The University of Akron men’s basketball team is traveling to Buffalo, New York and Athens, Ohio, this week for challenging Mid-American Conference games.
Although the temperatures will be cold outside, Akron coach John Groce is confident his players will be hot with their shooting after a 104-89 win over Western Michigan on Jan. 17.
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Akron (14-4, 5-1) outscored Western Michigan 73-44 over the final 26 minutes of the game after trailing 45-31 with 6:13 remaining in the first half.
Senior Tavari Johnson scored 32 points — three off his career-high — on 12-of-21 shooting from the field, including 4 of 8 from beyond the 3-point arc, and made all four of his free throws. He also had eight assists in 36 minutes.
“It was a good shooting night for me,” Johnson said. “I was able to hit shots. It started off with the ball screens from [senior] Amani Lyles. He sets good screens and got me going, and after that it was going with those 3s that I hit in the first half.”
Akron senior Shammah Scott scored 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range, and had five assists in 25 minutes.
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Lyles totaled 14 points, six rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Senior Bowen Hardman made 4 of 6 from deep for 12 points.
Groce was happy with how his players “handled adversity,” which will likely pop up again Tuesday, Jan. 20, at Buffalo and Friday, Jan. 23, at Ohio.
“Their resiliency, I thought, was incredible,” Groce said. “You get down 14 [points]. We made some errors, but give Western some credit. They made some big-time shots, hard shots, and our guys never flinched. Just didn’t flinch. Kept coming, throwing haymakers back because I thought we took a real gut punch early. I thought everybody contributed that played.
“Obviously, we still have got [Chabi] Barre out [with a foot injury] and we have got Sharron Young out with a hand injury, so some other guys had to step up and fill those minutes.”
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Groce said Young and Barre’s return to the lineup is to be determined.
University of Akron’s Tavari Johnson puts up a 3-pointer against Western Michigan on Feb. 11, 2025, in Akron.
“The most exceptional thing was the leadership of the seniors,” Groce said. “I thought they led from the front. I did not think they buckled at all. They tackled a 14-point lead and everything that was going right and wrong at that point, to be honest, and never flinched.
“I thought the resiliency and the ability of the seniors to lead us in a tough, challenging moment is what stood out the most to me. … Our seniors, man, they were going to find a way to figure it out and win, one possession at a time.”
Groce lauded Johnson for improving “his body, his conditioning, his game, in school — you name it. How he talks more.”
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“He is a poster child for development,” Groce continued. “It’s pretty cool. He learned a lot of that from the guys that came before him. … I love the kid.”
Akron Zips guard Tavari Johnson (5) celebrates with the Ak-Rowdies after the Zips beat Kent State on Feb. 28, 2025, in Akron.
Groce was also pleased with Akron‘s shooting (38 of 67 from the field, 20 of 35 on 3s) and assist-to-turnover ratio (23 to 8) against WMU.
Senior Justice Williams led Western Michigan with 28 points on 11-of-15 shooting from field, including 5 of 7 from beyond the 3-point arc.
Groce said Williams, who previously played at Louisiana State and Robert Morris, is “super talented” and makes WMU “a completely different team.”
Akron Zips guard Tavari Johnson (5) celebrates winning the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship game March 15, 2025, in Cleveland.
“He has been available and eligible to play in the last four, so this was his fifth game today and he had 28 [points] and he was averaging 18 a game and was leading them in scoring,” Groce said. “… He was absolutely terrific. A couple of the shots he made were incredible.”
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Williams wasn’t the only WMU player to give Akron fits as senior Jayden Brewer scored 23 points and junior Jalen Griffith and freshman Brady Swartz added 14 points apiece. Brewer previously played at Florida International.
“Griffith and Willims were both shooting it well in the first half, coming off ball screens in the mid-range and in the 3-point area,” Johnson said. “That opened it up for other players. They were shooting it well as a group in the first half and they really punched us in the mouth.”
Akron Zips guard Shammah Scott (1) shoots against the Northern Illinois Huskies on Feb. 18, 2025, in Akron.
Scott talked about the importance of “staying aggressive.”
“You gotta stay ready,” Scott said. “TJ, he creates a lot of easy situations for me. A lot of times, I just find myself open in the corner, so I just gotta be ready to shoot. And then other times when I get the ball, I gotta be ready to make a play for myself or others. … I have high expectations for all of my teammates because I know that they are all very great players.”
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Akron also received another solid effort from redshirt freshman Eric Mahaffey (eight points) and his brother, senior Evan Mahaffey (six points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals).
“We have such a talented team in a lot of areas,” Hardman said. “T has been a big focal point for us and I think Shammah has been a big focal point for us, too. So, when those guys get hot, it makes it easy for guys like me to be able to shoot the ball.”
Akron Zips guard Shammah Scott (1) drives to the basket around Miami Redhawks guard Evan Ipsaro (2) during the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship game March 15, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Western Michigan coach evaluates Akron men’s basketball
Western Michigan coach Dwayne Stephens said he was impressed by Johnson and the Zips, the MAC Tournament champions the past two seasons and in three of the past four seasons.
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“I love the fact that he stayed here because he probably had some opportunities where he could have went and played somewhere else,” Stephens said. “I think it speaks volumes about who he is as a person and what John has built here, that he can get a guy to stay. I love it. I love the fact that he stayed here where he has built something and he will always be able to come back here and call this place home. I don’t know how many guys moving forward are going to be able to do that.
“… I love what they have done with their program. Right now, they are the class of our league, and we are trying to work and build towards that. When they come to our place [on Feb. 17], I hope we play as well and I hope we get a few more stops.”
Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Tavari Johnson continues to shine for Akron Zips men’s basketball team
