Other teams in K-State’s pod

N.C.-ASHEVILLE

Seed: 16

Location: Asheville, N.C.

Record: 24-9

RPI: 104

Best player: Senior guard Matt Dickey averages 16.5 points and shoots 38 percent from three.

How they got here: Asheville won the Big South regular season and conference tournaments. Two road losses have been the only blemishes since mid-January.

How far can they go: Asheville should be proud not to be in the First Four mix.

SOUTHERN MISS

Seed: 9

Location: Hattiesburg, Miss.

Record: 25-8

RPI: 21

Best player: Kansan Neil Watson averages 12.2 points and 4.5 assists on a team that spreads around the scoring.

How they got here: Southern Miss lost eight times but two are in March, both losses to Marshall. The Eagles don’t come into the tourney on a roll.

How far can they go: It’s a poor shooting team going up against K-State’s defense.

SYRACUSE

Seed: 1

Location: Syracuse, N.Y.

Record: 31-2

RPI: 1

Best player: Kris Joseph was All-Big East and averages 13.8 points on a team with six guys average seven or more.

How they got here: Jockeying all season with Kentucky for the nation’s most dominant team, Syracuse rolled through 18 Big East games with one blemish (at Notre Dame).

How far can they go: With 7-footer Fab Melo ineligible for the tournament, Syracuse is slightly vulnerable in the middle of its zone. Can it make a difference?