Texas two-step vs. long, tall Ducks.

Byline: Bob Rodman The Register-Guard

SEATTLE - Dynamic duo. Double trouble. Terrific tandem.

The combatants here in the Tempe Region's second round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament are strikingly similar in how they arm themselves.

All season, and probably again tonight when Oregon and Baylor tie one on at 6 o'clock at Bank of America Arena on the University of Washington campus for the tasty ticket to next weekend's Sweet 16.

"It's definitely an advantage for them and I'm sure they will play to the strength of their game," Baylor guard Chameka Scott said of the six Ducks who stand 6-feet-2 or taller.

"I don't think I've seen so many big players on one team," Baylor coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson said.

"They will present a problem for us."

The Ducks, seeded 10th and 21-9, lean mightily on the twosome of 6-4 forward Cathrine Kraayeveld and 6-3 center Andrea Bills, a couple of all-Pac-10 Conference seniors.

Baylor, seeded second, winner of 15 straight games and 28-3, turns often, willingly and with much success to 6-2 senior post Steffanie Blackmon and 6-1 junior forward Sophia Young, the latter the Big 12 player of the year.

"Blackmon and Young are incredibly quick ... when they cut and screen, and they can both put the ball on the floor," UO coach Bev Smith said.

"They will put a premium on our post defense. They will get their points and their looks, but we must challenge them and not give them any second chances."

A bruising, 40-minute fight could be ahead for the game that precedes the Kansas City Region second-round game matching fourth-seeded Kansas State and fifth-seeded Vanderbilt. Both games will be televised live on ESPN2.

"I think down low it's going to be a battle, just like it was against Sandora (Irvin, in Oregon's win over TCU in the first round)," Bills said.

"But this time, it's two people."

Baylor's Blackmon and Young have combined for staggering career totals of 3,512 points and 1,851 rebounds.

Kraayeveld and Bills have had an equally impressive impact for the Ducks, teaming to score 2,341 career points and 1,587 rebounds.

This season alone, the Oregon pair - playing in their first NCAA Tournament - have accounted for 41 percent of the team's rebounds and 40 percent of its points.

Baylor's Blackmon and Young have been responsible for 44 percent of the team's rebounds and points.

"They can pass as guards every now and then," Bears point guard Chelsea Whitaker. "They're so fast. They can run the floor, beat the guards down the floor sometimes.

"Their strength is running, finding each other, feeding each other the ball and good defense."

The tandems are two of three active duos this season who have combined for more than 700 rebounds and 1,000 points in their careers. The third pair also is in town, Kansas State's Kendra Wecker and Megan Mahoney, though the latter is injured.

But there are differences between the Baylor strong-arms and Oregon's.

"They have the speed," Bills said, "but I think we can bang a bit more down low."

Kraayeveld spoke of reversing Baylor's penchant for running.

"It's important for us to slow things down a little bit, to control the tempo."

Is it possible the opposing inside players will neutralize themselves?

"We start with our post players because they're the bread and butter of our team," Whitaker said, "... but you never know which guard or combination of guards are going to go off."

Mulkey-Robertson agreed.

"Our two post players are pretty good, but they will only be as good as the guards around them," she said.

The Ducks understand.

"They are quick and athletic," Smith said of Young and Blackmon, "but we have length and experience. Maybe we can negate some things."

One thing is for sure.

"We need to knock down some outside shots to relieve the pressure on the inside game," Smith said.

And one other thing seems for sure.

"They are not going to change for Baylor," Mulkey-Robertson said, "and we are not going to change for Oregon."

The Bears are favored. By how much is anybody's guess. They are outscoring opponents by more than 13 points a game, shoot 46 percent from the field and 42 percent from the three-point line and outrebound opponents by nearly eight a game.

"People don't expect much from us and we come out play well," Bills said. "It puts us on the map."

Are you ready for round No. 1?

OREGON VS. BAYLOR

6 p.m. at Bank of America Arena. TV: ESPN2. Radio: KUGN-AM (590).

CAPTION(S):

Bev Smith's Ducks shoot for the Sweet 16 tonight against Baylor. "They are quick and athletic, but we have length and experience. Maybe we can negate some things." - BEV SMITH, UO COACH ON BAYLOR PLAYERS Ted S. Warren / The Associated Press Baylor's Abiola Wabara (left) dives for a loose ball against Illinois State's Ashley Sandstead in the Bears' first-round victory Saturday that set up tonight's battle in Seattle with Oregon. Ted S. Warren / The Associated Press Kim Mulkey-Robertson and this is light text and this is more light text Kim Mulkey-Robertson has Baylor in the NCAA Tournament a fourth time.