By Shannon Russell
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Thirteen years ago, the rivalry between the University of Texas and the University of Arkansas was so fierce, neither wanted to be mentioned in the same sentence.

The story goes like this: The year was 1990. The place was Austin, Texas. Texas had beaten Arkansas 20 straight times entering the game.

The winner? Arkansas, 82-77. The Lady Razorbacks not only became the first team in Southwest Conference history to beat the Longhorns, they snapped Texas' 12-year, 183-game winning streak.

Arkansas and Texas haven't played each other since 1991.

"There are a few places I vowed I wouldn't go unless I had to," 27th year Texas coach Jody Conradt said. "Let's just leave it at that."

The rivalry will be revived tonight - and this time it's in Cincinnati.

Texas, ranked fifth in the Associated Press's final poll, faces No. 24 Arkansas at 7:10 p.m. in a NCAA Tournament West Region second round game at Shoemaker Center.

The Longhorns (26-5) thumped Hampton 90-46 in Sunday's first round, and Arkansas (22-10) downed home team Cincinnati 71-57 to advance.

The veterans for Arkansas and Texas were mere grade-schoolers when the rivalry reached its peak, and Conradt said the feud has actually become dormant. Arkansas plays in the Southeastern Conference and Texas plays in the Big 12.

"I chuckled to myself when I heard that Arkansas had beaten us the last three times we've played," said Conradt, referring to Arkansas' wins in the 1989-90 and 1990-91 seasons. "I doubt anyone on our team could tell you the schools in the Southwest Conference."

Tenth-year Gary Blair wasn't Arkansas' coach in 1990, but he knows plenty about Conradt. He invited her to speak at a parent meeting when he coached at Dallas' South Oak Cliff High. He also coached her as an assistant at Louisiana Tech.

"The opportunity for Texas and Arkansas to meet again - now that's special," Blair said.

Arkansas guard India Lewis sees it another way: "We're going to have to play a nearly perfect game to get the win."

Texas, the West's second seed, enters the game with the statistical edge.

The Big 12 champs are winners of their last 14 games and have been critics' picks to make the Final Four.

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No. 2 seed Texas vs. No. 10 Arkansas

Tipoff: 7:10 p.m. today, Shoemaker Center (13,176).

Records: Texas (26-5) vs. Arkansas (22-10)

Tickets: $10 adults, $6 students/kids

TV: ESPN

Series: Texas leads 20-3, but Arkansas has won the last three meetings. Their last game was in 1991.

TEXAS

Player	Yr.	Ht.	PPG
Hea. Schreiber	So.	6-2	13.6
Kala Bowers	So.	6-2	9.1
Stacy Stephens	Jr.	6-1	14.5
Jamie Carey	Jr.	5-6	10.6
Tai Dillard	Sr.	5-9	7.6

Coach: Jody Conradt (697-201, 27th year; 814-263, 34th year overall)

ARKANSAS

Player	Yr.	Ht.	PPG
Cara Wright	So.	6-0	2.3
K. Nesby	Jr.	6-4	3.4
Sh. Christon	Jr.	6-1	15.5
India Lewis	Sr.	5-5	13.5
Dana Cherry	Sr.	5-8	12.0
Lakishia Harper	Sr.	5-10	5.0

Coach: Gary Blair (198-119, 10th year; 408-162, 18th year overall)

STATISTICS

Texas	Cat.	Arkansas
.437	FG%	.413
.375	Opp. FG%	.406
.409	3-pt.%	.311
.266	Opp. 3-pt%	.333
.697	FT%	.692
74.4	PPG	68.2
55.5	Opp. PPG	60.6
+7.4	Reb. margin	+0.9
+6.0	Turn. margin	+5.0