'We've always been the underdog': Four NCAA Tournament takeaways as Akron faces UCLA

PORTLAND — They may not be barking in the locker room like the Cavaliers, but the University of Akron Zips are embracing their underdog role.

ESPN’s BPI Index gives 13th-seeded UA (24-9) a 7% chance of upsetting fourth-seeded UCLA (25-7) in Thursday’s 9:50 p.m. NCAA East Regional first-round game.

Tipico Sportsbook listed UCLA as a 13.5-point favorite, down from its opening line of 15.

“I think it inspires for sure,” Zips sophomore forward Enrique Freeman said Wednesday before practice at the Moda Center. “The last few games we've played, we've always been the underdog. So we're kinda used to it and have that mentality going into the game.”

Sophomore forward Ali Ali idolizes the late Kobe Bryant and his Mamba Mentality, which Ali will take with him as the Zips, winners of eight consecutive games, face the Bruins.

“Having that mentality of just winning regardless of who the opponent is, I think that's the mindset we have as a group,” Ali said. “Lately we have been predicted to lose the last three or four games. It's nothing new, I guess. We're ready and excited ..."

Player on the rise: 'He makes some Kevin Durant shots': UCLA coach Mick Cronin praises Akron's Ali Ali

UA coach John Groce isn’t aware of betting lines, but said his father kept him informed as the Zips beat fifth-seeded Buffalo, top-seeded Toledo and second-seeded Kent State to win the Mid-American Conference Tournament.

“They were underdogs, at least my dad told me — I didn't pay much attention to that — but underdog against Buffalo, underdog against Kent, underdog against Toledo in the semis. You can't control that.”

As for how it affects the Zips, Groce said, “You try to guess what's going through their minds and hearts. That's our job as coaches. My gut, they're pretty motivated, they're in the NCAA Tournament, right? This is a great opportunity. They're excited to play. They know.

“The other thing we've talked about is ... we've got to believe. It's the people in the locker room.”

The Zips are making their fifth NCAA Tournament appearance. They lost in the first round in 1986 (Michigan), 2009 (Gonzaga), 2011 (Notre Dame) and 2013 (VCU).

Other takeaways on the UA-UCLA matchup from Wednesday’s press conferences:

Zips consulted a sleep specialist before crossing time zones

Groce admitted early in his career he would have been worried about traveling across the country and the three-hour time difference.

“We had a sleep doctor do a seminar with us, and we brought up that very question, traveling East Coast to West Coast, how do we do that?” Groce said. “What if it's a two-day advance in terms of when you arrive? What if it's a one-day advance? We utilized some of that.

“You have to decide whether or not you're going to stay on East Coast time or transition to Pacific Coast time. We made the decision to transition, and we have been working on that since our arrival.”

From a tryout to the NCAAs: 'I am here and it feels great': Enrique Freeman leads Akron into NCAA Tournament

Zips players seemed unfazed.

“I think the time change is a little funky, but I think we're good,” Freeman said.

“It could be course worse. It could be 10, 12 hours like overseas,” Ali said. “So it's a little bit of a difference, but we're ready, we're excited. We're here.”

UCLA Bruins were seeded too low, Akron coach John Groce says

Ranked second behind Gonzaga in the Associated Press preseason Top 25 after reaching the Final Four in 2021, the Bruins experienced injury issues. Only two players appeared in all 32 games. Mac Etienne and Will McClendon were lost before the season began. Cody Riley, Johnny Juzang, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Jaylen Clark, Peyton Watson, and Tyger Campbell missed time.

But Groce knows UCLA is the healthiest it has been all season.

“They look like, when I'm watching them on film, now that they're healthy, a 1 or 2 seed, to be quite honest,” Groce said.

Marla Ridenour column: University of Akron basketball turns the page to the John Groce era as Zips head to NCAAs

“You can see why they were ranked [second] in the country. Five starters returning. Really impressed with them offensively and defensively. Their ability to take care of the ball offensively [9.2 turnovers per game] is what really stands out. Really skilled. You can tell they're really smart, have played together for a while.

“And their numbers from a defensive efficiency standpoint [91.2 points per 100 possessions, No. 12 in the nation in KenPom] are terrific. They rebound it really well, as [coach Mick Cronin’s] teams have always done.”

Groce said his two biggest concerns were UCLA’s turnover margin versus its opponents (9.2 to 13.5) and its 37.1 rebounds per game and plus-4 rebounding margin.

Loss at Ohio State in November gave Zips big-game experience

UA opened the regular season with a near-upset of then-No. 17 Ohio State, falling 67-66 in front of a crowd of 11,947 in Value City Arena. Groce thinks that atmosphere might help the Zips on Thursday.

“Yeah, I think so. Experience is a great teacher,” Groce said. “We played really, really well in a really tough environment against a very, very good team and a very well-coached team as well.

Sophomore shines: 'His versatility is ridiculous': Ali Ali helps lead Akron Zips into NCAA Tournament

“Obviously that's part of our journey this year. Does that give our guys some confidence? I think so. But at the end of the day, when that ball tips tomorrow, we're thinking about how do we win one possession at a time, how do we work together to try to get a stop, how do we work together to try to get our shot.”

Freeman wasn’t sure that night in Columbus will help against the Bruins.

“No, I don't think so. I think we've come a long way from that game,” Freeman said. “We still have the capability, as we showed in that game, and we're going to do that tomorrow.”

Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Zips at www.beaconjournal.com/zips. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MRidenourABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Zips fueled by Mid-American Conference Tournament run