Ohio native Chris Bassitt, a Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher who played college baseball at Akron, said he isn’t expecting the Zips’ men’s basketball team to hand the 19th-ranked, 30-0 Miami RedHawks a loss in the Mid-American Conference tournament.
Bassitt started and pitched three innings in a spring-training game March 6 against the St. Louis Cardinals, and spoke to the Orioles’ MASN broadcasters during the 5th inning.
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Bassitt was asked whether he thinks the Zips’ basketball team could defeat the RedHawks.
“Miami’s a wagon,” Bassitt said. “I don’t see that happening. Akron’s good. I think Miami’s better. … I’ve watched a couple of Miami games and they just play together so much. And I love the way they play. … Honestly, I’m rooting for Akron. But I just don’t see it happening.”
The Zips’ only MAC loss came Jan. 3 at Miami.
The RedHawks close their regular season against the Ohio Bobcats in Athens on March 6, on ESPN2.
Head coach Travis Steele told ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt that he believes the RedHawks can be a second-weekend team in the NCAA tournament.
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“Let’s be honest. We’ve never had a scenario quite like this,” ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi said March 5 of the RedHawks. “I just still can’t imagine the selection committee leaving out a 31-0 team that loses in their conference tournament.”
Baltimore Orioles pitcher Chris Bassitt
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Chris Bassitt, ex-Akron pitcher with Orioles, picks Miami over Zips