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Terry Pluto: Groce could be a hot name for several openings, such as Butler, where he once was an assistant. His mentor is Thad Matta, who is retiring as Butler’s head coach – but he will be part of the group looking for a replacement. But Groce also has been very content at Akron. He never seems to be looking for another job. He has something very special with the Zips and seems to know it. He will have to rebuild, as key players Lyles, Johnson, Scott and Evan Mahaffey are out of eligibility. Groce will probably figure it out and add players to keep Akron among the MAC’s elite programs. That’s something to remember on this day when the Zips’ season ended.

Jarrod Calhoun seems like the favorite at Cincinnati. Ronald Nored is the name most mentioned for Butler, although Groce and Steele would certainly be candidates there. Boston College has been mentioned for Groce, too. Butler is the job I am worried about the most. Like you said, this is going to move fairly quickly.

I thought we needed a game like we had at Kent where the 3 ball was being shot at a high percentage. This team when it is shooting the 3 ball at 40% or above can hang with the big boys but that just did not happen today. It was not the defense because we had the open looks and we made some tough 3 balls. It is just playing at your best in the NCAA tourney. The Zips did not play their best in Cleveland and we were able to win. Not going to happen today.

I hate that we have to go through this every year at this point. He could sign a contract until 2059 but the first thought after the season ends is “Is groce leaving?” It’s unfair to everyone involved in the Akron program that we can’t go 24 hours into the offseason before the speculation starts. It’s that deep-rooted P5/ESPN/SEC/Ohio State bias showing through

This was a great year and we should celebrate everything about it. Yet we also have to stay grounded in reality and the truth is this team was not set up to go deep in the tourney. As we saw it didn't go even one game. We had only one big. It was obvious more were needed. The out of conference schedule showed we were lacking against the better teams. The MAC does not prep a team for the intense, better play of P4 schools. The great equalizer, the 3 point shot, failed us today and for the last month of games. There is a lot to work on and w/o deep NIL we are questionable to ever go deeper than one game in the Big Dance.

Time will tell. I would imagine we'll know more very soon, perhaps by weekends end. Schools like Butler or Cincy are going to want to fill their vacancies in the coming days that way whoever they hire has a chance re-recruit players on the current roster before the portal opens up.

FWIW, this was Groce last March: Meanwhile, Groce's name is circulating on social media because some fans and media members have been pointing to his success in eight seasons at Akron and wondering whether he'll land another job this offseason. “When that stuff happens, I mean, it's flattering, right? And more than likely it means that people think you've done a decent job,” Groce said with a laugh. “But, for me, I kind of just take it one day at a time.” Groce and his staff met with Zips players Sunday. So as the players made decisions about their futures with the program, what did Groce tell them about the status of his job? “It didn't even really come up,” Groce said. “I mean, we don't deal in speculation. I mean, I don't do that. Hey, if this, if that, if this — we don't do that. So they know, obviously, how I feel about them and our program and what we're building, and that's how we handle it. “That stuff, I don't deal with speculation, either way — them to us, us to them. I say, 'Here's where we're at. Here's what it is. Here's where we're attempting to go. Here's the strategy in order to do that. Here's our vision.' So I think the communication is important between player and coaches and coaches and player.”

Ford has been with Groce since 2009, from Ohio to Illinois to Akron. I would assume he would leave with Groce if he takes another job.

Not sure if it has been mentioned, but that no look pass by Sharron Young was sweet. This past week has been huge for my confidence in him taking over next year. He has such a high motor - can be really special.

Akron Zips men's basketball coach John Groce understands college sports is a business, but he didn't want to shift the focus to a discussion about his future on the heels of UA's 91-71 loss to Texas Tech in a first-round Midwest Region matchup on Friday, March 20, at Benchmark International Arena. Groce being linked by media to other head coaching jobs at Cincinnati, Butler and Boston College is a reflection of the success he has achieved in his nine seasons at the helm of Akron. In a one-on-one interview after Akron was eliminated from March Madness, the Beacon Journal asked Groce whether he plans to interview elsewhere this offseason. "What I would tell you is right now I'm not even thinking about that," Groce said. "I don't answer those questions, obviously, especially today when today's the day about our five seniors. This whole deal should be all about them and all about the team and the success that we've had. So, that's my comment at this time."

I wouldn't be surprised if Dustin Ford was offered the job under said scenario. Especially since the closest thing to a Groce hire (coach with previous MAC success) would be Hurley and he doesn't fit the culture we've built. In that case I don't feel it's a given that either leave

If Groce leaves, I'm guessing Young and Mahaffey leave, too, which means a new coach would basically be building from scratch. I also don't think we'll be as fortunate as we were when KD left in having a coach the caliber of Groce being available.

Thats the biggest problem with the game today, people outside the program that didn’t watch the game just assume we got demolished. Amani makes that 3 and it’s a one possession game in the final 7 minutes. The discourse in here reminds me of when the guardians got eliminated by the tigers this past year. They had a tremendous final month of the season but once they lost, people acted like the whole year was some big failure. Sure not all the goals were accomplished but at the end of the day only 1 team ends the year on a win, and making the postseason is something to be proud of even if you still have room for improvement

OP updated with Tavari's final career numbers.

You're fun. Talk to the committee about who the better team is. Even without Toppin, Texas Tech was a 5 seed vs. Tennessee's 6 seed. Iowa State lost to Toppin-less Texas Tech. 39.3% 3P shooting team vs. 33.4% (Tennessee). The 3 ball is the great equalizer and Texas Tech is NASTY. Arguably would've been a 3 or 4 seed at worse with Toppin. Akron did matchup better vs. them, but that doesn't mean they aren't lethal when they're on. We still needed them to be off.

Do we really need 8 Ivy League schools?

Tennessee would beat that Texas Tech team without Coppin worse than they beat Miami. Akron matched up way better v TT with a Senior laden lineup and Tech was without its best player. Akron gagged on the moment as usual, while Miami just got beat by a superior physical team, kind of like Arizona huh? Come back and mock after Akron actually wins a tournament game. That’s what hurting the MAC prospects for the future, the fact that Akron can’t represent.

All of the teams that you cited aren't that much different than Akron. Akron was within 4 with about 8 minutes left. Sometimes those the times that Akron makes a run and it just didn't happen today. We played a good team but we no, were in no way overmatched despite the final score.

Of those schools it's not surprising to hear Gonzaga (doesn't even feel right calling them a mid-major), VCU, and St. Louis are spending significantly more than other mid-majors. I wasn't aware of High Point, but evidently it's an elitist private University. There are talks of expanding the tournament, perhaps to 76 teams. Under that scenario the bubble line would be pushed back so using this year as an example instead of Akron being a 12 seed it would become a 13 seed with an expanded tournament. Things are probably going to get worse for mid-majors before they get better.

This guy is saying is the reduction of competition is good for Ohio. If you live UofA, know this clown is a threat to the future of the University. If you vote for him, know he sees no difference between Akron and Kent. https://www.cleveland.com/education/2026/03/vivek-ramaswamy-says-he-loves-ohios-universities-but-we-have-too-many-calls-for-consolidation.html?fbclid=IwdGRjcAQqvxljbGNrBCq-92V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHsAbgtUgWdjwpxEeJLrzA_rmd_QjlMMEzH5T1gztL19VDhEElO5BfuH02-SY_aem_SN5-Hj82s0mjxvTaPIhObg

Akron would give him the key to the city. He'd have to win a Natty at a P4 for that kind of love.

Don’t see teams like BG, Toledo, WMU on here. I’d rather have Akron be on this list than what they have to show for basketball