SWEET 16 RESULTS (ALL-TIME 5)

WEST REGION

(1) Lanphier 3, (4) Riverton 0 (at Jacksonville Bowl)

Lions advance to Elite 8 unscathed

How the draw played out: LHS, LHS, LHS

Tickets in the pot: 11:1 Lanphier advantage

Lanphier: Fan vote 3, Chalk 3, GV 3, Chaos 2

Riverton: Chaos 1

Fan vote: Lanphier 235, Riverton 136

Analysis: Lanphier flexes its muscle yet again. The crowd at the Jacksonville Bowl was rabid, and the Lions fed off of that energy. Riverton's front line gives every ounce of juice it has defensively, but it's not enough. The Hawks keep it respectable all game but it's a double-digit win for the top team in the field.

MVP: With Riverton's strength up front, this game was all about transition, and Jeff Walker rose to the occasion. This was his game to announce to the younger fans on hand that he is a monster. He pulled up from the logo in the mid-first quarter and Riverton knew it was going to be that kind of game.

X-Factor: Guards Xavier Bishop and Larry Austin, Jr. were a significant part of that gameplan as well, pushing the pace and keeping the team's foot on the gas with the first wave of starters out.

(3) Jacksonville 2, (2) Springfield High 1

Crimsons beat odds, knock off Senators in Springfield

How the draw played out: JAX, SPR, JAX

Tickets in the pot: 8:2 Springfield High advantage

Springfield High: Fan vote 3, Chalk 1, GV 3, Chaos 1

Jacksonville: Chaos 2

Fan vote: Springfield High 189, Jacksonville 164

Analysis: The Senators controlled the fan vote, chalk, GV's pick and even one of the chaos tickets. Done deal, right? The Crimsons, meanwhile, earned just a flicker of hope with two chaos tickets. Despite those 8:2 odds, that flicker fanned into a flame and then eventually a blaze. This. Is. March. (or April.) Game, Crimsons. In terms of odds, this was as long a shot to come through as any upset in this tournament.

MVP: Coach Mel Roustio was tabbed by the staff to come up with the defensive gameplan, and he hit a home run. The name of the game was to get creative in mitigating Springfield High's size advantage with NBA center Dave Robisch (Kansas) and All-Big forward Tom Cole (Michigan) down low. He did just that, while Andy Kaufmann (Illinois) and Ron Coleman (Ole Miss) combined for 55 points to lead the way offensively. PGs Louis Armstrong (Northern Iowa) and Crest Whitaker (SIU/UNT, NFL) played the crucial role of pushing the pace and keeping Springfield High on its heels defensively.

X-Factor: There's no upset if the Crimsons' bench doesn't come through defensively. They proved their depth as lengthy forwards Chad Ormiston (Minnesota), Ron Fairfield (Memphis), Rick Conn (Wichita State) and Marty Perry (Valparaiso, SIUE) rotated in to help trap Springfield High's big men and exert maximum defensive effort so that Kaufmann could focus offensively. Forward Duane Mounts, a starting-caliber player, also provided a key scoring burst off the bench.

SOUTH REGION RESULTS

(1) Stephen Decatur 3, (4) Southeast 0 (at Millikin University)

Stephen Decatur fends off Southeast's upset bid

How the draw played out: SD, SE, SD

Tickets in the pot: 11:1 Stephen Decatur

Stephen Decatur: Fan vote 3, Chalk 3, GV 3, Chaos 2

Southeast: 1

Fan vote: Stephen Decatur 226, Southeast 130

Analysis: Never count out any team coached by Lawrence "LT" Thomas -- that's the moral of the story. His team went down 15 and he didn't shed one drop of sweat. Then a rally keyed by four steals from the long-armed McKay Smith in the second quarter gave the Spartans a five-point lead at the half. (An 11:1 ticket advantage turned into a 2-1 sweat-it-out win!)

MVP: Another team effort from the Runnin' Reds. This is a team that takes turns having someone lead the way with 14 points. Today it was big Dave Scholz who had the most success against a below-averaged-sized Spartan front line. 14 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists from the Illini (and NBA) big man.

X-Factor: 1960s All-Stater Charles Curry had a vertical leap that has approached Paul Bunyan levels of lore. (Was it really near 50 inches?) Whatever the number, today he showed how he can use it. 8 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals and suffocating defense on some of Southeast's elite guards.

(3) Effingham 3, (7) Teutopolis 0 (at Taylorville High School)

Hearts keep Shoes at bay in heated Backyard Brawl

How the draw played out: EHS, EHS, EHS

Tickets in the pot: 12:1 Effingham

Southeast: Fan vote 3, Chalk 4, GV 3, Chaos 2

Teutopolis: Chaos 1

Fan vote: Effingham 330, Teutopolis 250

Analysis: The atmosphere was electric. 10/10. The gym was packed to the brim, half red, half gold and blue. Tyler Repking was there shooting three total hours of footage. It was everything you could ask for. The Hearts just were a little bit better in every category today.

MVP: PG Roger Arnold (Minnesota) was at his very best, as was second team PG Jim Jansen (UNLV). Arnold's passing unleashed the full offensive potential of this Hearts lineup. Back door cuts, jumpers off screens. Arnold found them all. He had 12 assists and Jansen added 5 off the bench.

X-Factor: 1991 graduate Ryan Grant (SLU) showed that the Hearts' big men don't end with the Twin Towers -- he provided a key third big body defensively and contributed 7 rebounds and 2 blocks.

NORTH REGION RESULTS

(1) Lincoln 3, (4) Rantoul 0 (at Clinton H.S.)

Lincoln takes care of business against red-hot Rantoul.

How the draw played out: LIN, LIN, LIN

Tickets in the pot: 11:1 Lincoln

Lincoln: Fan vote 3, Chalk 3, GV 3, Chaos 2

Maroa-Forsyth: Chaos 1

Fan vote: Lincoln 379, Rantoul 65 (Lincoln has most votes for the second time)

Analysis: Lincoln's press forced Rantoul into issues despite some positive individual performances from the Eagles' Kareem Richardson and Blake Schilb. But the Railers had too much length, too much size, too much shooting. The Eagles' elite backcourt does its best but Lincoln advances to Redbird Arena.

MVP: The Railers will continue to work their size advantage until someone shows that they can stop them. Last game it was Brian Cook (Illinois, NBA) going off, today it was his dad Norm Cook (Kansas, NBA) leading with an efficient 20 points and 10 rebounds.

X-Factor: One of the original Railer stars Seymour Reed (Bradley) reminded everyone why he was a High School All-American in 1970 and also why he is the namesake of the program's defensive player of the year award. 14 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks.

(3) MacArthur 2, (7) Warrensburg-Latham 1 (at Roy S. Anderson Gym in Lincoln)

Cardinals push Generals to the brink but Cinderella run ends

How the draw played out: MAC, MAC, WL

Tickets in the pot: 7:6 MacArthur (! - upset alert)

MacArthur: Chalk 4, GV 3

Warrensburg-Latham: Fan vote 3, Chaos 3

Fan vote: Warrensburg-Latham 231, MacArthur 210

Analysis: We have a Cinderella knocking on the door of the Elite 8 ballroom! The No. 7-seeded Cardinals weren't done after knocking off No. 2 seed Centennial, coming into the Sweet 16 against MacArthur with loads of confidence. They forced a virtually even 7:6 drawing scenario thanks to the fan vote and a remarkable 3/3 in the chaos coin flip. March Madness! (In April!) The Cardinals once again spaced the floor, worked ball movement and got enough three-point shots to keep this close heading into the fourth quarter.

MVP: SF Cortez Bond was too much to handle down the stretch. He had 16 points and 6 rebounds, but 8 of those points came in the fourth quarter when the Generals needed juice.

X-Factor: With the team in a rut, Kip and Kita Jones started the second half and worked their Gus Macker magic to turn the tides for MacArthur. The versatile forwards did a little bit of everything: score, rebound, pass, defend. Just what the team needed when Warrensburg-Latham threatened to snatch the Elite 8 bid.

EAST REGION RESULTS

(4) Mt. Zion 2, (1) Champaign Central 1 (at Parkland College)

Braves fans blow roof off of gym, Mt. Zion completes come-from-behind upset of No. 1 Maroons

How the draw played out: CRL, MTZ, MTZ

Tickets in the pot: 7:5 Central

Central: Fan vote 3, Chalk 3, Chaos 1

Mt. Zion: GV 3, Chaos 2

Fan vote: Central 239, Mt. Zion 213

Analysis: Down does the first No. 1 seed. Central might win a best of five series convincingly, but this was just one game and Mt. Zion played basically a perfect  last three quarters to pull off the upset.

MVP: The early 2000s crew took over this one. Neil Plank (Wisconsin, Illinois State) showed off his athleticism in transition and led the way with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals. Between the Yelovich Bros. and Sams Bros. the Braves proved that they had enough size to hold their own against the high-flying Maroons' front line.

X-Factor: Guards Caleb and Colby Long (w/o Southern Illinois) hit back-to-back threes in the late third quarter that finally gave the Braves the lead after they chipped away slowly at a 12-point first quarter deficit.

(2) Danville 3, (6) Mahomet-Seymour 0 (at Combes Gym)

Vikings don't leave anything to chance in resounding win over upset-minded Mahomet-Seymour

How the draw played out: DAN, DAN, DAN

Tickets in the pot: 13:0

Danville: Fan Vote 3, Chalk 4, GV 3, Chaos 3

Mahomet-Seymour: 0

Fan vote: Danville 231, Mahomet-Seymour 158

Analysis: Nobody wants to play Danville right now. The Vikings are still mad about not getting a No. 1 seed, and they're taking it out on teams in this tournament. A dominant win over a trendy upset pick for the second straight week. A 13:0 ticket advantage? Danville isn't playing.

MVP: 6-6 Donte Ingram made clutch plays throughout this game, from tipping balls to set up fast breaks on the other end to hitting a pair of threes when Mahomet-Seymour cut the deficit to single digits in the third quarter. 15 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals.

X-Factor: This was DeMarko Wright's turn to show he belongs in the starting lineup. The star scorer of the 1993 State team showed his full bag of tricks with a 17-point outing to lead the Vikings.