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Akron Zips men's basketball coach John Groce conceded he had an emotional response to seeing the Miami RedHawks included in the NCAA Tournament field on "Selection Sunday."
Not only is Groce's Akron team entering March Madness, but coach Travis Steele's Miami team will be dancing, too, giving the Mid-American Conference two bids in the Men's NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1999.
Groce and Steele are brothers.
"Unbelievable," Groce said after Akron's "Selection Sunday" watch party on March 15 at Rhodes Arena. "I thought back when they put both the names of the teams on [the bracket]. Of course, we both were younger [during the times I thought about]. I had a lot more hair then. But just even like coaching his AAU team or working him out or shooting in the backyard [flashed through my mind]. I'm proud of what he's built there, and they have a very, very good team.”
No. 12-seed Akron will face No. 5 Texas Tech in a Midwest Region first-round game scheduled to tip off at 12:40 p.m. Friday, March 20, in Tampa. The game will be televised by truTV.
Miami and Southern Methodist University are No. 11 seeds who will meet in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament. Miami and SMU are slated to tip off at 9:15 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, in Dayton. The game will be broadcast by truTV. The winner will advance to face No. 6 Tennessee in a Midwest Region first-round matchup at 4:25 p.m. Friday, March 20, in Philadelphia.
Zips sports column: Shammah Scott gives Akron basketball a star off bench and MAC title shot | Opinion
Groce will appear in his seventh NCAA Tournament as a head coach (two with Ohio, one with Illinois and four with Akron). But this will be Steele's first time in charge of a March Madness team.
"I was so happy for him and his entire family. Yeah, no question about it," Groce said. "Special, special moment. Unique. Obviously, it's really unique that we're brothers in the same league. I think we may be the only two in all of college basketball. So that sometimes can be challenging, but I'm happy for him.”
Akron (29-5, 17-1) is in the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year. By defeating Toledo 79-76 on March 14 at Rocket Arena, Akron became the first MAC men’s team to three-peat as the conference’s tournament champion. The winner of the MAC tourney receives an automatic bid to March Madness.
Miami (31-1, 18-0) entered the MAC Tournament as the regular-season conference champ and No. 1 seed, yet Steele's men were upset 87-83 by No. 8 UMass in the first round on March 12.
Zips basketball column: Akron wouldn't be in March Madness without Sharron Young | Opinion
Miami became the first MAC team to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament since the Wally Szczerbiak-led RedHawks advanced to the Sweet 16 in 1999. Kent State also went to March Madness the same year as the MAC tourney champ.
The Akron Zips have brothers on their roster, Evan and Eric Mahaffey, and they're happy for Groce and Steele.
"It's really cool," Evan Mahaffey said. "Two brothers playing and two brothers coaching is pretty exciting, too. I imagine their family's pretty excited to see them doing that."
Groce is thrilled to have two MAC teams representing the conference in March Madness.
“First of all, Toledo was playing lights out late in the year," Groce said. "They had won six out of seven coming into the [MAC Tournament] championship game. I thought the addition of [guard] Mynor Strong to their lineup really changed them when I watched the film, and they were really good.
"Then you take the top three teams in the league — Miami, Akron and Kent — in the regular season, and they combined lost five [conference] games. I mean, that's ridiculous. [It’s a] great year for the MAC and really a good thing for the MAC.”
Groce said he never felt overly nervous about the possibility of Akron or Miami being excluded from the NCAA Tournament.
“My mother probably was, for sure," Groce quipped. "But my hunch was that [both of us making] it was going to happen. That was my gut. And, fortunately, it did.”
In the lone meeting between the two teams this season, Akron lost 76-73 on Jan. 3 at Miami. The Zips and RedHawks would need to reach the Elite Eight to face each other in March Madness.
Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. Nate can be reached at [email protected]. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Brothers John Groce, Travis Steele lead Akron, Miami to NCAA Tourney
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Not only is Groce's Akron team entering March Madness, but coach Travis Steele's Miami team will be dancing, too, giving the Mid-American Conference two bids in the Men's NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1999.
Groce and Steele are brothers.
"Unbelievable," Groce said after Akron's "Selection Sunday" watch party on March 15 at Rhodes Arena. "I thought back when they put both the names of the teams on [the bracket]. Of course, we both were younger [during the times I thought about]. I had a lot more hair then. But just even like coaching his AAU team or working him out or shooting in the backyard [flashed through my mind]. I'm proud of what he's built there, and they have a very, very good team.”
Who will MAC teams Akron and Miami play in the NCAA Tournament?
No. 12-seed Akron will face No. 5 Texas Tech in a Midwest Region first-round game scheduled to tip off at 12:40 p.m. Friday, March 20, in Tampa. The game will be televised by truTV.
Miami and Southern Methodist University are No. 11 seeds who will meet in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament. Miami and SMU are slated to tip off at 9:15 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, in Dayton. The game will be broadcast by truTV. The winner will advance to face No. 6 Tennessee in a Midwest Region first-round matchup at 4:25 p.m. Friday, March 20, in Philadelphia.
Zips sports column: Shammah Scott gives Akron basketball a star off bench and MAC title shot | Opinion
Groce will appear in his seventh NCAA Tournament as a head coach (two with Ohio, one with Illinois and four with Akron). But this will be Steele's first time in charge of a March Madness team.
"I was so happy for him and his entire family. Yeah, no question about it," Groce said. "Special, special moment. Unique. Obviously, it's really unique that we're brothers in the same league. I think we may be the only two in all of college basketball. So that sometimes can be challenging, but I'm happy for him.”
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How did the Akron Zips and Miami RedHawks reach March Madness?
Akron (29-5, 17-1) is in the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year. By defeating Toledo 79-76 on March 14 at Rocket Arena, Akron became the first MAC men’s team to three-peat as the conference’s tournament champion. The winner of the MAC tourney receives an automatic bid to March Madness.
Miami (31-1, 18-0) entered the MAC Tournament as the regular-season conference champ and No. 1 seed, yet Steele's men were upset 87-83 by No. 8 UMass in the first round on March 12.
Zips basketball column: Akron wouldn't be in March Madness without Sharron Young | Opinion
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Miami became the first MAC team to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament since the Wally Szczerbiak-led RedHawks advanced to the Sweet 16 in 1999. Kent State also went to March Madness the same year as the MAC tourney champ.
The Akron Zips have brothers on their roster, Evan and Eric Mahaffey, and they're happy for Groce and Steele.
"It's really cool," Evan Mahaffey said. "Two brothers playing and two brothers coaching is pretty exciting, too. I imagine their family's pretty excited to see them doing that."
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Two MAC men's basketball teams are in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1999
Groce is thrilled to have two MAC teams representing the conference in March Madness.
“First of all, Toledo was playing lights out late in the year," Groce said. "They had won six out of seven coming into the [MAC Tournament] championship game. I thought the addition of [guard] Mynor Strong to their lineup really changed them when I watched the film, and they were really good.
"Then you take the top three teams in the league — Miami, Akron and Kent — in the regular season, and they combined lost five [conference] games. I mean, that's ridiculous. [It’s a] great year for the MAC and really a good thing for the MAC.”
You must be registered for see images attach
Groce said he never felt overly nervous about the possibility of Akron or Miami being excluded from the NCAA Tournament.
“My mother probably was, for sure," Groce quipped. "But my hunch was that [both of us making] it was going to happen. That was my gut. And, fortunately, it did.”
In the lone meeting between the two teams this season, Akron lost 76-73 on Jan. 3 at Miami. The Zips and RedHawks would need to reach the Elite Eight to face each other in March Madness.
Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. Nate can be reached at [email protected]. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Brothers John Groce, Travis Steele lead Akron, Miami to NCAA Tourney
Continue reading...
