Janee Thompson scored 19 points and Jennifer O'Neill added 17 to help No. 13 Kentucky beat No. 7 Louisville 77-68 Sunday.
"It was a really tough comeback our team was able to make there in the second half," Kentucky coach Matthew Mitchell said. "We found a way to keep battling and made some adjustments in their attitude at halftime."
After Thompson hit a 3-pointer from the right wing to tie it at 66, Louisville followed with a turnover and O'Neill converted a pair of free throws with 2:33 to play to give the Wildcats(8-1) a 68-66 lead.
Linnae Harper and O'Neill followed with layups to pull away for good.
The Wildcats trailed by 16 with 6:44 to play in the first half and 42-29 at the half, but stormed back to outscore the Cardinals by 22 in the second half.
"I just thought how we approached the game, our mental approach, getting mentally on track, 'Hey, I missed a shot, that's OK. Let's move on to the next.' That's where we mentally got hurt," Louisville coach Jeff Walz said.
Bria Goss scored 11 points and Makayla Epps had 10 for Kentucky.
"I don't think our energy level dropped. I just thought how we approached the game, our mental approach, getting mentally on track, 'Hey, I missed a shot, that's OK. Let's move on to the next. That's where we mentally got hurt.'"
BLUEGRASS BRAGGING
Sunday was the 51st meeting between Kentucky and Louisville, but the fifth time they met with both teams were ranked in the AP Top 25. Kentucky leads the series 34-17.
SECOND HALF SURGE
Kentucky's 48 points in the second half were the third most this season. The Wildcats had 53 against Appalachian State and 50 against Baylor.
TIP-INS
Kentucky: Azia Bishop went to the bench with 12:52 to play in the opening half with three fouls, she then comitted an early foul in the second and finished with just 10 minutes and two points after fouling out. ... The Wildcats' 29 points in the first half was their third lowest this season.
Louisville: The Cardinals won 19-straight non-conference games entering Sunday's contest. ... Sara Hammond made a pair of free throws with less than a minute to play in the first half for her 1,000th point.
UP NEXT
Kentucky: Hosts Middle Tennessee State on Friday.
Louisville: Hosts Old Dominion on Monday, Dec. 15.