Cinderella got stood up at the dance and was last seen hitching back to Rock Hill, S.C., or Tulsa, Okla., or Cincinnati or wherever small schools with big hopes go to brood over the spring.
Don’t count on Nevada-Las Vegas, the lowest remaining seed at No. 7, or Southern Illinois and their yapping pack of Egyptian dogs to morph into George Mason.
All four top seeds remain and all but Ohio State are flying toward Atlanta at warp speed.
Texas A&M and UCLA play in their home state, so Memphis and Pittsburgh be warned: Since 1980, NCAA Tournament teams playing in their home state are 70-15.
So if you fell in love with Cinderella and she trashed your bracket as well as your heart, pull out a cold one and watch a wild Sweet 16 with no office pool to worry about.
Here’s a closer look at the four regionals:
West
Pittsburgh or Westwood? Which would you choose? Ben Howland chose to leave Pitt for UCLA four years ago and has soaked up the sun since. Thursday he has an unfriendly reunion with a Pitt team that has the tools to give UCLA problems.
UCLA’s one weakness might be inside depth and defense, and 7-foot Aaron Gray is 4 inches taller than the Bruins’ biggest starter. And 6-8 UCLA center Alfred Aboye, playing out of position, is in frequent foul trouble.
Also, the programs have a wee bit different pedigree. UCLA has a record 11 national titles; Pitt never has reached the Elite Eight.
If anyone can slow Kansas, Southern Illinois can. The Salukis could slow down a dog race. Tony Young, Bryan Mullins and Jamaal Tatum are real tough on the perimeter, but Kansas is playing on another planet.
The Jayhawks have gotten over their first-round yips and have won 13 straight, dominating a Kentucky team with 57 percent shooting. Kansas led the Big 12 in shooting and shooting defense, which is a pretty good ticket to the Final Four.
If Southern Illinois can’t make this a half-court game, it won’t be close.
“They have a lot of weapons,” Kentucky coach Tubby Smith said of Kansas. “You have to play close to a flawless game at both ends of the court.”
South
Ohio State needed a Ron Lewis 3-pointer with 11.2 seconds left to nip Tennessee in their game Jan. 13, 68-66. That was when Greg Oden played with virtually one hand. His hand is better, but he has yet to take charge offensively and nearly cost the Buckeyes their second-round win over Xavier as his fifth foul with nine seconds left should have been intentional.
While Oden was instrumental in helping break a Tennessee press that forced 20 turnovers, the farther the Volunteers can get him from the basket the better.
“Those are the cards we had to play,” Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl said after beating Virginia on Sunday. “My guess is, I don’t know how many more adjustments I’m going to be able to make.”
Memphis has faced only three quality opponents before hostile crowds: It lost at Tennessee, 76-58, and at Arizona, 79-71, and beat Gonzaga at the city’s Spokane Arena, 78-77.
Despite Memphis’ marshmallow Conference USA, it plays great defense, is less selfish than a year ago and is real physical. It outrebounded No. 7-seeded Nevada, with All-American and Ralston Valley grad Nick Fazekas, 40-30.
“He didn’t want to bang inside,” Memphis center Joey Dorsey said. “He wanted to step out on the perimeter.”
However, this game will be won on the perimeter, where Acie Law IV is already an NBA slasher and underrated Dominique Kirk has scored 37 points in two games.
One red flag: Memphis’ leading scorer, Chris Douglas-Roberts, sprained his ankle Sunday against Nevada.
Midwest
This Sweet 16 is still too wide open for anyone to think it’s merely a coronation for Florida, especially since it has trailed at halftime in 11 games.
Butler plays too patiently to stretch a lead, but no team in the country is smarter. It leads the nation in fewest turnovers. It also won’t be intimidated. It has already defeated NCAA tourney teams Tennessee, Notre Dame and Maryland.
However, it’s advised that Butler star A.J. Graves break a 9-for-34 shooting slump.
How the Bulldogs will defend Florida with no starter taller than 6-7 is anyone’s guess. The Gators are the most-balanced team in the tournament, and 6-11 Joakim Noah and 6-10 Al Horford remember how they won it all a year ago.
Then again, Oregon has made it this far without a big inside presence, thanks to a lightning-quick backcourt and 9.4 3-pointers a game.
UNLV doesn’t have a towering inside game but 6-6 Wendell White plays big. If Kevin Kruger, who found a loophole in the rules for graduated players and transferred from Arizona State this season, avoids his 0-for-8 day versus Georgia Tech, the Rebels have a chance.
Their backcourt, however, had better be quick on defense.
East
Southern California won’t look up to North Carolina except when shaking hands. Coach Tim Floyd held his own against Carolina’s Roy Williams when the two were in the Big 12 and old Big Eight, and Floyd’s NBA experience has rubbed off on his Trojans.
Floyd knows how to shut down an opponent’s best player. When was the last time Texas’ Kevin Durant was a nonfactor? But who does Floyd shut down on North Carolina? Tyler Hansbrough has exploded since taking off his mask, Ty Lawson is one of the fastest point guards in the nation and Brandan Wright might become one of the best Tar Heels ever.
But Carolina is young and plays like it; USC is a veteran team and plays like it, too.
“I like messing up people’s brackets,” USC’s Gabe Pruitt said.
No one is talking about Georgetown much, but the Hoyas are bringing back memories of the mid-1980s teams without the hype or hatred. Jeff Green is the Big East player of the year and Roy Hibbert causes a few matchup problems at 7-2.
This team is tough, smart and disciplined. John Thompson’s kid has done good.
Vanderbilt, meanwhile, is a bunch of gunners who can play defense. More than 40 percent of their shot attempts are 3-pointers, with Derrick Byars, the Southeastern Conference player of the year, leading the way.
Don’t expect Georgetown to give them many good looks.
Staff writer John Henderson can be reached at 303-954-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com.
