Akron Zips nearly upset UCLA in 2022, lean on the experience in return to March Madness
As University of Akron men's basketball star Enrique Freeman soaked in the atmosphere two years ago at the Moda Center in Portland, he detected a different energy.
UA had arrived at the big dance for a first-round NCAA Tournament game against UCLA.
“The first time we walked out, I was like, 'Wow,'” Freeman told the Beacon Journal on Monday after practice. “That kind of shocked me for a little bit. Then I got myself together.”
The glass slipper almost fit Akron on March 17, 2022, but UA couldn't quite squeeze into it and become a Cinderella team of March Madness.
The 13th-seeded Zips fell 57-53 to the fourth-seeded Bruins.
Now No. 14 Akron (24-10) is back in the NCAA Tournament and preparing for an opening-round game against No. 3 Creighton (23-9) at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. The Zips are scheduled to bus across the Pennsylvania border Tuesday.
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Of the eight Akron players who logged minutes two years ago against UCLA, four seniors are still with the Mid-American Conference Tournament champion Zips: forward Freeman, guards Ali Ali and Greg Tribble Jr. and wing Mikal Dawson.
UA is hoping the experience of a close-but-no-cigar battle with UCLA will prove to be useful in its quest to upset Creighton.
“We see that we can play with the high-major teams,” Tribble said, “and that gives us a lot of confidence.”
Akron led UCLA for 27 minutes, 6 seconds. UCLA had the advantage for 10 minutes, 27 minutes.
“We won for the majority of the game,” Ali said, “so we've just got to be able to play two halves and put two halves together.”
The proverbial chip on the shoulder exists as a result of a missed opportunity.
“It motivates us a hundred percent,” said Freeman, the MAC Player of the Year and MVP of last week's conference tournament. “Leaving that game, you're kind of like, 'Dang. Could have got it.'”
How Akron Zips star forward Enrique Freeman has shaped his game after fouling out vs. UCLA during March Madness
Former Akron guard Xavier Castaneda led UA with 18 points against UCLA. Freeman compiled 14 points and 10 rebounds but fouled out with 2:26 left to play. Former UCLA guard Tyger Campbell made a jump shot with 2:16 remaining, giving the Bruins a 52-51 edge. They never relinquished the lead.
Reflecting on Akron being eliminated, Freeman said he has made a concerted effort to avoid foul trouble. Freeman, who leads UA with averages of 18.6 points, 12.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocked shots, has fouled out three times in 34 games this season.
“Two years ago, it definitely sucked. I didn't like that,” Freeman said. “But I'm blessed to be given another opportunity so I can go back and clean up those X's and O's.
“I think that experience has changed my game, and it has made me a better player, for sure.”
Ali and Tribble scored five points apiece against UCLA. Dawson had two.
Toting an NCAA Tournament game under their belts allows the Zips veterans to inform younger teammates about what's required to adjust “to the bright lights and the big stage ... and the outside noise,” Ali said.
NBA players often say playoff games are officiated differently than regular-season games. Tribble contended the same is true of NCAA Tournament games.
Akron Zips men's basketball column: UA needed a close group and some luck, among other things, to reach March Madness
Akron Zips coach John Groce has a message for his players ahead of NCAA Tournament game vs. Creighton
Akron coach John Groce explained he has told his players to enjoy the opportunity and live in the present. To emphasize a one-game-at-a-time mentality with a visual aid, the Zips had their section of the tournament bracket printed on a sign and affixed to a wall next to the practice court in UA's field house.
“That's all they see — our bracket. We're trying to get to the next line,” said Groce, who's in his seventh season in charge at Akron.
Still, Groce conceded the loss to UCLA can be a valuable teaching tool for Freeman, Ali, Tribble and Dawson, if applied the right way.
“Those guys having been through that, obviously. I think it's made them hungrier,” Groce said.
It's also a reminder about how close they were to capturing Akron's first NCAA Tournament win. The Zips have fallen short in each of their five attempts (1986, '09, '11, '13 and '22).
“It could be anybody's night,” Dawson said. “It's March Madness. It's madness, man.”
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Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Can Akron Zips' March Madness experience lead to an upset?
