You remember the last time they met on hardwood, the time when the gray-haired basketball coach bounced up and down in a celebratory dance and tweaked his hamstring?

Pain never felt so good to Roy Williams.

That was nearly nine months ago, the day Kansas took out Oregon 104-86 in an Elite Eight game of the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks were just better then, better and bigger.

	Oregon will need a better effort from Luke Jackson than his NCAA game against Kansas if the Ducks are to win Saturday's rematch.

Don't be so sure this time.

The rematch of that up-and-down, score-until-you-drop affair is Saturday at the Rose Garden in Portland, where the No. 6 Ducks (4-0) host the No. 13 Jayhawks (3-2).

Things have gone as planned for Oregon early this season, meaning it is still scoring points (an average of 92) easier than most rise from bed in the morning. The same can't be said for Kansas, which opened the season ranked No. 2 and quickly dropped Preseason NIT games to Florida and North Carolina.

"I was stunned," says Williams. "(Stanford coach) Mike Montgomery told me "Roy, I've seen your teams for 15 years. I've probably seen 50 games and I've never seen a team of yours that little emotionally into it and not being alert and not being as active as they were (against North Carolina).'

"I said, 'I agree with you.' Why did it happen? We've had some meetings and talks trying to figure out why it happened and to make sure it doesn't happen again."

If it happens against Oregon, the score could get ugly.

It's a safe bet the two Lukes -- juniors Ridnour and Jackson -- will play much better than they did last March against Kansas, when the duo combined for more turnovers (11) than field goals (7). Jackson scored just 10 points on 4-of-16 shooting; Ridnour scored nine on 3-of-13 shooting.

Frederick Jones led Oregon that day with 32 points. The electric wing is now gone, and yet the Ducks are back rolling opponents.

"The key thing for us is getting wins and getting better,'' said Oregon coach Ernie Kent. "You don't get too up, you don't get too down. You just get ready for the next one.

"If we can get seven, eight, nine guys on their game, then we have a chance to be real good. With our system, we need that depth and efficiency off the bench."

Kansas guard Kirk Hinrich (strained back) missed a 97-70 rout of Central Missouri State on Wednesday, snapping his consecutive-game streak at 108. But the 6-foot-3 senior will play against Oregon, hoping to slow what can be a devastating backcourt for the Ducks.

Know this: Kansas must be better defensively than it was in the Preseason NIT to have a chance. Drew Gooden no longer controls the middle and dribble penetration has hurt the Jayhawks.

Take the 10-point loss to Florida, when the Gators made 14-of-31 three-pointers. Oregon is just as adept at burying people from the outside, especially when motivated by a gathering dominated by green.

Oregon, meanwhile, needs only remember it was out-rebounded 63-34 in the last meeting with Kansas. The Ducks have been more average than good on the boards so far this season, while Kansas out-rebounded Florida (50-39) and North Carolina (41-28).

"It's a true road game for us, even if it's in the (Rose Garden),'' said Williams. "It's a big-time test. We know that. (Oregon) has some revenge on their minds and they are playing very well and we're not playing as well.

"But we took a step forward (against Central Missouri State) and hopefully we'll take another step forward in practice the next few days. This will have to be our best game of the year for us to have a chance."

Better, maybe, than even last March.

Games of the Week

Arizona at S.D. State Saturday The top-ranked Wildcats play their first road game against an Aztecs team that has underachieved early at 2-2. The Walton family will dominate Cox Arena -- papa Bill will call the game for ESPN, brother Luke and his tender ankle will play for Arizona, and brother Chris will watch as a junior who's redshirting at SDSU. Kansas vs. Oregon Saturday The Ducks have won 20 straight at McArthur Court (the school record is 23), but this game between top 15 teams will be played at the Rose Garden in Portland. The largest crowd in the venue's history is 15,431 for Duke-Portland last year, but already 16,000 tickets have been sold for the Ducks and Jayhawks. USC vs. Missouri Saturday One of two games (the other matches Cal against Georgia) at the Wooden Classic in Anaheim. Missouri is flying high at 3-0, while the Trojans are sputtering at 2-2. If anything, this should offer the Tigers their toughest test yet after wins against American, Austin Peay and Sacramento State. BYU at Creighton Saturday Winning the Paradise Jam away from Provo and then taking out Arizona State in Tempe on Wednesday is quite impressive for the road-weary Cougars of last season, but the Bluejays are a different kind of challenge. The game features two special senior wings in Travis Hansen of BYU and Kyle Korver of Creighton. Both teams are 5-0.

He's a Keep-er
Jason Keep's body is covered with tattoos that identify much of the good and bad to touch his young life. There is one for the stillborn daughter he and wife Sylina lost; one for teammates and friends who died in the Oklahoma State team's plane crash; one for his wife, his best friend, his family.

Good things are happening for the University of San Diego this season, and much of the reason is the team's massive senior center. Keep goes 6-foot-10, 275 pounds and is playing his first and final season for the Toreros after transferring from OSU.

USD, one several West Coast Conference schools to play in the shadows of Gonzaga and Pepperdine for years now, made some national news by beating UCLA in Pauley Pavilion on Nov. 26. Keep dominated at both ends, finishing with 30 points and 16 rebounds.

To date, USD is 3-1 and Keep has averages of 18.5 points and 8.2 boards.

Two years ago, Keep's life was defined by tragedy and personal loss. He needed a fresh start, and has found one in coach Brad Holland's program.

"In nine years, we've had one legitimate center, Tyler Field in (1999-2001)," says Holland. "(Keep) is the second. We thought it would be worth going (two years on scholarship) for one (of eligibility) because of his exceptional size, strength and athletic ability ... This could be the best year of his life -- as a basketball player and as a person."

Keep, 24, is perhaps the X-factor that might allow USD to sneak into the conference title picture alongside the Zags and Waves. For two years now, USD has yet to take advantage of hosting the WCC Tournament. But in Keep, the Toreros have an inside presence that should allow them to get opposing big bodies in foul trouble.

Said Holland, whose team dropped its first game (against visiting Cal State Northridge) on Wednesday: "I'm not going to say we've had a great year if we don't do anything other than beat UCLA. We can't stand still ... There are a lot of things to grow on."

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