24-10; 13-5, second and Mid-American Conference tournament champions
After watching conference rivals take home the best postseason hardware last winter, Akron was ready for big things this season. After watching their extraordinary star player develop his game in all ways over the past couple years, Akron was ready for big things this season.
Once, head coach John Groce’s team was flying high with a record of 15-4. After finishing the regular season 3-5 and fumbling first place in the MAC, though, it suddenly seemed as though the Zips might miss out on all of the big things they’d been hoping for. Thankfully for the fans in Rubber City, things did not go down like that.
Enrique Freeman did not let things fall apart. Instead, he willed Akron to a MAC Tournament title for the second time in three years, and now the Roos are ready to rally behind him. The biggest reason Akron was expecting success this year is the presence of their superstar forward Freeman.
One of the unlikeliest stars in all of college basketball, the former walk-on has been named all-conference three times and All-Defense four times; has been named a finalist for the Karl Malone Award and won the MAC’s Defensive Player of the Year each of the past two seasons, and this winter, Freeman was named the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year. There are few players anywhere in America with a set of accomplishments to match him. Freeman is the nation’s leading rebounder, and he scored in double figures in each and every game Akron played this season while racking up the most double-doubles in the country: thirty. That’s not a misprint; this year, 6’7″ Enrique Freeman has posted 30 double-doubles in 34 games. He’s completely extraordinary – and everything Freeman has done is made more amazing by the fact that he joined the Zips as an unrecruited walk-on. “This is really one of the best stories I have ever seen or been a part of in college basketball over my 30 years,” Groce has said of Freeman, as related by the Akron Beacon Journal. “He is the type of guy where you want great things to happen to him and his team because of the type of person that he is, the teammate he is, his humility, his motor and his work ethic. He is very special.”
Since about the midpoint of the season, Freeman has had a familiar face running on the wing and helping to share the primary scoring burden. Butler transfer Ali Ali had previously spent three seasons in a Zips uniform, leading the team in scoring two years ago as they advanced to the NCAA Tournament. After his one year in the Big East, Ali returned to Akron and has picked up right where he left off, joining Freeman as a First Team All-MAC selection. When Ali is at his best, he is an effective full-court scorer who has the length to cause matchup problems. He’s a very good passer and strong outside who takes full advantage of his height and length, and Ali knows how to run Groce’s offense smoothly. He’s a very good isolation scorer whether posting up or angling towards a jumper, and Ali presents real issues for virtually any guard who gets stuck guarding him.
After being stuck in a reserve role in the SEC, Sammy Hunter has found his best fit with the Zips. While he stands 6’9″, the Bahamian forward isn’t a natural fit elbowing his way into the lane for dunks. He’s a skilled player who can knock down outside shots in bunches, and Hunter led the Zips with 59 made triples this winter. He’s still useful around the lane; Hunter grabbed the second-most offensive rebounds on the team, and turned in his best defensive performance this year. Allowed to play his game, he’s been a weapon. Akron got a further boost with Mikal Dawson coming back from a torn ACL that wiped out last season. Dawson is a physically strong player who can score near the basket and from the perimeter, and loves to launch an open three. Though he made just 28.7% of his attempts, Dawson made 48 triples this winter, and his size and experience keep him on the floor for more than 21 minutes per contest. He is a versatile defender who can handle a variety of assignments, and Dawson provides real energy and enthusiasm.
Greg Tribble isn’t the most dangerous shooter in the country; in fact, he made just one 3FG in 923 minutes played last year. Tribble worked diligently this summer, though getting up shot after shot. It has paid off, too. In his final season of eligibility, Tribble has become a legitimate jump shooter, and knocked down 28 triples at a solid 36.8% rate. He’s started 98 games in a Zips jersey and is one of the MAC’s most tenacious perimeter defenders. The two-time MAC All-Defense selection keys the Zips’ perimeter attack on the other end of the floor. He locks people up with physical, tireless defense, and Groce now fully trusts Tribble to run the show at both ends of the floor. Nate Johnson provides Tribble-like two-way quality, and is more than capable of knocking down an open jump shot. He had been enjoying a breakout sophomore year before missing six weeks due to injury, and Johnson will be looking to finish the season strong. Kaleb Thornton and Tavari Johnson are bookend reserve point guards, with Tavari Johnson being the better shooter. Shammah Scott has been streaky, but adds further depth to Groce’s perimeter rotation.
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