MAC men’s basketball championship game: Akron confronts Miami (OH) on Saturday night

CLEVELAND — John Groce and Akron are just one step away from being back on the dance floor.

In the Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinals, Nate Johnson’s outstanding performance with a career-high 31 points propelled the Zips to a 100-90 victory over Toledo. As the top seed, Akron is now set to clash with the 2-seed Miami (OH) at Cleveland’s Rocket Arena in a decisive match for a chance to advance to the NCAA Tournament.

Johnson, who recently received accolades as the MAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, showcased his versatility with five rebounds and six assists alongside his scoring spree for the Zips, who hold a record of 27-6. Additionally, Isaiah Gray contributed 15 points by making 6 of his 7 field goal attempts, while Tavari Johnson’s 15 points came from shooting 5 of 13 from the field and going 4 for 4 from the free-throw line.

Seth Hubbard finished with 28 points for the Rockets (18-15). Sam Lewis added 23 points and Javan Simmons had 18 points and seven rebounds.

Akron seized control of the game just 19 seconds into the first half and maintained their lead throughout the game. Nate Johnson’s 17 points in the first half were crucial in establishing their 52-41 halftime lead, with him continuing his stellar performance with 14 more points in the second half to secure the victory.

The Zips are seeking their seventh March Madness appearance in program history as well as their third in the last four years. The most recent two have come under Groce, with Akron besting archrival Kent State both times in the championship game.

This time, the Golden Flashes were unable to make it to the finals, falling to Miami 72-64 in the nightcap of Friday’s doubleheader. Jalen Sullinger had a game-high 29 points, but KSU made just over half its free throws as Peter Suder led the RedHawks with 23 points and 11 rebounds.

Akron crush Miami 102-75 during the regular season, but Saturday’s matchup not only wipes that slate clean, but also brings back memories of the iconic 2007 MAC title game between the two schools. That night, Doug Penno’s 3-pointer off the glass won it for the underdog RedHawks, and the 26-win Zips were left without even an NIT bid to their credit.

Miami has not been to the MAC championship game since. Overall, the two teams have met six times in the conference tournament, with Akron holding a 4-2 record. 

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.