The Latest on the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, with games Thursday night in Anaheim, California, and Lousiville, Kentucky (all times Eastern):
6:30 p.m.
When Matt Thomas was a prep star in Wisconsin, he was recruited by Iowa State and Virginia. The 6-foot-4 guard opted for the Cyclones, playing a key role in their run to their second Sweet 16 in three years.
Next up for Thomas and company are ... the Cavaliers, and coach Tony Bennett. The teams meet Friday in the Midwest Regional.
''It was the same thing as Iowa State,'' Thomas said of his recruitment. ''They got on me pretty early, coach Bennett, and I built a real good relationship with them and their coaching staff and I went out there on a visit. But obviously I'm a Cyclone now and that doesn't mean anything to me anymore.''
Thomas, a junior averaging 10.9 points, said proximity to his hometown of Onalaska made a difference in his choice.
''A big difference was just the travel,'' he said. ''It was a little too far. I wanted to be somewhere where my friends and family could come watch me play.''
--Jay Cohen reporting from Chicago
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6 p.m.
Tip-off time for the Sweet 16 is getting close.
There are four games on the schedule Thursday night, starting with the South Regional semifinal between second-seeded Villanova and third-seeded Miami. They tip at 7:10 p.m. Eastern, and when they're done, top seed Kansas will take the floor against fifth-seeded Maryland. The winners meet Saturday for a trip to the Final Four.
In the West, it will be the nation's second-leading scorer, Buddy Hield, leading No. 2 Oklahoma against No. 3 Texas A&M at 7:37 p.m., followed by No. 1 Oregon against the defending national champions, fourth-seeded Duke.
The Midwest and East Regionals are Friday, with North Carolina, Virginia, Gonzaga and Syracuse among those in action.
