Sweet 16 match-ups offer suspense

Like a suspenseful movie starring someone other than Steven Seagal, the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament have held just the right amount of intriguing characters, tense moments and captivating plot twists to keep its audience interested. But now, as they say, the plot thickens, as the regional semifinals tipoff Thursday and Friday night.\nWEST\nNo. 1 Stanford vs. No. 5 Cincinnati -- The top-ranked Cardinal will take on the Bearcats, who advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1996 with dominating victories against BYU and Kent State. Stanford's primary weakness was exposed against St. Joseph's; it can be torched on defense by a team with good guards. With Kenny Satterfield and Steve Logan, Cincinnati possesses just that. But Stanford has a distinctive advantage in the frontcourt with the Collins twins and Ryan Mendez.\nNo. 3 Maryland vs. No. 10 Georgetown -- The Terrapins will take their high-flying offense up against the Hoyas in this Beltway battle. With a reputation as an inconsistent shooting team, Georgetown needs a strong defensive performance to have a chance. It will also need center Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje to have a strong all-around performance in his match-up with Maryland's Lonny Baxter.\nEAST\nNo. 1 Duke vs. No. 4 UCLA -- Both programs have March traditions as glorious as green beer on St. Patrick's Day, and thus have potential to provide an interesting game. To pull off the upset, the Bruins will have to get a solid performance from their full-court press. On offense, UCLA will turn to center Dan Gadzuric. But his role could be diminished by the return of Carlos Boozer from injury for Duke.\nNo. 2 Kentucky vs. No. 6 USC -- Both teams are on hot streaks, each having won its last five games. The Trojans put in nearly flawless performances against Oklahoma State and Boston College and will need much of the same against Kentucky. An interesting battle is likely to ensue between power forwards Sam Clancy of USC and Tayshaun Prince of Kentucky. USC's inconsistency (they lost to Arizona 105-61 at home in February) might doom the Trojans.\nMIDWEST\nNo. 1 Illinois vs. No. 4 Kansas -- Both teams have swept off their first two opponents as if they were Twinkie crumbs. When they meet on Friday night, they might provide one of the most exciting and evenly matched games of the entire tourney. Big Ten Player of the Year Frank Williams is expected to carry the weight for the Illini. Kansas frontcourt of Drew Gooden, Nick Collison and Kenny Gregory will need to excel to keep the Jayhawks alive.\nNo. 2 Arizona vs. No. 3 Ole Miss -- These teams are essentially two opposites. The Wildcats feature a star-studded starting lineup, while the Rebels feature 10 interchangeable players that can tire a team down. But in the end, the Rebs' success will hinge on the play of center Rahim Lockhart as he matches up against Loren Woods. But Arizona has not lost in more than a month. \nSOUTH\nNo. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 12 Gonzaga -- For the third consecutive year, the Zags have worked their way into the Sweet 16. The Spartans are attempting to make the Final Four for the third consecutive year. Gonzaga will need huge production from its leaders, point guard Dan Dickau and power forward Casey Calvary. It will also need to find a way to guard MSU's Jason Richardson and Zach Randolph.\nNo. 7 Penn State vs. No. 11 Temple -- Both teams needed big wins in their conference tournaments to get invitations to the "Big Dance." Temple has been able to stifle opponents with coach John Chaney's renowned match-up zone defense. Penn State has ridden hot shooting and defense for its longest tournament appearance since 1955. If Temple's Quincy Wadley can match the Nittany Lions' Joe Crispin in a game where the majority of points will come from three-point land, the Owls should be able to fly into the Elite Eight.