Akron Zips to Face Texas Tech Raiders in NCAA Tournament First Round

The No. 12 seed Zips will take on the No. 5 seed Raiders in the Midwest Region on Friday in Tampa.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 10:23pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Akron Zips men's basketball team has earned a No. 12 seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament and will face the No. 5 seed Texas Tech Raiders in the first round on Friday in Tampa. This will be Akron's eighth appearance in the Division I NCAA Tournament, and their fourth in the last five seasons, though they have yet to win a tournament game at this level.

Why it matters

The Zips are looking to break through and win their first NCAA Tournament game at the Division I level after several recent appearances. They have a veteran-led squad that won the MAC Tournament for the third straight year, becoming the first men's team in conference history to accomplish that feat.

The details

Akron (29-5) earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by defeating the Toledo Rockets in the MAC Tournament final. The Zips are led by a heavy senior class, including MAC First-Team guard Tavari Johnson and Sixth Man of the Year Shammah Scott. Big man Amani Lyles anchors the frontcourt after finishing third in the MAC in rebounding.

  • The Akron Zips and Texas Tech Raiders will play on Friday, March 21, 2026 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Tampa, Florida.
  • Akron won the MAC Tournament championship on Saturday, March 15, 2026.

The players

Tavari Johnson

A senior guard for the Akron Zips and a MAC First-Team selection.

Shammah Scott

A senior guard for the Akron Zips and the MAC Sixth Man of the Year in consecutive seasons.

Amani Lyles

A senior big man for the Akron Zips who finished third in the MAC in rebounding.

Texas Tech Raiders

The No. 5 seed in the Midwest Region of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, who will face the Akron Zips in the first round.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The winner of the Akron-Texas Tech game will face the winner of No. 4 seed Alabama and No. 12 seed Hofstra in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

The Akron Zips are looking to finally break through and win their first NCAA Tournament game at the Division I level after several recent appearances. They have a veteran-led squad that is aiming to make some noise in the tournament, starting with a tough first-round matchup against the Texas Tech Raiders.