The lunch line is often out the door at Diamond Deli in Downtown Akron. The restaurant, considered a crown jewel by many in the city, prides itself on its unique sandwich names.

With the University of Akron playing the University of Arizona Friday night, it marks the fifth consecutive year a school from Northeast Ohio has made it to the NCAA tournament.

The sandwich idea was started last year by the Diamond Deli team after the Zips won the 2024 MAC tournament championship.

Akron Zips men's basketball coach John Groce guided his team to the program's seventh NCAA Tournament berth in 2025. Here's ...