Murray State’s KJ Williams, center front, goes to the basket against Saint Peter’s KC Ndefo.

The Sweet 16 round of the men’s basketball NCAA March Madness tournament is upon us, with each team believing this year is their year.

West Region Semifinals

1. Gonzaga vs. 4. Arkansas

Thurs., 6:09 p.m., on CBS

The Zags and the Hogs meet in what has all the recipes of an instant classic. Gonzaga is on the pursuit of Mark Few’s ever-elusive first national title, but have established themselves as perennial Sweet 16 participants as the “Duke of the West.”

Though struggling at times during their first two tournament games versus Ga. State and Memphis, they are the No. 1 team in the whole tournament for a reason. Furthermore, it should scare other teams that they made it this far without playing near their best basketball.

Arkansas is playing well – despite their two closer-than-predicted games versus Vermont and New Mexico State – and are representing an SEC that has been depleted and defeated in this year’s March Madness. Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Tennessee and LSU are all gone. The Hogs are the last ones remaining from the conference.

2. Duke vs. 3. Texas Tech

Thurs., 8:39 p.m., on CBS

The prospect of Coach K continuing his final dance and Duke facing “Duke of the West” in the Elite Eight is an exciting scenario.

However, they have to get through a very tough Red Raiders team that, like Gonzaga and Duke, are becoming regulars in the Sweet 16.

Despite former head coach Chris Beard leaving for Texas, the program keeps marching on. They have won more tournament games the past half-decade than in their entire program’s history before then. Counting them out would be short-sighted.

East Region Semifinals

8. N. Carolina vs. 4. UCLA

Friday, 8:39 p.m., on CBS

No one wants to see North Carolina right now. After demolishing Marquette by 32 points, they defeated No. 1 seed Baylor in Forth Worth, Texas, in an overtime affair.

They were up by as much as 25 points, when Brady Manek, who was cooking the Bears all morning, was ejected from the game. The run Baylor went on was almost sequential with Manek’s ejection.

However, they held on, putting together one of the more impressive Sweet 16 resumes – with a blowout and defeating a No. 1 seed.

They face the UCLA Bruins, in the Sweet 16 for the second straight season and a Final Four team from the previous season.

While the Bruins aren’t getting much press, they destroyed the No. 5 seed St. Mary’s in the Round of 32.

3. Purdue vs. 15. St. Peter’s

Friday, 6:09 p.m., on CBS

The Purdue Boilermakers get the privilege of facing this year’s Cinderella team in St. Peter’s.

Though they are a No. 15 seed in the tournament, their coach, Shaheen Holloway, has been very vocal that their team is comprised of players from New York and New Jersey, and, therefore, do not fear anybody.

However, the Peacocks will have their hands full with one of the best Big 10 teams of the season, with one of the best players in the tournament: Purdue’s Jaden Ivey.

Purdue trounced No. 14 Yale and went down to the wire with No. 6 Texas. St. Peter’s defeated No. 2 seed Kentucky in the Round of 64 before upsetting No. 7 seed Murray State as well in the Round of 32.

South Region Semifinals

1. Arizona vs. 5 Houston

Thurs., 8:59 p.m., on TBS

This is another game that has “instant classic” written all over it.

Arizona has only lost three games all year, in a season where they competed for the top overall seed of the entire tournament. On their run to the Sweet 16, they defeated a chippy No. 16 Wright State team and pulled away late from an even chippier No. 9 TCU team.

The Houston Cougars, despite losing multiple key players throughout the season, continue to prove they are becoming regulars in the Sweet 16, after their Final Four run from the previous season. The only No. 5 seed remaining in the tournament, they have impressed along the way – defeating No. 12 UAB handily before also looking good against No. 4 Illinois in a 68 to 53 victory.

The Cougars are quickly becoming a popular team to pick for the Final Four. However, Arizona is no joke, and are led by one of the hottest players in the country: Bennedict Mathurin.

11. Mich. vs. 2. Villanova

Thurs., 6:29 p.m., on TBS

The Wolverines and the Wildcats are both becoming shoe-ins for the Sweet 16 every year. Michigan comes into the game with the worst record out of all the tournament teams, but also have a pedigree of winning when March rolls around, which they have proven once again with their victories over No. 6 seed Colo. State in the first round and No. 3 seed Tennessee in the second.

They take on Villanova, winner of two championships since 2016 and one of the favorites to win it all once again.

Midwest Region Semifinals

1. Kansas vs. 4. Providence

Friday, 6:29 p.m., on TBS

This is a battle of two of the most impressive teams so far in the tournament, with the Providence Friars arguably being the most impressive so far.

On their way to the Sweet 16, Providence has knocked off No. 13 South Dakota State by nine points and No. 12 Richmond by 28 points.

For the Jayhawks, they have defeated the likes of No. 16 Texas Southern by 17 points and No. 9 Creighton by five points.

10. Miami vs. 11 Iowa St.

Friday, 8:59 p.m., on TBS

This is the matchup of the Sweet 16 that no one saw coming.

With Miami upsetting both No. 7 USC and No. 2 Auburn, their confidence is flying high with an experienced bunch.

Iowa State got to this point by upsetting No. 6 LSU, playing without their recently fired coach Will Wade, before defeating No. 3 Wisconsin, holding them to their lowest point total of the season, with 49.

With a double-digit seed guaranteed to face a Top-four seed in the Elite Eight, this region will be one to watch not only in this round, but the next round as well.