Brothers John Groce and Travis Steele Lead Akron, Miami to NCAA Glory

The Akron Zips and Miami RedHawks men’s basketball teams have both earned spots in the NCAA Tournament, marking a historic achievement for the Mid-American Conference. This is the first time since 1999 that two teams from the MAC have received bids, an exciting milestone celebrated by both teams and their coaches, who happen to be brothers.

During a watch party on March 15, 2024, at Rhodes Arena, Akron head coach John Groce expressed his emotional response upon seeing Miami included in the tournament field. Groce remarked on the significance of this moment, highlighting the journey he and his brother, Miami’s head coach Travis Steele, have undertaken in their coaching careers. “Unbelievable,” Groce said, reflecting on their shared past, including memories of coaching and playing basketball together. He added, “I’m proud of what he’s built there, and they have a very, very good team.”

Akron enters the tournament as a No. 12 seed and will face No. 5 Texas Tech in a Midwest Region first-round game scheduled for 12:40 p.m. on March 20 in Tampa, with coverage on truTV. Miami, seeded No. 11, will compete against Southern Methodist University in the First Four on March 18, aiming to secure a chance to advance to face No. 6 Tennessee on March 20 in Philadelphia.

For Groce, this marks his seventh NCAA Tournament appearance as a head coach, with previous stints at Ohio, Illinois, and Akron. In contrast, this will be Steele’s first opportunity to lead a team in March Madness. Groce expressed his happiness for Steele and his family, acknowledging the unique situation of both brothers coaching in the same conference. “It’s really unique that we’re brothers in the same league. I think we may be the only two in all of college basketball,” Groce noted.

Akron (29-5, 17-1) secured its NCAA Tournament spot by winning the MAC tournament, becoming the first men’s team in the conference to achieve a three-peat as champions by defeating Toledo 79-76 on March 14. This victory earned them an automatic bid to the tournament. Miami (31-1, 18-0), despite being the regular-season champion and top seed in the MAC tournament, faced an upset in the first round against No. 8 UMass, losing 87-83. Nevertheless, Miami received an at-large bid, making history as the first MAC team to do so since 1999.

The camaraderie among players also extends to the Zips’ roster, where brothers Evan and Eric Mahaffey expressed their excitement about the brothers’ achievement. “It’s really cool,” Evan said. “Two brothers playing and two brothers coaching is pretty exciting, too. I imagine their family’s pretty excited to see them doing that.”

Groce emphasized the strength of the MAC this season, noting the impressive performance of the top teams. “Toledo was playing lights out late in the year,” Groce pointed out, acknowledging their strong finish leading into the tournament. He commended the top three teams in the league—Miami, Akron, and Kent State—for their collective success, stating, “They combined lost five [conference] games. I mean, that’s ridiculous. [It’s a] great year for the MAC and really a good thing for the MAC.”

As the tournament approaches, Groce felt confident about both teams’ chances of making a significant impact. “My mother probably was [nervous], for sure,” he joked, highlighting his belief that both teams would make the tournament. The lone meeting between Akron and Miami this season resulted in a narrow loss for the Zips, who fell 76-73 on January 3. A rematch would only occur if both teams reach the Elite Eight.

With the tournament set to begin, the excitement surrounding the accomplishments of Groce and Steele, along with their respective teams, captures the spirit of March Madness as they aim to make their mark on college basketball.