Arizona earned a four seed as expected and will begin the NCAA Tournament on Friday in Seattle versus Mid-American Conference Champion Akron who is the 13th seed. If they win their first two games Arizona will advance to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey and the East Regional.
The winner between Akron and Arizona will play whoever emerges victorious between fifth seeded Oregon out of the Big 10 and Conference USA Champion Liberty who is the 13th seed. Arizona lost to Oregon in the Pac 12 Tournament Semifinals. Game times will be announced later this week.
Arizona and Akron will play for the first time. Akron did not play any power conference programs this season. The most high profile game for Akron this season was an 87-68 loss to West Coast Conference regular season champion St. Mary's who is the seventh seed in the East Region.
Akron is 26-6 and 91st in the NCAA Net Ratings. The Zips finished 0-1 against quadrant one opponents (St. Mary's) 1-2 against quad two, 7-3 against quad three and 18-0 against quad four. Akron is 100th in Bart Torvik, 112th in the ESPN Basketball Power Index and 99th in KenPom.
LET THE MADNESS BEGIN 🐻⬇️ pic.twitter.com/QqOGmUAJng
— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaMBB) March 16, 2025
Expect a high-scoring game between Akron and Arizona. Akron is eighth nationally averaging 84.6 points per game and Arizona is 22nd nationally averaging 81.7 PPG. The Zips are 13th averaging 74.6 possessions per game and Arizona is 63rd at 72.6. Akron ranks in the top 10 in six different offensive categories.
Akron is undersized with the tallest players in their rotation at 6'7 and 6'8. Nine Zips average at least six PPG. Akron has a bit more depth than Arizona with nine players averaging at least 15.5 minutes per game. Zips' head coach John Groce has experience coaching at a high level with five seasons at Illinois from 2012-17.