Akron Zips Regroup After Controversial Ejection to Beat UMass

Akron clinches MAC Tournament berth and extends home winning streak despite losing key player Evan Mahaffey to 'air punch' ejection.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The Akron Zips men's basketball team overcame the surprise ejection of one of their top players, Evan Mahaffey, in the second half of their physical matchup against UMass. Despite losing Mahaffey to a controversial 'air punch' call, Akron regrouped and went on to defeat UMass 99-92, clinching a berth in next month's Mid-American Conference Tournament and extending their home winning streak to 29 games.

Why it matters

The Akron Zips are one of the top teams in the MAC this season, and this win helps solidify their position as a contender for the conference title. The team's ability to regroup and overcome the loss of a key player due to a questionable officiating decision also demonstrates their resilience and team-first mentality.

The details

With 16:27 left in the second half and Akron leading 53-48, an altercation broke out between Zips wing Evan Mahaffey and UMass guard Danny Carbuccia. After a struggle for the ball, Mahaffey quickly threw an 'air punch' towards Carbuccia without making contact. Officials reviewed the play and ultimately ejected Mahaffey, citing the 'air punch' rule. Akron coach John Groce was visibly upset by the call, saying he had never heard of an 'air punch' rule before. Despite the controversial ejection, the Zips were able to regroup and pull out the victory.

  • The incident occurred with 16:27 remaining in the second half.
  • Akron clinched a berth in next month's MAC Tournament with the win.

The players

Evan Mahaffey

A starting wing player for the Akron Zips who was ejected from the game against UMass for an 'air punch' incident.

John Groce

The head coach of the Akron Zips, who was visibly upset by the officials' decision to eject Mahaffey and said he had never heard of an 'air punch' rule before.

Tavari Johnson

The Akron Zips' starting point guard, who said the team was surprised by Mahaffey's ejection but had to be ready to adjust without him.

Danny Carbuccia

The UMass guard who was involved in the altercation with Mahaffey that led to the Akron player's ejection.

Marcus Banks Jr.

The UMass guard who engaged in a heated exchange of words with Mahaffey after the 'air punch' incident.

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What they’re saying

“I was definitely surprised. I don't think Evan would purposely throw a punch, but, I mean, it's what happened, and we just had to move on and next man up and we were ready to adjust without Evan, even though he was a big loss to the team.”

— Tavari Johnson, Akron Zips point guard (cantonrep.com)

“[The officials] felt like he threw a punch — an air punch is what they told me. When I watched the video, it looked like the guy had his hands on him, and he was trying to get the guy's hand off of him. There was no contact whatsoever, which they acknowledged.”

— John Groce, Akron Zips head coach (cantonrep.com)

What’s next

The Akron Zips will await the decision of the judge on whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn, the man charged with repeated Waymo vandalism, out on bail.

The takeaway

This game highlights the challenges of officiating in physical college basketball contests, as well as the resilience and team-first mentality of the Akron Zips, who were able to overcome the controversial ejection of a key player to secure an important conference win.