Sunday's East Regional Games

No. 7 Butler (30-3) vs. No. 2 Tennessee (30-4)

1:30 p.m., Birmingham, Ala.

The 411: Rarely do you get a matchup of 30-victory teams in the second round. Butler advanced to the Sweet 16 last season. The Volunteers last made the Sweet 16 in 2000.

The strategy: Butler’s passing sliced and diced South Alabama’s defense (such as it was) in the first round. If they’re on target Sunday, the Bulldogs could use the Volunteers’ pressure defense to their advantage. Pressing teams gamble and can get out of position; crisp passing can exploit that. Tennessee has better depth and will try to use its size and strength to limit Butler’s second shots.

The key players: Butler’s A.J. Graves vs. Tennessee’s Chris Lofton. These are two of the best shooters in the country. Graves scores off the dribble more often than Lofton who has never met a 3-point shot he wouldn’t take.

No. 6 Oklahoma (22-11) vs. No. 3 Louisville (25-8)

4 p.m., Birmingham, Ala.

The 411: No. 6 seeds are 66-30 in first-round games. 35 of the 63 (going into this tournament) No. 6 seeds that won in the first round advanced to the Sweet 16.

The strategy: The Sooners need to get their post players (Blake Griffin and Longar Longar) involved in the offense. When OU scores inside or kicks the ball out for open perimeter shots, it can be difficult to stop. Louisville employs a similar strategy with 6-11 center David Padgett (who started his career at Kansas). When Padgett touches the ball, good things happen. The Cardinals will try to pressure Oklahoma’s guards.

The key players: Louisville’s David Padgett vs. Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin. Two post players who are crucial to their teams’ success. Padgett, a senior, doesn’t score much but he’s efficient with the shots he attempts. He’s also a deft passer. Griffin can be a powerful force in the low post and also is good at finding the open man when double-teamed.

No. 9 Arkansas (23-11) vs. No. 1 North Carolina (33-2)

4:15 p.m., Raleigh, N.C.

The 411: The Tar Heels have lost once in the second round as a No. 1 seed (to ninth-seeded Boston College in 1994). North Carolina coach Roy Williams, when he coached Kansas, twice lost in the second round as a No. 1 seed. Arkansas’ first-round defeat of Indiana was the Razorbacks’ first NCAA Tournament victory since 1999.

The strategy: Arkansas has four bigs they can use to slow North Carolina low-post force Tyler Hansbrough. “Psycho T” is used to drawing double teams. The key for the Razorbacks will be to defend him without fouling. He gets to the line about 10 times per game. North Carolina will try to push the ball to get easy baskets. The Tar Heels need to limit Arkansas’ outside shooting; the Hogs were 8-for-17 against Indiana in the first round.

The key players: North Carolina’s Wayne Ellington vs. Arkansas’ Sonny Weems. Ellington is the Tar Heels’ main threat from the perimeter. If he scores, North Carolina can be hard to guard in the half-court. Weems had 31 against Indiana and has been on a scoring roll.