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Sweet 16 preview

With all the No. 1 seeds and three of the four No. 2 seeds still alive heading into the Sweet 16, this year's NCAA Tournament hasn't been big on upsets.

The Pac-10 and SEC are looking good with three teams each remaining in the field. The ACC and Big Ten – with one school each – aren't looking so hot. Mid-major powers Butler and Southern Illinois have justified their strong seeding by advancing to the Sweet 16.

Here's a look at the 16 squads that have reached the tournament's second week, along with picks of who will emerge from each region to head to Atlanta for the Final Four.

South Region at San Antonio

1. Ohio State: The Buckeyes needed a missed free throw by Xavier and a late 3-pointer by senior guard Ron Lewis to force overtime in the second round and eventually secure their 19th straight victory. Freshman center Greg Oden gets all the attention, but it was the guards – Lewis, freshman Mike Conley and junior Jamar Butler – who combined for 61 of Ohio State's 78 points in that game.

2. Memphis: The great mystery is whether the Tigers' 24-game win streak is evidence of one of the top teams in the country or the result of playing in a weak conference. Memphis lost to Georgia Tech, Tennessee and Arizona – all on the road or at a neutral site – in nonconference, but beat Kentucky and Gonzaga. Four players scored in double figures in the second-round victory over Nevada, including two off the bench.

3. Texas A&M: The Aggies have survived two straight off days from starters Antanas Kavaliauskas and Josh Carter, but it's hard to imagine them advancing farther if that pair continues struggling. With the way junior guard Dominique Kirk is playing right now, A&M boasts one of the best backcourts among the remaining teams. In Memphis, the Aggies once again face a squad deeper than they are.

5. Tennessee: The Volunteers know all about Ohio State guard Ron Lewis' late 3-pointers: He hit the winning 3 with 11.2 seconds left to give the Buckeyes a 68-66 victory Jan. 13 in Columbus, Ohio. Tennessee junior guard Chris Lofton has scored at least 20 points 19 times this season, including three straight and in the first meeting against Ohio State. He has scored at least 30 six times.

East Region at East Rutherford, N.J.

1. North Carolina: The Tar Heels have cruised through the first two rounds. Star forward Tyler Hansbrough is averaging 27.0 points on 67.9 percent shooting and 9.5 rebounds in the tournament. Freshman guard Ty Lawson has 15 assists to three turnovers. After hitting just 34 of 55 free throw attempts in back-to- back late-season losses at Maryland and Georgia Tech, UNC has shot much better in the ACC and NCAA tournaments, making 71.8 percent in its last five games.

2. Georgetown: Junior center Roy Hibbert had 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting and 10 rebounds in the first meeting against Vanderbilt. The Hoyas have won 17 of their last 18 games. Georgetown ranked fifth in the nation in scoring defense coming into the NCAA Tournament, giving up just 56.9 points per game, and sixth in field goal percentage defense (.383). The Hoyas have held three consecutive opponents to 55 points or fewer.

5. USC: The Trojans aren't very big inside, but they're tall on the perimeter, and their collection of mid-sized players makes them versatile and difficult to guard. All five starters scored in double figures in the second round against Texas, and three pulled down at least six rebounds. Hard to believe that one of Arizona State's two Pac-10 victories came against USC, which had dropped three of five coming into the tournament.

6. Vanderbilt: The Commodores face Georgetown in a rematch of their season opener, an 86-70 loss to the Hoyas Nov. 15 in Nashville. Since then, Vandy has seemed to play its best against its toughest competition, with wins over Tennessee, Florida, Washington State and Kentucky (twice). The Commodores boast a trio of players who have made at least 72 3-pointers – Derrick Byars, Shan Foster and Dan Cage – and all three are tough to guard because of their size, standing 6-5 or taller.

Midwest Region at St. Louis

1. Florida: The defending champs got a scare from Purdue in the second round but pulled away behind Corey Brewer and Al Horford. Turnovers have been an issue for the Gators, who committed 15 Sunday. They were eighth in the SEC in assist-to-turnover ratio in conference play with one more turnover than assist. Florida averaged 19 turnovers in three late-season road losses to Vanderbilt, LSU and Tennessee.

3. Oregon: The Ducks survived a close call against Miami (Ohio) in the first round but were much more convincing against Winthrop on Sunday. Aaron Brooks, who had 22 points in the second round, is the kind of senior guard who can carry a team deep into the tournament. All five starters average double figures, and all five shoot at least 39.8 percent from behind the 3-point arc.

5. Butler: Perhaps the Bulldogs got bored once there were no more marquee opponents to face. After Butler started 10-0 with victories over Notre Dame, Indiana, Tennessee and Gonzaga, the Bulldogs lost six times in their next 23 games. But Butler has woken up in the NCAA Tournament, beating fourth-seeded Maryland of the ACC in the second round to advance to the Sweet 16. The Bulldogs' nonconference success suggests they won't be intimidated by Florida.

7. UNLV: The Runnin' Rebels are riding a nine-game win streak, including Sunday's upset of No. 2 seed Wisconsin. UNLV, a No. 7, is the lowest seed remaining in the tournament. Joel Anthony, a 6-9 senior center, ranked 11th in the nation in blocks per game (3.1) coming into the NCAAs. Three players – Wendell White, Wink Adams and Kevin Kruger – average between 13.4 and 14.6 points.

West Region at San Jose, Calif.
1. Kansas: After two straight first-round exits, the Jayhawks had little trouble this time. Kansas has won 13 straight. During the win streak, the Jayhawks have held all but one opponent to under 43 percent shooting. Kansas has made 23 of 38 3-point attempts (60.5 percent) in the tournament. Freshmen Darrell Arthur of South Oak Cliff and Sherron Collins are combining for 19.8 points per game off the bench.

2. UCLA: The Bruins are keeping their opponents from scoring but aren't doing much scoring of their own lately. UCLA has held its last six foes to 61 points or fewer in regulation. The Bruins, though, have been held to 61 points or fewer in regulation themselves in four of their last five games – the only exception being the first-round win over No. 15 seed Weber State.

3. Pittsburgh: The Panthers are in their fourth Sweet 16 in six years but have never won more than two games in an NCAA Tournament. If Pitt were to make the Final Four, Jamie Dixon would tie the NCAA Division I record for the most wins in the first four seasons of a head coach's career. Dixon has 105. N.C. State's Everett Case won 107 from 1947-50.

4. Southern Illinois: The Salukis solidified their status as one of the nation's top teams by beating Virginia Tech by 15 points. Southern Illinois has a knack for winning close games. The Salukis have posted six straight victories in contests decided by four points or less. Leading scorer Jamaal Tatum has made 70 of 166 3-point attempts (42.2 percent). Southern Illinois committed just nine turnovers Sunday.

And the winners are ...
Texas A&M in the South: Ohio State looked vulnerable, and the Aggies will have the partisan crowd and enjoy being the underdog.

Georgetown in the East: The Hoyas are playing as well as any team in the nation lately.

Oregon in the Midwest: It's always tough for the reigning champs to repeat, and the Ducks have the ability to get hot.

UCLA in the West: The Bruins' defense carries them from their home state to the Final Four.

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