(Photo: Reuters/Tim Shaffer)UCLA guard Josh Shipp (3) shoots under pressure from VCU guard Bradford Burgess (20) in this 2009 file photo.

VCU and Akron will face off in the NCAA 2013 tournament second round on Thursday night. The game will tip off at 9.45 p.m. ET and can be watched online through free live stream (details below).

No. 5 seeded VCU will be favorites going into this game against the No. 12 seeded Akron.

After VCU made their run to the Final Four and also advanced to the round of 32 last year as 11th seeds, other sides will know a lot more about them this year.

They have a competent team that will be able to give anyone a run for their money in this NCAA tournament.

The Rams finished the season with a record of 26-8, and made it to the finals of the Atlantic 10 tournament. However, they were finally defeated by St Louis 62-56.

Meanwhile, Akron managed to win the MAC tournament, and came through their season with a respectable 26-6 record.

Akron have now made it through to the NCAA in two of the past three seasons, and this will be their fourth appearance in their history. In every showing they have failed to get past this round of 64, and they will be looking to make history tonight by causing an upset and knocking out VCU.

That task is made all the more difficult by the fact that Akron have not managed to beat a top 25 team yet. However, if they do manage to win today they will look forward to a third round match up against the the winner of No. 4 Michigan and No. 13 South Dakota State.

VCU vs Akron will tip off at 9.45 p.m. ET and can be watched online through free live stream by clicking here.