TODAY AT LEXINGTON, KY.

Duke vs. Indiana: Who’s a Rupp Arena regular to cheer for? Kentucky fans hate Duke. (Think Christian Laettner, with his miracle shot in the 1992 East Regional final.) Indiana’s not a much better option. “Well, I love Kentucky,” Hoosier Coach Mike Davis said, trying to woo fans to his side. “They’re my favorite team other than Indiana. I hope they make it to the Final Four.... They don’t like Indiana and they don’t like Duke, but I hope their hatred for Duke is more than it is for Indiana.” Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski feigned obliviousness. “I see all these ‘K’ flags all around,” he said. “I thought they were for me.” Most definitely not--though Kentucky got the better of Duke in their last NCAA meeting, another regional final in 1998. Duke is even using the Kentucky locker room during its stay in Lexington. “It’s really weird,” Mike Dunleavy said. “It’s the right color.... but coming in here sitting in Tayshaun Prince’s and Keith Bogans’ lockers, it’s a little strange.” Duke and Indiana last met in the NCAA tournament in the 1992 Final Four in a Duke semifinal victory, but some of these players know each other well. Jared Jeffries, the Hoosiers’ 6-foot-10 star, also considered Duke. “He’s a great kid and a terrific player. I got to know him when he came to visit,” said Dunleavy, who has the same sort of inside-outside skills. Davis was still working on swaying Kentucky fans. “I apologize if I’ve ever said anything to offend any Kentucky fan. I let my little boy wear blue sometimes,” he said. “We need all the help we can get.... I just want to make it very clear that I do love Kentucky.”

Pittsburgh vs. Kent State: The Golden Flashes are obvious underdogs--a 10th-seeded team going against a No. 3. But should they be? Kent State defeated No. 7 Oklahoma State and No. 2 Alabama in the first two rounds. “They are a very, very good team,” Pittsburgh Coach Ben Howland said. “They are very well-coached. They really execute on the offensive end. They play great defense. They have beaten two very good teams in this tournament.” He also likes Kent State guard Trevor Huffman. “He could play for anybody in the country,” Howland said. Like Pittsburgh, Kent State starts a relatively small lineup. Only center Nate Gerwig, at 6-foot-9, is over 6-5. Pittsburgh’s big men are 6-7 Chevon Troutman and 6-8 Donatas Zavackas. Pittsburgh plays bruising defense, giving up only 60 points a game, but Kent State has two good scorers in Huffman and 5-11, 150-pound Andrew Mitchell. Pittsburgh’s Brandin Knight is impressed. “I don’t know how many games they have to win for people to realize they are not a Cinderella,” he said. Knight said his right quadriceps injury still hurts, but doesn’t affect his play. “I’m still playing with a little pain, but once you get in the game, all thoughts about my leg are out the window,” he said. Pittsburgh and Kent State had similar results against common opponents Robert Morris and Illinois State. Pittsburgh beat Robert Morris, 86-62, and Illinois State, 65-46. Kent State beat Robert Morris, 83-55, and Illinois State, 61-48.