John Groce took over as head coach of the Akron Zips in 2017 and he turned them into a premier powerhouse in Mid-Major college basketball. They’ve finished with 20+ wins in five straight seasons with four NCAA Tournament appearances and a near upset of UCLA in 2022. Following a 29-6 season while going head to head with Miami Ohio, Groce announced that he’d be taking the head coaching job at the College of Charleston after Chris Mack left for South Florida.
Akron wasted no time announcing Dustin Ford as the next head coach of the Zips. He joined Groce at Akron in 2017 where he served as an associate head coach up until his promotion a few months ago. Prior to that, he’d been with Groce since Ohio in 2009 and Illinois when Groce was the head coach of the Illini. It was a no-brainer for the athletic department, and it was evident as they were able to retain some players from the roster this past season rather than starting over from scratch.
With Ford taking over, they were able to stabilize the roster this offseason while adding some crucial pieces. Let’s dive into what they roster is looking like heading into the 2026-2027 season.
Use the code “BracketBusters” when checking out at Crow’s Nest Coffee Roasters to receive 20% off your order! Want two bags of coffee shipped to your door every month? Sign up for a monthly subscription here and receive 25% off your monthly subscription!
Roster Turnover
Shammah Scott (Ineligible)
12.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists
Amani Lyles (Ineligible)
14.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1 steal
Tavari Johnson (Senior) ~ College of Charleston
19.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 5 assists, 1.2 steals
Ognjen Stankovic (Sophomore) ~ Manhattan
2.3 points, 1.7 rebounds
Conner Groce (Senior) ~ College of Charleston
0.8 points (13 games / 2.1 minutes)
Bowen Hardman (Senior) ~ TBD
7.6 points, 1.5 rebounds
Rich Brisco (Sophomore) ~ Rider
1 points, 0.7 rebounds (10 games / 2.4 minutes)
Sharron Young (Junior) ~ Western Kentucky
7.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals
Eric Mahaffey (Sophomore) ~ Cincinnati
7.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists
With John Groce heading to the College of Charleston, there was going to be some significant turnover, but the Zips did a solid job of not completely restarting.
They knew they were going to lose Shammah Scott and Amani Lyles who both wrapped up strong careers in college basketball. Lyles ended up playing in the NBA Summer League with the Philadelphia 76ers where he appeared in five games and averaged 9.6 points with 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.
Tavari Johnson jumped to Charleston to follow his head coach after a prolific career at Akron. Meanwhile, Eric Mahaffey jumped up to Cincinnati where my guess is he saw some nice NIL money come through. For Sharron Young, he made the move to Western Kentucky where he’ll slot into the starting lineup for the Hill Toppers.
Returning Players
Cody Head (Senior)
DNP (Injury)
Evan Mahaffey (Senior)
10.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.7 steals
Chabi Barre (Senior)
3.1 points, 2 rebounds
Marvin Musiime-Kamali (Sophomore)
2 points, 2 rebounds
Zach Halligan (Sophomore)
Walk-on
Tai Perkins (Redshirt Freshman)
Josh Henderson (Redshirt Freshman)
Evan Mahaffey (6’6)
Mahaffey made a huge impact in his first season with the Zips last year. After transferring in from Ohio State, he started in all 35 games he appeared in while averaging 10.2 points with 5.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. He shot 57.8% overall and 30.4% from three-point on 46 attempts. He’s the definition of a stat-sheet stuff, finished with lines like nine points, 16 rebounds, and four assists against Central Michigan, and eleven points with five rebounds, and seven assists against Evansville.
His metrics tell the true story:
125.0 offensive rating (152nd overall)
58.5% effective field goal percentage (166th overall)
8.3% offensive rebounding percentage (410th overall)
13.7% defensive rebounding percentage
18.9 assist rate
2.8% block percentage (457th overall)
3.3% steal percentage (128th overall)
62% 2pt shooting percentage (188th overall)
At 6’6, he functions as a strong bodied combo guard with the ability to facilitate an offense and lock down opposing players. He isn’t a three-point threat and he won’t be getting to the free throw line as he took just 62 shots from the charity stripe, but he provides you with the perfect combination of offense and defense. Him staying through the coaching change is a massive step forward for the Zips this season.
Cody Head (6’3)
Cody Head emerged as a solid freshman at Lipscomb during the 2023-2024 season where he averaged 8.1 points with 2.5 rebounds while shooting 53.2% overall and 35.2% from three-point. His playing time diminished at Arkansas State, appearing in just 19 games and averaging 6.2 minutes per game. He’s battled injuries and missed the entire season last year after transferring into Akron.
I was able to watch him as a freshman live, and I thought he had some strong potentially. He’s an efficient scorer, but he’s not a guard that’s going to distribute the ball at a high rate. Given he hasn’t played a full season in three years, I can see the Zips bringing him off the bench to prove himself as he works to earn a higher spot in the rotation.
Chabi Barre (6’10)
Barre appeared in 18 games in first first season with Akron, but averaged just 6.4 minutes. Prior to joining the Zips, he spent three years with the Duquesne Dukes, where he averaged 4.1 points with 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks as a junior. Last season, he averaged 3.1 points with two rebounds in his minimal playing time.
He had a nice stretch of games between November 29th against Milwaukee and through December 13th against Murray State. During those four games, he averaged 8.8 points with 4.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. He suffered a injury in the Murray State game and he saw minimal playing time after. He was out until January 30th, and he was deep on the depth chart as Coach Groce had his rotation locked heading into the stretch.
Throughout his career, Barre has battled injuries, but he’ll always be a remarkable defender. The year prior he finished with a 12.7% block percentage and last year he finished at 9.7%. He’ll have an opportunity to earn a large spot in the rotation this season, but his impact will be determined by whether or not he can string together a healthy season.
Marvin Musiime-Kamali (6’6)
Through two seasons with the Zips, Musiime-Kamali has appeared in 67 games and started in four. Last year, he averaged two points with two rebounds per game while shooting 70% overall on 40 attempts from the floor. To be transparent, his best games came against two non-Division I opponents.
With some of the additions coming in, I don’t see his role rapidly expanding. However, I could see 10-12 minutes per game on average.
Josh Henderson (6’5)
The 6’5 shooting guard out of Westerville, Ohio was highly sought after from other programs including: Marshall, Eastern Kentucky, Youngstown State, Xavier, Bowling Green, Ohio, and more. He was a prolific scorer, and you can check out some highlights on his Hudl account here. He led his team to their first district title since 2021 after dropping 35 points on 13-14 shooting.
He won’t jump up far in the rotation, but you can expect to see him eight minutes a game or so.
Tai Perkins (6’0)
Perkins was also from Westerville, Ohio, but he wasn’t as heavily recruited as Henderson. Akron was his only offer coming out of high school following his outstanding offensive campaign during his senior season. He finished with 35 points in their regional final, in which he had dropped 32 points the game prior.
Similar to Henderson, he isn’t going to jump straight into a large role in the rotation, but he should see the floor some this season to continue to develop.
Zach Halligan (6’5)
Halligan is a walk-on, so you should expect a minimal role in the coming season.
Roster Additions
Tahj Staveskie (Redshirt Senior) ~ Incarnate Word
17.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1 steal
Ty Pence (Senior) ~ Illinois State
9.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Buddy Hammer, Jr. (Senior) ~ North Texas
4.1 points, 2.8 rebounds
Max Burton (Redshirt Senior) ~Western Michigan
5.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Colin White (Junior) ~ Ohio State
0.9 points, 1 rebound
Exavier Wilson (Redshirt Freshman) ~ Kansas State
R.J. Jones (Freshman)
Devan Christion (Freshman)
Guards
Tahj Staveskie (6’1)
The Sandusky, Ohio, native has bounced around between Canisius, Cleveland State, and Incarnate Word before committing to spend his senior season a little bit closer to home. He’s been a starter since stepping on the court for Canisius back in 2022, starting in 98 of the 99 games he’s appeared in. His second season was cut short, appearing in just two games, but he bounced back with Cleveland State the following season where he averaged 12.5 points. He put together his best season yet with the Cardinals last season, averaging 17.3 points with 3.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and one steal per game while shooting 43.6% overall and 37.3% from three-point.
Staveskie was one of the most underrated mid-major players in the country last season, teaming up with Davion Bailey on an Incarnate Word team that at times was flashy. He finished the season with a 108.4 offensive rating, 27.1% possession usage, 54.6% true shooting percentage, 10% defensive rebounding percentage, 24.5 assist rate (218th in the country), and a strong 80% shooting clip from the line against Division I talent.
The 6’1 guard is an ideal addition to try and replace the hole that Tavari Johnson left. He’ll team up with Mahaffey to dish out the ball, but he’ll also step up as a huge offensive threat. He’ll become a go-to player in the first season with Dustin Ford at the helm.
Ty Pence (6’6)
Ty Pence has spent the last three seasons with the Illinois State Redbirds where he turned himself into a reliable starter and player inside Coach Pedon’s rotation. Last season, he appeared in 36 games while starting 23 and averaging 23.5 minutes per game. He finished with a line of 9.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game while shooting a strong 53.7% overall from the floor and 36% from three-point on 2.1 attempts per game.
He’s the type of player that when he’s on, he can be one of the best players on the court. He finished with 20 points and ten rebounds against Furman, 21 points against Utah State, and 23 points in their huge 78-75 win over Wake Forest in the NIT. His offense is easy to show, as he finished with a 120.7 offensive rating which was 323rd best in the country. Joining that, he finished with a 60.8% true shooting percentage, 16.2% defensive rebounding percentage, 13.3 assist rate, all while shooting 61.2% from inside the arc which was 222nd in the nation.
At 6’6, 205 pounds, he’ll provide Akron with strong offense and a strong body. He can rack up the boards, all while pouring in what I’ll expect to be double-digit points per game this season. Zips fans are going to fall in love with him.
Exavier Wilson (6’1)
Before committing to Kansas State, Wilson was a three-star prospect out of Missouri. He ranked 328th best in this class and 11th overall in his state. Wilson had offers from others like West Virginia, Missouri State, and more. After redshirting his freshman season, and what I’m sure was a not ideal locker room situation with the Wildcats, he hit the portal and landed at Akron.
Coming out of high school, he was a touted offensive threat. He averaged 20.6 points with 6.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists as a senior at Father Tolton Catholic High School. He won’t start in year one with Akron, but he’ll definitely be seeing the floor in his first season of action. He’s a talented scorer with the ability to dish it out to his teammates.
R.J. Jones (6’5)
Jones wasn’t highly recruiting as he held just one other offer from Jacksonville. He has a nice frame at 6’5, and there is no doubt that he has some high energy. He can cut inside and finish around the rim with ease. You can check out some of his highlights here, but overall I see him fitting into a minimal role as a freshman.
Forwards
Buddy Hammer Jr. (6’7)
I wrote about Buddy Hammer Jr. last season when I previewed the North Texas Mean Green, and I had high hopes for the JUCO star, but he didn’t see a ton of playing time. He appeared in 29 games off the bench while averaging 14.2 minutes. He finished with a line of 4.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game while shooting 47% overall and 31.6% on 19 attempts from three-point. Prior to North Texas, he was ranked as the 29th best JUCO recruit in the country as he averaged 12.3 points with ten rebounds per game at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M.
Looking at his metrics, he finished with a 117.1 offensive rating, 60.3% true shooting percentage, 11.3% offensive and 11.9% defensive rebounding percentage, with a very strong 4.5% block percentage. He functions as a power forward, but one that is strong on offense. He shot 52.2% from inside the arc, but notably 76.6% from the free throw line on 64 attempts, which increased to 82.9% in conference play.
He’s looking for an opportunity to play and he’ll get it at Akron. He has a year of experience under his belt now, and he’ll complement others on this roster well. Look for a potential big year from him this season.
Max Burton (6’10)
Inter-conference transfers always mean more, and after four seasons with the Western Michigan Broncos, Max Burton landed in the transfer portal and committed to Akron. Burton became a reliable starter the last two seasons, starting in 60 of his 62 appearances. Last year, he averaged 5.9 points with 5.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting 47.9% overall from the floor.
You aren’t going to see him drop 20 points with 15 rebounds, but he’s consistent. He finished with a 105.1 offensive rating, 51.7% true shooting percentage, 7.4% offensive and 15.7% defensive rebounding percentage, and a 2.6% block percentage. He’s a true big man, one that isn’t fast, doesn’t take threes, but will fight down low and finish around the rim.
I’m not convinced he’ll be named the starting center, but regardless he’ll be playing plenty this season in the rotation.
Colin White (6’6)
Coming out of high school, Colin White was a top-150 three-star recruit. He landed at Ohio State after holding offers from Northwestern, TCU, Stanford, Nebraska, and many more strong programs. Throughout his first two season, he appeared in 48 games while starting one and averaging 8.4 minutes per game. Last year, he averaged 0.9 points with one rebound per game while shooting 39.3% overall.
We aren’t going to dive into his metrics as deep, given the lack of playing time. In his longer opportunities, he didn’t make a huge impact for the Buckeyes. In 25 minutes against #15 Michigan State, he finished with three points, four rebounds, one assist, and one steal with four fouls. Against Minnesota, he put up two points with two rebounds, one assist, and one steal in 19 minutes.
While he didn’t get his big break at Ohio State, he was a top-150 recruit and a former Ohio Mr. Basketball. During his senior season, he averaged 25.1 points with 8.4 rebounds, three assists, and 2.6 steals per game. This will be his first real opportunity and you should expect to see him play a strong role within the rotation.
Devan Christion (6’9)
Similar to RJ Jones, Christion wasn’t highly recruited as he held just one offer from Akron. He’ll be a long-term prospect for Akron, so don’t expect to see him a ton this season. However, it’s evident that he has Division I potential. He has great size, he is quick on his feet, and he’s a force down low in the paint. His hook shot is already well crafted as you can see from some of his highlights below.
Want to support my writing, but don’t want to sign up for a monthly subscription? Consider “buying me a coffee” via the link below!
Sign up for Bracket Busters’ Discord to discuss all things Mid-Major Basketball!
Expectations
With some solid returning pieces and important additions in the roster, this team has some strong options throughout their roster. Let’s look at what a potential starting lineup could look like:
Tahj Staveskie
Ty Pence
Evan Mahaffey
Buddy Hammer, Jr.
Chabi Barre / Max Burton
This is a pretty stout starting lineup for year one of a new head coach. Retaining Evan Mahaffey was huge for Coach Ford, but adding in some experience in Ty Pence and Tahj Staveskie speaks volumes. Staveskie had no problem against better talent, dropping 27 points against Colorado State, 17 points with four rebounds and five assists against IU, and 19 points against High Point. He’ll do a fantastic job at trying to replace Tavari Johnson in the lineup. Ty Pence will attempt to replace Shammah Scott, who similarly was a strong complimentary guard at Illinois State. They produced nearly identical metrics:
Offensive Rating: Pence ~ 120.7 vs Scott ~ 121.9
True Shooting Percentage: Pence ~ 60.8% vs Scott ~ 59.1%
Assist Rate: Pence ~ 13.3 vs Scott ~ 16.5
For the rest of the lineup, Evan Mahaffey is a lock, then I believe that Buddy Hammer, Jr. will provide a great option at the four spot. He was a star in JUCO and now he has Division I experience. The traditional five spot is the one where it could go either way between Chabi Barre and Max Burton, but we’ll discuss that more in depth in the coming section.
Looking at the bench, they’ll have Colin White, Cody Head, Marvin Musiime-Kamali, and either Chabi Barre or Max Burton as the first wave. Don’t be surprised though if you see someone like Exavier Wilson sneaking in there as well. Colin White has the pedigree to potentially slot into the starting lineup some, but between Pence and Mahaffey, I feel that’s locked in.
My largest concern is their at the five position. They have Chabi Barre, Max Burton, and Devan Christion as the main three options. Barre is tremendous on defense, but he’s never averaged more than 11.5 minutes per game and he’s injury prone. Burton has plenty of experience in the MAC, but he isn’t a highly impactful big man on offense and he isn’t a huge shot blocker. Christion is a freshman, and judging off the footage I found, he’s more likely a depth player this season. Together, Barre and Burton can be a strong combination, but there is no doubt they are going to significantly miss Amani Lyles in the starting lineup this season.
The MAC is going to look a little bit different this season. Northern Illinois is gone, John Groce is no longer at Akron, and Miami Ohio has seen some large movement throughout their roster. However, on paper, I fully believe that this is an Akron team that could win 20+ games in year one under Dustin Ford. What do you think? Can they keep up the momentum that Groce built?