AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Akron coach Keith Dambrot says he loves VCU's Shaka Smart like a brother. He still wants to beat his former assistant.
Dambrot believes an upset is possible if the 12th-seeded Zips can slow down the fifth-seeded Rams on Thursday.
Smart has installed a high-tempo defense and offense that has served his program well. The style of play helped VCU reach the Final Four in 2011 and make a third straight trip this year to the NCAA tournament.
The Rams have their highest seeding since being a No. 2 in 1985. Back then, Smart was 7 and Dambrot was a 26-year-old coach at Tiffin University.
Dambrot became relatively famous for coaching LeBron James in high school and later introduced Smart to the future superstar.
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