Akron defeated Kent State to win the MAC Tournament and earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday night.
But that might not have been the case if Kent State's Julius Rollins hadn't committed a brutal intentional foul with just six seconds left in a one-point game.
The Golden Flashes went up by one point, 61-60, when Cli'Ron Hornbeak scored the go-ahead score. However, Rollins clearly thought Kent State was still down in the game when Akron's Greg Tribble took the inbounds pass.
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Akron Zips guard Shammah Scott at the foul line during the Kent State Golden Flashes game on Feb. 23, 2024, at James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron, Ohio. (Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Rollins quickly fouled Tribble, who immediately headed to the free throw line with Akron on the bonus.
Kent State head coach Rob Senderoff was distraught on the bench, running back and forth and putting his hands on his head knowing Akron had a chance to retake the lead.
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And they did just that, with Tribble making both of his free throws to make it a 62-61 game. Still, Kent State had a chance to redeem itself when Jalen Sullinger took a shot at the buzzer, but it was to no avail.
Mental mistakes can happen at any time in sports, but when they happen in the final seconds of a championship game, the pain is much worse.
Akron Zips guard Greg Tribble drives to the basket between Kent State Golden Flashes guards Tyem Freeman and Giovanni Santiago on Feb. 23, 2024, at James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron, Ohio. (Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Kent State went 17-16 during the regular season this year and 8-10 in the MAC, earning them an eighth seed in the conference tournament. They were not expected to reach the finals against No. 2 Akron, who went 23-10 with a 13-5 conference record.
In March, anything can happen on a college basketball court. And with so many feel-good stories this time of year, there are usually some missteps behind them.
Zips guard Kaleb Thornton drives to the basket as Kent State Golden Flashes forward Chris Payton Jr. defends on Feb. 23, 2024 in Akron. (Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Akron will await its top seed and first NCAA Tournament opponent on this Selection Sunday, as Rollins and Kent State think about what could have been after a disappointing end to the season.
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