Tall Task Ahead for Titan Women : NCAA basketball: Stanford’s front line could force Cal State Fullerton into an unfamiliar defense in a second-round game.

Maryalyce Jeremiah has a hard time even saying the “Z” word.

But when the Cal State Fullerton women’s basketball coach considers the matchup problems Stanford will pose in tonight’s NCAA West Regional, second-round game in Maples Pavilion, she might not have any choice but to play some zone.

The defending national champion Cardinal, 23-5 and ranked second in the region, starts three 6-foot-3 players--senior Julie Zeilstra, who averages 20.0 points and 6.9 rebounds a game; sophomore Val Whiting (14.4 points, 9.5 rebounds) and senior Trisha Stevens (13.6, 4.4).

The Titans (25-7) have one of the nation’s top centers in 6-3 senior Genia Miller, who is averaging 29.6 points and 12.3 rebounds a game, but the rest of the front line slides down the height chart. Claudette Jackson is 5-11, and Cheryl Hightower is 5-7.

Miller is a superb defensive player who averages 4.5 blocked shots a game, but she can’t guard three players.

“We’ve played zone for about five minutes all season,” Jeremiah said. “You’ve got to go with what you know most, and it’s hard to change at this point in the season. But we may try a different type of defense. We’ve got to do something to keep them away from the basket. I’m not sure what we’re going to do.”

The Titans can’t afford to sag off Stanford’s guards and pack their defense inside. Cardinal senior Sonja Henning has made 42 of 105 three-pointers (40%) and averages 15.8 points and 7.4 assists, and reserves Christy Hedgpeth and Molly Goodenbour also have three-point range.

“They just have great balance,” Jeremiah said. “Personnel-wise, they’re bigger, deeper and more physical. They have so many more weapons than we do, but they can be beaten. We just have to figure out how to do it.”

For Fullerton to stay with Stanford, the Titans will need another strong game from Miller, who made 10 of 10 field goals and eight of eight free throws in Wednesday’s 84-80, first-round victory over Louisiana Tech.

They’ll need Miller to stay out of foul trouble and intimidate Cardinal inside players on defense.

They’ll need Jackson to reach her averages in points (16.1) and rebounds (8.7) and Hightower and guards Joey Ray and Michelle Hennessey to have solid outside shooting nights.

Most of all, they’ll need to keep turnovers to a minimum in the face of Stanford’s dial-a-press defense. The Cardinal uses a variety of full-court and zone traps, switching defenses often to confuse opponents.

“We’ve got to take care of the ball when we have it,” Jeremiah said. “We’ve got to slow the tempo and take smart shots. If we shoot close to 50%, we can stay in the game. If they put a lot of pressure on our guards and no one gets open for shots, we’re going to be in trouble.”

Causing problems for Fullerton’s guards will be 5-6 sophomore Angela Taylor, whom Stanford Coach Tara VanDerveer calls “my secret weapon.”

After the Cardinal lost to Oregon State, 87-61, in the regular-season finale with Zeilstra out because of an Achilles’ tendon injury, VanDerveer decided to shake up her starting lineup by replacing Hedgpeth with Taylor, who made the team as a walk-on last season and is the team’s defensive specialist. She’ll guard either Hennessey or Ray.

“She’s quick, athletic, and she does all the dirty work,” VanDerveer said. “She sets screens, passes--she’s our most team-oriented player. She’s a throwback to old-time coaching. If you told her to run through the wall, she’d say, ‘Which one?’ ”

Zeilstra and Stevens, who is nursing a knee injury, have not practiced much this week, but VanDerveer expects them to be near full-strength and in the starting lineup tonight.

“I’ve been resting them in practice, but tonight is it. There’s nothing to save for,” VanDerveer said. “This is the type of team that has needed a little kick every once in awhile, but when we’ve had to play hard, we’ve done it.”