Portland, Ore. ? At Oregon, two Lukes are better than one.

âÂÂThey are both good, real good,â Kansas University sophomore guard Michael Lee said of âÂÂLuke squaredâ – Luke Jackson and Luke Ridnour, the top two players on the University of Oregon menâÂÂs basketball team.

âÂÂIf I had to pick one over the other I think I like Luke JacksonâÂÂs game more, but you canâÂÂt take anything away from Ridnour. HeâÂÂs a great point guard, very exciting,â Lee added.

Slowing the 6-foot-7, 210-pound Jackson and 6-2, 175-pound Ridnour will be crucial today if No. 14-ranked Kansas hopes to upend No. 7 Oregon.

Tipoff for the battle is 2:30 p.m. CST, at the Rose Garden with a live telecast on CBS (channels 5 and 13).

âÂÂThey are both very quick, very talented. I had a chance to play with both this summer,â said KU guard Aaron Miles, like fellow sophomore Lee, a graduate of PortlandâÂÂs Jefferson High.

âÂÂIâÂÂve known Luke Jackson for a while. We played against each other ever since I was young in tournaments. Luke Jackson is a cool person. HeâÂÂs quick, has a good jumper. I see no faults in those two.âÂÂ

Ridnour, who hails from Blaine, Wash., averages a team-leading 20.3 points a game off 49.1 percent shooting. HeâÂÂs made 10 of 26 three-pointers and logs a whopping 7.5 assists per game. Jackson is right behind at 16.5 points a game off 42.9 percent shooting. He has canned five of 12 threes while averaging 7.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists per contest.

The two All-America candidates led the Ducks to a 26-9 record last year and a spot in the Elite Eight, where KU halted OregonâÂÂs season.

Oregon athletic department officials are making sure the two players are well known nationally. Jackson and Ridnour will share billboard space in Los Angeles. Jackson, a native of Creswell, Ore., and Robert Johnson, a 6-8 senior from San Francisco, will share billboard space in San Francisco.

RidnourâÂÂs picture soon will occupy space in New YorkâÂÂs Times Square, ad space currently taken by OU football player Keenan Howry.

The Ducksâ duo is so talented, the NBA may come calling after this season.

âÂÂWe have to try to bring everything back to the team,â Ridnour told the Oregonian. âÂÂThe NBA, thatâÂÂs down the road. You have to focus on whatâÂÂs at hand and thatâÂÂs getting this yearâÂÂs team better than last yearâÂÂs team.âÂÂ

Jackson told the Oregonian, âÂÂThe question of going to the NBA doesnâÂÂt matter right now. ItâÂÂs something weâÂÂll have to look at the end of the season.âÂÂ

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Tough test: KU coach Roy Williams realizes the Jayhawks (3-2) face a rugged test today against 4-0 Oregon.

âÂÂI think itâÂÂs difficult playing the No. 7-ranked team in the country in their area, if itâÂÂs Portland or Eugene or wherever it is. I think thatâÂÂs difficult regardless,â Williams said. âÂÂThen you add to it that you did defeat them the year before, and theyâÂÂve got a bunch of kids back, it makes it even more so difficult.âÂÂ

The Jayhawks pounded the Ducks, 104-86, last March in the Midwest Regional finals in Madison, Wis.

âÂÂI always liked the situation where somebodyâÂÂs beaten us previously and us having another chance at them. You know it happened to us last year. Illinois beat us in the tournament in the year before and we played Illinois and our guys were really fired up and focused that game. So we know it will be a tough, tough task for us.âÂÂ

Portland is about a two-hour drive from Eugene, where the Ducks have won 20 straight games in McArthur Court.

âÂÂItâÂÂs like us playing at Kemper. We do pretty well over there too,â Williams said of KCâÂÂs Kemper Arena. âÂÂYou saw last night, North Carolina goes to Illinois (and loses). Florida goes to West Virginia (and loses). When itâÂÂs a road game, you especially know itâÂÂll be a big-time test.

âÂÂTheyâÂÂve got revenge on their mind possibly. TheyâÂÂre playing very well. WeâÂÂre not playing as well, but we took a step forward (Wednesday in beating Central Missouri State).âÂÂ

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Injury update: Kirk Hinrich (back strain) practiced again Friday as the Jayhawks worked out at Nike headquarters in Portland after touring Nike. HeâÂÂs listed as probable for today. Wayne Simien (tendinitis right ankle) also practiced and is expected to play.

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Record turnout: TodayâÂÂs contest at the Rose Garden will draw a record crowd for a college basketball game in the state of Oregon. The current record is 15,431, set last year when Duke and Portland played at the Garden, which seats 18,927 for college basketball.

âÂÂSomebody said itâÂÂll be the largest crowd in the history of state of Oregon to see a college basketball game. ItâÂÂll be fun to be part of that, but we know weâÂÂve got to play well,â Williams said. âÂÂThese next two games are going to be good for us.âÂÂ

KU will travel to Tulsa on Wednesday night.