Syracuse was announced as the No. 1 seed in the East in the NCAA tournament on Sunday night, joining overall No. 1 seed Kentucky (South), North Carolina (Midwest) and Michigan State (West) as the top seeded teams.
The Orange will play UNC-Asheville (24-9) on Thursday in Pittsburgh. The Bulldogs are the Big South Conference champion, and played last season in the round of 68, losing to No. 1 seed Pittsburgh in the first round.
» Are you pleased with SU’s draw? Discuss.
» Syracuse looking forward to NCAA tournament
The Big East received the most bids by conference, with nine. Georgetown, Marquette, Louisville, Notre Dame, Connecticut, Cincinnati, West Virginia and USF rounded out the bids from the conference. A noticeable omission was Seton Hall, who was 61st in RPI and 57th in strength of schedule.
If SU were to advance to the round of 32 (no No. 1 seed has ever lost to a No. 16 seed), Syracuse would play the winner of the No. 8 Kansas State vs. No. 9 Southern Miss game.
FIRST FOUR (Dayton)
Tuesday, March 13
Mississippi Valley State vs. Western Kentucky
BYU vs. Iona
Wednesday, March 14
Lamar vs. Vermont
California vs. USF
SOUTH (Atlanta)
Louisville
Thursday, March 15
No.1 Kentucky vs. No. 16 Mississippi Valley State/Western Kentucky winner
No. 8 Iowa State vs. No. 9 Connecticut
Portland
Thursday, March 15
No. 5 Wichita State vs. No. 12 Virginia Commonwealth
No. 4 Indiana vs. No. 13 New Mexico State
Albuquerque
Thursday, March 15
No. 6 UNLV vs. No. 11 Colorado
No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 14 South Dakota State
Greensboro
Friday, March 16
No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 Xavier
No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Lehigh
WEST (Phoenix)
Columbus
Friday, March 16
No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 16 LIU Brooklyn
No. 8 Memphis vs. No. 9 Saint Louis
Portland
Thursday, March 15
No. 5 New Mexico vs. No. 12 Long Beach State
No. 4 Louisville vs. No. 13 Davidson
Louisville
Thursday, March 15
No. 6 Murray State vs. No. 11 Colorado State
No. 3 Marquette vs. No. 14 BYU/Iona winner
Omaha
Friday, March 16
No. 7 Florida vs. No. 10 Virginia
No. 2 Missouri vs. No. 15 Norfolk State
EAST (Boston)
Pittsburgh
Thursday, March 15
No. 1 Syracuse vs. No. 16 UNC-Asheville
No. 8 Kansas State vs. No. 9 Southern Miss
Albuquerque
Thursday, March 15
No. 5 Vanderbilt vs. No. 12 Harvard
No. 4 Wisconsin vs. No. 13 Montana
Nashville
Friday, March 16
No. 6 Cincinnati vs. No. 11 Texas
No. 3 Florida State vs. No. 14 St. Bonaventure
Pittsburgh
Thursday, March 15
No. 7 Gonzaga vs. No. 10 West Virginia
No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 15 Loyola (MD)
MIDWEST (St. Louis)
Greensboro
Friday, March 16
No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 16 Lamar/Vermont winner
No. 8 Creighton vs. No. 9 Alabama
Nashville
Friday, March 16
No. 5 Temple vs. No. 12 California/USF winner
No. 4 Michigan vs. No. 13 Ohio
Columbus
Friday, March 16
No. 6 San Diego State vs. No. 11 NC State
No. 3 Georgetown vs. No. 14 Belmont
Omaha
Friday, March 16
No. 7 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 10 Purdue
No. 2 Kansas vs. No. 15 Detroit
