We're through the early madness of the men's NCAA tournament and onto the regional semifinals, just two games away from the Final Four. If the remaining teams look familiar, there's a good reason why.
Seven teams -- Kansas, Louisville, Memphis, Michigan State, North Carolina, Villanova and Xavier -- were here last season, but every school's been at least this far in the tournament since 2000.
It's quite the loaded field, too. Every 1, 2 and 3 seed remains. The average record is 28-6. Seven schools won regular-season conference titles. Six claimed conference tourney crowns.
The team that wins this year's title will have earned it. Here's a little more about each Sweet 16 school.";
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Record: 30-6
How it got here: Beat No. 15 Binghamton 86-62; beat No. 7 Texas 74-69.
Last Sweet 16 appearance: 2006
Next up: No. 3 Villanova, Thursday
Essential info: The Devils are deep. They'll use nine players on a regular basis, which accounts for their constant defensive pressure. They're among the leaders in turnovers forced and steals, averaging nearly nine a game.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski also hasn't been afraid to tweak his starting lineup. He's used Nolan Smith, Greg Paulus, Elliot Williams and Jon Scheyer at point guard, with varying degrees of success. Throw in Gerald Henderson and Duke has five players who can handle the ball in crunch time.
Did you know? Duke's NCAA tournament win percentage (75.2) is No. 1 all-time. UCLA (73.4) is second.";
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Record: 30-4
How it got here: Beat No. 16 East Tennessee State 72-62; beat No. 8 Oklahoma State 84-76.
Last Sweet 16 appearance: 2007
Next up: No. 4 Xavier, Thursday
Essential info: Just because the Panthers had to claw their way into the Sweet 16 doesn't mean they're ripe for an upset. Nearly every champion from the last 25 years has survived a close game or two.
Pitt, behind center DeJuan Blair, remains one of the nation's most efficient offensive teams because it rebounds exceedingly well and minimizes turnovers. Point guard Levance Fields leads the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Did you know? Pitt hasn't advanced past the Sweet 16 since 1974, which includes 16 appearances in the big dance. It's the longest drought among any of this year's Sweet 16 schools.";
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Record: 28-7
How it got here: Beat No. 14 American 80-67; beat No. 6 UCLA 89-69.
Last Sweet 16 appearance: 2008
Next up: No. 2 Duke, Thursday
Essential info: If we're talking Villanova, we're talking about great guards. Scottie Reynolds, Corey Stokes and Corey Fisher are the Wildcats' three top perimeter players, all of whom are capable of stretching a defense.
Forward Dante Cunningham who leads the team in scoring (16.3 ppg). He takes most of the shots as the guards roam the perimeter, looking for open spots. When everything meshes and the guards play strong on-ball defense and Cunningham cleans the glass -- like against UCLA -- Villanova's tough to stop.
Did you know? Jay Wright's team has been to the Sweet 16 four of the last five years. Since 2004, no Big East team has been more often. (Pitt is second with 3 appearances.)";
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Record: 27-7
How it got here: Beat No. 13 Portland State 77-59; beat No. 12 Wisconsin 60-49.
Last Sweet 16 appearance: 2008
Next up: No. 1 Pitt, Thursday
Essential info: Usually one of the nation's most efficient offenses, the Musketeers have relied on their defense this season. They frustrated Missouri earlier this season, and did the same to Memphis. Both wins were products of preventing open shots.
Senior B.J. Raymond is Xavier's top option on offense, but don't discount Derrick Brown or C.J. Anderson. Brown is an effective shooter.
Did you know? Xavier coach Sean Miller was a star at Pitt. He was the Big East freshman of the year in 1988.";
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Record: 21-13
How it got here: Beat No. 5 Utah 84-71; beat No. 13 Cleveland State 71-57.
Last Sweet 16 appearance: 2005
Next up: No. 1 Louisville, Friday
Essential info: By all accounts the last team in the tournament, Arizona showed it was far from the least talented.
With NBA-caliber players like Chase Budinger, Nic Wise and the overpowering Jordan Hill, the 'Cats showed off their offensive talents in two wins. They're a good-shooting, efficient offense who thrive in a wide-open setting.
Did you know? The Wildcats have been to the big dance 25 consecutive years, the longest active streak and two shy of the all-time record.";
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Record: 27-7
How it got here: Beat No. 14 North Dakota State 84-74; beat No. 11 Dayton
Last Sweet 16 appearance: 2008
Next up: No. 2 Michigan State, Friday
Essential info: With seven freshmen and sophomores in the rotation, it easy to understand why Kansas can be turnover prone. It only had five against N.D. State, but Dayton forced the Jayhawks into 17. Michigan State will surely pressure the Jayhawks constantly.
It's all about Sherron Collins (18.7 ppg) and Cole Aldrich (14.8 ppg) on offense. Collins tends to look for his own shot too often when the offense struggles, but he can be deadly, too.
Did you know? Cole Aldrich's triple-double vs. Dayton (13 points, 20 rebounds, 10 blocks) was the first such NCAA performance since Shaquille O'Neal's 11-block day in 1992.";
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Record: 30-5
How it got here: Beat Morehead State 74-54; beat Siena 79-72.
Last Sweet 16 appearance: 2008
Next up: No. 12 Arizona, Friday
Essential info: Few teams play defense like Louisville. The Cards force turnovers, block shots and don't allow open looks at the basket. When guards Andre McGee and Jerry Smith turn up the on-ball pressure, it frees up rangy forwards Terrence Williams and Earl Clark to hit the boards and pick off errant passes.
Louisville's won 12 straight games, including a run through the Big East tournament that featured victories over other Sweet 16 teams like Syracuse and Villanova. Just who's going to stop them now?
Did you know? Rick Pitino is the only coach to take three different teams to the Final Four. No coach has ever won it all with more than one team.";
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Record: 28-6
How it got here: Beat Robert Morris 77-62; beat USC 74-69.
Last Sweet 16 appearance: 2008
Next up: No. 3 Kansas, Friday
Essential info: The Spartans lead the nation in rebounding margin, which shouldn't be a huge surprise. Coach Tom Izzo built his program around hitting the boards, which resulted in three consecutive trips to the Final Four from 1999-2001. This year's team features 6-8 Raymar Morgan, 6-8 Delvon roe and 6-10 Goran Suton, all of whom make life easy for guards Kalin Lucas and Travis Walton on the perimeter.
The Spartans have beaten Kansas once this season, a 75-62 home victory in January. The rematch could be closer if Cole Aldrich stays out of foul trouble.
Did you know? Only four active coaches have better NCAA tournament win percenatges than Izzo's .737.";
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Record: 28-5
How it got here: Beat No. 13 Akron 77-64; beat No. 12 Western Kentucky 83-81.
Last Sweet 16 appearance: 2006
Next up: No. 1 UNC, Friday
Essential info: Pick your poison when guarding Gonzaga. Josh Heytvelt leads the team in scoring (14.9 ppg), but Matt Bouldin (13.8), Austin Daye (12.8), Jeremy Pargo (10.1), Micah Downs (9.5) and Steven Gray (9.2) are right behind. All of them have been the game-high scorer at some point this season.
They're not one-dimensional though. The Bulldogs only allow opponents to make 39 percent of their 2-point field-goal attempts, tops in the nation.
Did you know? The Zags haven't missed the big dance since 1998, the fourth-longest active streak.";
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Record: 30-4
How it got here: Beat No. 16 Radford 101-58; beat No. 8 LSU 84-70
Last Sweet 16 appearance: 2008
Next up: No. 4 Gonzaga, Friday
Essential info: North Carolina, the pre-tournament favorite, got a boost when it needed it most against LSU.
Ty Lawson scored 23 points vs. the Tigers, which was his first action in the last four games. The ACC player of the year's injured toe slowed him during the game, and swelled up afterward. He's the key to their high-scoring offense, which scores 90.3 points a game and does it more efficiently than any other D-I team.
Did you know? The Heels have more Sweet 16 appearances (23) than any other school.";
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Record: 29-5
How it got here: Beat No. 15 Morgan State 82-54; beat No. 10 Michigan 73-63.
Last Sweet 16 appearance: 2003
Next up: No. 3 Syracuse, Friday
Essential info: Blake Griffin showed why he's the nation's best player against Michigan. He punctuated his 33-point, 17-rebound performance with a ferocious dunk over Zack Novak. \"It was one of those plays where everyone says, 'Wow,' \" said coach Jeff Capel.
The Sooners also feature perhaps the nation's best freshman in Willie Warren, along with capable guards in Tony Crocker and Austin Johnson. They're the backbone of an offense that hits 56 percent of its field-goal attempts, fourth best in the nation.
Did you know? Among schools without a title, only Memphis has more Sweet 16 appearances than Oklahoma.";
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Record: 28-9
How it got here: Beat No. 14 Stephen F. Austin 59-44; beat Arizona State 78-67.
Last Sweet 16 appearance: 2004
Next up: No. 2 Oklahoma, Friday
Essential info: Five players average at least 10 points a game for the Orange, led by Jonny Flynn's 17.5. He, along with Eric Devendorf, Paul Harris and Andy Rautins, give Syracuse one of the game's most potent group of scorers.
The defense isn't bad, either. Syracuse holds foes to 29 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
Did you know? The next win for coach Jim Boeheim will be the 800th of his career.";
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Record: 29-4
How it got here: Beat No. 16 Chattanooga 103-47; beat No. 9 Texas A&M 92-66
Last Sweet 16 appearance: 2006
Next up: No. 5 Purdue, Thursday
Essential info: Coach Jim Calhoun missed the Huskies' opener because of dehydration, but it didn't matter. Probably wouldn't have mattered against A&M, either.
The Huskies were the most impressive team in the tournament's opening week behind their surging starting five, which accounted for more than 75 percent of the scoring in both wins. Consider: UConn also leads the nation in defensive field-goal percentage and block percentage. Is there a more balanced team in the field?
Did you know? The Huskies won their first two NCAA tourney games by an average of 41 points. Only one other team even won 1 game by more than 41.";
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Record: 33-3
How it got here: Beat No. 15 Cal-State Northridge 81-70; beat No. 10 Maryland 89-70.
Last Sweet 16 appearance: 2008
Next up: No. 3 Missouri, Thursday
Essential info: The nation's most efficient defensive team was even better on offense during its first two tournament games, averaging 85 points a game. It hit 58 percent of its shots against Maryland, ripping to a 20-point halftime lead.
Still, if last year's runner-up wants to reach the title game again, it'll be the defense that does it. The Tigers are among the nation's leaders in field-goal percentage defense, 3-point defense, eFG percentage and block percentage.
Did you know? The Tigers have more wins in the last four years (137) than any team in NCAA history.";
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spt_Sweet_16_primer09[i-1].body = "
Record: 30-6
How it got here: Beat Cornell 78-59; beat Marquette 83-79.
Last Sweet 16 appearance: 2002
Next up: No. 2 Memphis, Thursday
Essential info: Missouri pushes the pace more than any team remaining except for North Carolina. The Tigers pressure with guards J.T. Tiller, Zaire Taylor and Matt Lawrence, though Leo Lyons and DeMarre Carroll are mobile big men who can run past opposing forwards.
Missouri hasn't had this kind of team for a while, either. It's enjoying its best season since 1994 when it finished 28-4 and reached the Elite Eight.
Did you know? The Tigers have never reached the Final Four. They've been regional runner-ups four times.";
spt_Sweet_16_primer09[i++] = new Array("","Purdue","JaJuan Johnson.","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/apmegasports/200903211744638829308-pf.vmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Don Ryan", "AP", "298", "188", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_Sweet_16_primer09[i-1].body = "
Record: 27-9
How it got here: Beat No. 12 Northern Iowa 61-56; beat No. 4 Washington 76-74
Last Sweet 16 appearance: 2000
Next up: No. 1 Connecticut, Thursday
Essential info: The Boilermakers haven't dominated foes -- they've won their last four games by an average of 5 points -- but don't underestimate them. They're young -- three sophomores and two juniors start -- and balanced. JaJuan Johnson, E'Twaun Moore and Robbie Hummel do most of the scoring, while Chris Kramer and Keaton Grant do the dirty work.
Did you know? Purdue hasn't been to the Final Four since 1980. That's 19 NCAA tournament berths without making the final weekend.";
// END editorial data