March Madness matchup against the Arizona Wildcats (22-12) — an opponent they have never faced before. As the No. 13 seed, the Zips will look to keep their story alive against the No. 4 seeded Wildcats in Seattle. Oddsmakers have the Wildcats as 14.5-point favorites.
To get here, Akron set a program record with 28 wins and went 17-1 in conference play before capturing the Mid-American tournament title — defeating coach John Groce’s half-brother, Travis Steele, and the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks in the final — to punch a ticket to the Big Dance once again.
“It’s a surreal feeling. It’s great to do it with my brothers—I love all of these guys, I love the coaching staff, and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Akron senior guard Shammah Scott said.
Akron is still searching for its first NCAA Tournament win. However, Groce is no stranger to March Madness success — he led No. 13-seed Ohio to a stunning Sweet 16 run in 2012.
Meanwhile, Arizona’s season has been a rollercoaster. After a slow start, the Wildcats surged late and made a strong run in the Big 12 Tournament before falling to Houston in the championship game. Despite the loss, they secured a No. 4 seed and now turn their attention to Akron.
Arizona has historically been dominant in the first round, but a shocking loss in 2023 to 15-seed Princeton serves as a reminder that anything can happen in March. That defeat marked the Wildcats’ earliest tournament exit since 1993.
Akron’s Nate Johnson and teammates prepare for their first-round matchup against Arizona, looking to secure their first NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament win Friday. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Friday’s matchup also marks a coaching reunion of sorts. Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd will be facing Groce for the first time as head coaches of their respective programs, but their history has legs. The two coaches squared off when Lloyd was an assistant coach for Gonzaga and Groce coached Illinois.
“He’s a well-respected coach, and he’s done a great job,” Lloyd said of Groce. “I know he’s always been a creative coach, so I’m excited to take a look at them.”
Akron enters the tournament as one of the hottest teams in the country, winning 21 of its last 22 games. The Zips’ high-tempo offense has been electric, surpassing the 100-point mark five times this season. Ranked 13th nationally in possessions per game, they rely on a deep, experienced nine-man rotation that can score at will — a challenge Arizona’s Caleb Love and company will have to counter.
“I have actually studied them a little bit in the past, because I was fascinated with how fast they play,” Groce said of the Wildcats.
The Wildcats, however, will look to use their size advantage to slow the game down and control the paint. According to KenPom, Akron has the fourth-smallest roster in the country, a factor that played a role in last year’s NCAA Tournament loss to Creighton.
If Arizona dictates the pace and dominates the boards, the Wildcats will have the clear advantage. But if Akron can speed up the game and knock down shots from deep, the Zips could find themselves in position for a signature upset.
While this year’s Akron squad features nine newcomers, last season’s struggles in the tournament aren’t entirely forgotten. Groce and his returning players have learned from that experience and are determined to write a different ending this time around.
With two similar styles set to tip off, Friday’s matchup has all the makings of a classic March Madness battle — where either Arizona asserts its dominance or Akron proves it belongs on the big stage.
“We’re excited to prepare for a really good basketball team,” Groce said. “It’s a great opportunity for our program, and we will make sure we are prepared and look forward to it.”