No. 8 UK (7-0) v. Louisville (3-4)

Tipoff: Thursday, 7 p.m., Rupp Arena

TV: SEC Network, WatchESPN

Radio: UK Radio Network

Here are the three points of emphasis as UK hosts rival Louisville on Thursday.

UofL’s defensive intensity 

UK has developed a habit when playing UofL of gettting down early and having to fight back. The double-digit leads for the Cards in past games have been fueled by careless turnovers and chaotic offensive possessions.

“Well, it has a lot to do with how tough Louisville is and their defense is always very aggressive and it is designed to keep you off balance,” Mitchell said. “And we have not handled their defensive pressure and intensity early in the last three years.”

One thing that should help UK handle the pressure of Louisville’s defense is the three guard line-up that Coach Matthew Mitchell has used this season. Having the extra ball-handler will surely make a difference in facing a defense that is ranked 20th in steals by averaging 20 a game.

Janee Thompson making big plays

Last year Janee Thompson led the Cats in scoring in their comeback win over the then No. 7 Cardinals. She also hit the shot that brought the score to a tie after being down by as many as 16 points.

“Her freshman and junior year she made big shots,” Mitchell said.

A lot will be expected out of the senior in this year’s matchup, as she comes in as UK’s second leading scorer and top three-point shooter. Thompson’s shooting has been vital in opening up UK’s offense.

An improved offense from UK

The Cats come into this year’s matchup as a far better offensive team than in past years. Even though it’s early in the season, UK is fourth in the nation in scoring, averaging 86.1 points per game while shooting an efficient 49.1 percent from the field.

After becoming a regular in the top 25, there was a clear distinction between them and the other top teams: their offense. Looking specifically at their field goal percentage, the Cats were no where near the perennial powerhouses like UCONN or Stanford.

This year’s strong start on that end of the floor has been a revelation and UK will hope to show off its new efficiencies on offense against its rival Louisville.

“We really worked on shooting the ball. And then from a team standpoint, we’ve tried to stay very organized in our individual development,” Mitchell said.