Last night, the Akron Zips (28-6, 18-1) came back from 18 down to eliminate the Miami RedHawks (25-9, 14-5), 76-74, in a shooting clinic.
The Zips are now back-to-back champions and receive another automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
The RedHawks came out strong, hitting five of their first eight shots to take an early 13-6 lead. Redshirt sophomore Kam Craft sparked the offense with five early points.
The momentum continued, and by the midway point of the first half, Miami had built a 32-16 lead, fueled by a dominant 12-1 run that forced Akron to call a timeout.
Seven of the RedHawks’ 11 field goals came from beyond the arc, while the Zips struggled, missing all five of their three-point attempts.
Notably, junior Peter Suder had 16 points and was four of five from three heading into the third media timeout of the first half with the score 36-18.
During the break, Akron head coach John Groce and his team made key adjustments to launch a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to nine with two minutes remaining until the intermission.
However, Miami closed out the half strong to give themselves a 12-point lead heading to the locker room.
The first five minutes and 33 seconds of the second half contained an offensive takeover on both sides of the floor. Both teams combined for 21 points and eight for 10 shooting to make the score 56-45 RedHawks.
Junior Tavari Johnson and sophomore Mekhi Cooper each converted impressive triples during that stretch.
The high-scoring continued into the midway portion of the second half as the score stood 67-56 MU with the clock reading 10:51.
The events that followed consisted of Bowen Hardman posterizing a Craft shot and Travari Johnson burying a triple to bring Akron within six approaching nine minutes to play.
Over the next six minutes of gameplay, the defense took over. Both teams went on over three-minute scoring droughts during the stretch.
“We still have time, do not get caught up in the emotion and stay poised,” was the message coach Groce gave to his team during the game’s final media timeout.
Shortly after that timeout, Nate Johnson hit a floater to tie the game at 72 with 90 seconds to play. In the following moments, Shammah Scott was fouled, giving Akron its first lead since the early part of the first half, at 74-72.
Tied at 74 with five seconds to play, Nate Johnson rebounded an Evan Ipsaro miss and drove end to end to grasp victory from the jaws of defeat by laying in the dagger.
Akron finished the game on a 9-2 run over the last 5:34, and Miami hit just one of its final 13 shots.
“They were challenging the play against us today, but credit our guys who were making plays,” Groce told the press postgame. “I think [Amani] Lyles, you know we could just as easily have brought him up here. He had 14 rebounds, that last traffic rebound was maybe the best rebound he’s had in his career.”
The Zips bested the RedHawks in numerous integral statistical categories. Akron won the rebound battle 35 to 26, scored 10 more points in the paint, and totaled one more assist than Miami.
Now, the Blue and Gold will spend the day anxiously awaiting their NCAA tournament first-round matchup.
