(5) Vanderbilt vs. (4) Kansas State

Kansas State has reached the dreaded second round again.

The fourth-seeded Wildcats hope to avoid a third straight early exit when they face Vanderbilt in the Kansas City Regional.

This is Kansas State’s fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance. The Wildcats reached the regional semifinals in 2002 before losing to Old Dominion.

That remains the postseason highlight for Kansas State’s heralded senior class of Kendra Wecker, Laurie Koehn and Megan Mahoney because of losses as higher seeds the last two years.

The Wildcats were seeded third in 2003 before losing on their home floor to No. 11 Notre Dame in the second round. Last season, Kansas State was seeded second before being routed 80-61 by No. 7 Minnesota in round two.

Kansas State will have to break that skid without point guard Mahoney, who suffered a career-ending Achilles’ injury in the Big 12 championship last weekend. Mahoney averaged 9.6 points and a team-high 3.5 assists.

Senior guard Chelsea Domenico was the surprise starter for Kansas State in a 70-60 win over Bowling Green in the first round Thursday. Domenico did not take a shot and had three assists and no turnovers in 32 minutes.

Coach Deb Patterson had indicated that she was considering giving sophomore Twiggy McIntyre her first start in place of Mahoney. Instead, she opted for the experienced Domenico, who made her 11th start.

Wecker and Koehn led the way for Kansas State, combining for 47 points. Wecker also grabbed 12 rebounds and was 12-of-12 from the line.

Koehn drilled six 3-pointers to move within three of breaking former Brigham Young guard Erin Thorn’s all-time NCAA record of 391 career 3-pointers.

Vanderbilt won for the 10th time in 12 games with a 67-44 victory over Montana in the first round. Ashley Earley scored 15 of her 21 points in the second half.

Abi Ramsey carried the scoring load in the first half with all 13 of her points as the defense collapsed on the 5-foot-11 Earley. Ramsey scored 11 of her team’s first 18 points as Vanderbilt overcame a shaky start, committing four turnovers on its first four possessions.

The Commodores are searching for a second straight spot in the regional semifinals, where they lost to Stanford last season.

Kansas State and Vanderbilt have never met.

PROBABLE STARTERS: Vanderbilt - F Earley (18.6 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 2.2 spg), F Carla Thomas (15.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg), G Dee Davis (13.5 ppg, 6.1 apg), G Ramsey (11.3 ppg, 1.8 spg), G Caroline Williams (5.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg). Kansas State - F Wecker (20.7 ppg, 10.1 rpg), F Claire Coggins (9.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg), C Shana Wheeler (4.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg), G Koehn (12.5 ppg, 2.8 apg, 1.5 spg), G Domenico (1.2 ppg, 2.3 apg).

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Vanderbilt - At-large berth, Southeastern Conference; beat No. 12 Montana 67-44, first round. Kansas State - At-large berth, Big 12; beat No. 13 Bowling Green 70-60, first round.

ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: Vanderbilt - 29-17, 17 years. Kansas State - 8-8, 9 years.