Sweet 16 mixes some surprise teams with chalk favorites. Here's 16 numbers to know about next round
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1:59 AM on Monday, March 23
By ERIC OLSON
The regional semifinals, better known as the Sweet 16, are up next in the NCAA Tournament.
The fun restarts Thursday, and here are 16 numbers to know to help you get ready:
Duke is the seventh straight No. 1 overall seed to advance to the Sweet 16. The Blue Devils also were the overall No. 1 in 2019 and 2025.
National championships won by UConn's Alex Karaban, the only player remaining from the Huskies' 2023 and 2024 title teams.
Number of times border rivals Iowa and Nebraska will square off this season. The Hawkeyes won 57-52 in Iowa City on Feb. 17 and the Cornhuskers won 84-75 in overtime in Lincoln on March 8. This will be the biggest of the 45 all-time meetings.
Average 3-pointers per game by Iowa State sharpshooter Milan Momcilovic, who leads the nation in accuracy from deep at 49.3%.
All five Michigan starters scored in double figures in a second-round win over Saint Louis, the first time that's happened in 59 games since a win at Southern California last season.
30-point games by Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr., most among players in the Sweet 16. He had 36 in a second-round win over High Point.
Houston's consecutive appearances in the Sweet 16, the longest active streak. The Cougars are still looking for their first national championship after losing in the 2025 title game.
30-win seasons for Arizona. The Wildcats would match their single-season record of 35 wins if they beat Arkansas.
Average assists per game by Braden Smith of Purdue. Smith has had at least a dozen assists in eight games, including a career high-matching 16 against Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament. He holds the NCAA career record with 1,083.
Illinois' appearances in the Sweet 16, including two in the last three years. The Illini haven't won a regional since 2005, when they reached the national championship game.
Texas' seed, making the Longhorns the highest-seeded team in the Sweet 16 since Princeton made it as a No. 15 in 2023. The Longhorns are the sixth First Four team, and first since 2021, to advance this far.
Alabama has made at least a dozen 3-pointers in 21 games. The Crimson Tide hit 19 in a 90-65 second-round win over Texas Tech.
Duke's consecutive wins, the nation's longest active streak. The Blue Devils also have had 10- and 11-game winning streaks this season.
Sweet 16 appearances for St. John's coach Rick Pitino in 25 career NCAA Tournaments. It's the Red Storm's first regional semifinal since 1999.
Tennessee's average offensive rebounds per game, most among remaining teams. The Volunteers are grabbing 45% of the possible rebounds on their offensive end, on track to be the third-highest rate in the nation since 2000, according to KenPom.
Iowa State's turnovers forced per game, most among remaining teams. Tamin Lipsey leads the Big 12 Conference with 76 steals and is the Cyclones' career leader.
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This story has been corrected to show that the year of Illinois' most recent regional title was 2005, not 1989.
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
