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NCAA Tournament Cheat Sheet: Akron

Keith Dambrot

Akron’s Keith Dambrot watches the final minutes of their Sunday Dec. 9, 2012 NCAA basketball game against Creighton in Omaha, Neb. Creighton beat Akron 77-61. (AP Photo/Dave Weaver)

AP

Read through the rest of the Cheat Sheets here

Conference: Mid-American Conference

Coach: Keith Dambrot

Record: 26-6

Rankings and Ratings:

- Kenpom: 60
- RPI: 49
- AP/USA Today: N/A

Seeding?: Our Dave Ommen had Southern as a No. 13 seed playing Syracuse in the second round in Saturday’s bracket projection.

Names you need to know: Zeke Marshall (13.1 ppg, 7.0, 3.7 bpg), Demetrius Treadwell (11.3 ppg, 7.9 ppg)

Stats you need to know: 13. Akron has qualified for the NCAA tournament three times in the last five seasons. In 2009 and 2011, the Zips were topped in their first game by 13 points (Gonzaga in 2009, Notre Dame in 2011). Akron is 0-3 all time in the NCAA tourney.

How’d they get here?: The Zips, who won 19 straight at one point this season, got in with the automatic bid winning the MAC title in a win over Ohio on Saturday in Cleveland. Since its 19-game-winning streak was snapped, Akron was 2-2 entering Saturday’s game.

Outlook: Akron did look like a team capable of an upset, though, that all changed when point guard Alex Abreu was arrested and suspended indefinitely. Now without an experience floor general and the team’s top 3-point shooting threat, Akron’s chances in the tournament have been altered.

How do I know you?: The Zips now have to rely on the point guard play of freshman Carmelo Betancourt. In three games in an expanded role, Betancourt is averaging 3.6 points, 3.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds.

Terrence is also the lead writer at NEHoopNews.com and can be followed on Twitter: @terrence_payne