No team in MAC history had ever won three conference tournaments in a row until Akron accomplished that feat on Saturday night, overcoming a double-digit deficit to beat Toledo on a three-pointer from Shammah Scott.

This will be Akron's fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last five seasons, as John Groce has turned the Zips into the class of the conference since taking over prior to the 2017-18 season.

Still, despite their success in the MAC, this program is still looking for its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory. Akron lost to Creighton by 17 points two years ago as a 14-seed and lost to Arizona by 28 points last season as a 13-seed.

While Miami (OH)'s undefeated regular season was the biggest story in the MAC all season long — heck, it was the biggest story in the country — Akron's efficiency profile suggests the Zips have actually been the league's best team. Checking in at No. 64 on KenPom, Akron is the highest-ranked team from a traditional one-bid league.

The RedHawks did beat Akron by three in Miami back on Jan. 3, yet the Zips have only lost one game since then (at Troy on Feb. 7). Their 10-game win streak is the fourth-longest active streak in the country, trailing only High Point, UMBC, and Duke.

How has Akron gotten here, and what could make it a dangerous group in the NCAA Tournament?

Elite three-point shooting

Scott is one of several elite three-point shooters Akron has on its roster. He shoots 42.2 percent from long range on the season while Bowen Hardman, who was inserted into the starting lineup a month ago, is right at 42.0 percent. With freshman Eric Mahaffey shooting 40.3 percent off the bench, Akron has a trio of snipers hitting at least 40 percent of their attempts.

And that's before we get to Tavari Johnson and Amani Lyles. Both of those first-team All-MAC players have started every game this season, though in very different roles.

Johnson is the team's point guard and general engine while shooting 37.9 percent from three. He leads this elite offensive unit with 20.3 points per game while also leading the Zips with 5.0 assists. His quickness, shiftiness, and ability to control the game are unmatched in the MAC, giving Groce a dynamic point guard he can rely on.

Lyles, meanwhile, does his work as a stretch big. He is strong on the glass (7.8 rebounds per game) and excels at getting to the foul line. But, as a 37.9 percent three-point shooter on 116 attempts, Lyles puts real pressure on opposing defenses with the way he stretches the court.

Experience & Continuity

Johnson and Lyles have spent their entire careers with Groce at Akron, but many other key pieces in the rotation have spent time at the power conference level.

Scott started his career at Wichita State before spending the last three seasons with Akron. Both Hardman and Evan Mahaffey spent two years at Ohio State before ending up with the Zips.

That experience — and the overall experience of this roster — has played a major role for this group. All five of the players that logged 29 or more minutes in Saturday's win over Toledo are either seniors or fifth-year seniors. Add the fact that they're 19th nationally in minutes continuity, per KenPom, and you have a dependable, stable group.

That experience and continuity also shows up in the way this team passes the ball. Johnson, Scott, and Evan Mahaffey all average at least three assists per game. Akron also ranks 64th in the country in assist rate, per KenPom.

Akron's Weaknesses

As good as Akron is shooting the three, it hasn't been as good defending the perimeter. The Zips rank outside the top 250 in three-point defense and are outside the top 300 in opponent three-point attempt rate — meaning opponents get a lot of open looks from deep and make them at a high clip.

A lot of that has to do with how Akron has to overhelp in the paint because of its lack of size. Lyles (6-foot-9, 240 pounds) is the only player in the rotation taller than 6-foot-6, and he is not a dominant rim protector.

Evan Mahaffey is this team's best defender. His length and quickness allow him to pester opposing ball-handlers, while his strength and leaping ability allow him to adequately defend the interior. But, at just 6-foot-6, that lack of size is something opponents have exploited — both in the post and on the glass.

Similar NCAA Tournament efficiency profiles

Similar efficiency profiles and statistics found via Bart Torvik.

Tournament Index evaluation

As it stands, Akron is a projected No. 12 seed by our bracketology at Basket Under Review and the Bracket Matrix.

Should that be the case, the Tournament Index rates the Zips as a slightly-above-average No. 12 seed (20th-strongest power rating out of 49 teams) compared to the last 12 NCAA Tournament fields. If the Zips land above or below that projected seed, they would be the 20th-weakest No. 11 seed or the strongest No. 13 seed compared to the last 12 fields. The TI projects an average of 0.32 wins (excluding First Four) for Akron given its projected seed (No. 12) and strength.