Duke vs Baylor Memphis Region Preview

from Commercial Appeal

No. 2 Duke vs. No. 4 Baylor

Time: 6 p.m., FedExForum

Records: Baylor 26-9, Duke 30-5

Starting lineups:

Duke -- F Joy Cheek (10 ppg, 5.9 rpg), F Bridgette Mitchell (8.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg), C Krystal Thomas (7.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg), G Keturah Jackson (5.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg), G Jasmine Thomas (16 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.1 apg)

Baylor -- G Kelli Griffin (7.9 ppg, 5.2 apg), G Shanay Washington (7.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg), G Melissa Jones (10.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg), F Morghan Medlock (9.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg), Brittney Griner (18.4 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 6.2 blocks)

The buzz: This is the first meeting between the two teams. Baylor is looking for a return trip the Final Four, where it won the 2005 national championship, defeating Michigan State, which at the time was coached by Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie. The Blue Devils are playing in their eighth regional final in the past 13 seasons. Both squads are among the nation's top rebounding teams with Duke out-rebounding its foes by an average of 9.1 and Baylor out-rebounding opponents by 8 a game. Baylor 6-8 freshman Brittney Griner has blocked 24 shots in her last two games.

Quotable: "Obviously, she poses a different challenge because of her height. But with the schedule we've played, I've played against some of the best posts in the country. It's just another opponent, another game, another day." -- Duke center Krystal Thomas on facing Griner.