Solid defense and rebounding have been keys to success for 21st-ranked Kansas this season, and those factors should be important again tonight when the Jayhawks play host to rival K-State in the Big 12 Conference opener for both schools.

The game tips off at 7 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence and will be televised by Metro Sports.

Kansas is off to a 9-2 start this season, and in the victories the Jayhawks have held their opponent to 36.4-percent shooting and outrebounded their opponents by an average of 11.9 per game. But in the two losses, KU’s opponents are shooting 47.6 percent and are outrebounding their opponents by 14.5 per game.

The Jayhawks, who haven’t played since a Dec. 21 loss at California, are led by seniors Carolyn Davis and Angel Goodrich.

Davis, a 6-foot-3 senior forward who is averaging just 24.1 minutes per game as she continues her recovery from a knee injury suffered last season, leads the team with 15.7 points per game and Goodrich is averaging 13.4 points and 6.5 assists per game.

The Jayhawks’ offense is run by guard Natalie Knight, a sophomore from Olathe South.

Kansas State, meanwhile, is off to a 9-3 start, including five road wins.

The Wildcats, who have won five straight conference openers, are led by senior Brittany Chambers.

Chambers averages 19.7 points per game, and the Wildcats have won 19 straight games when she has reached 20.

It will be the 105th meeting between the two schools. K-State leads the series 62-42, including wins in 21 of the last 23 meetings.

2. Key matchup

Missouri at Georgia. The Tigers, 11-3, open Southeastern Conference play on Thursday night in Athens, Ga. The Tigers had won seven straight before a loss Saturday at Memphis.

3. Nation watch

Connecticut is the top-ranked team in The Associated Press top 25, but the Huskies should be challenged Saturday when they play host to No. 5 Notre Dame.

4. KC connection

Janna Graf, a junior from Shawnee Mission East, is averaging 11.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game for Yale.

5. They said it

“We haven’t faced a ton of adversity, but we have veteran players who have. We’ve been tested at home (and) on the road. We feel confident in any venue.”

Colorado coach Linda Lappe, whose team enters Pac-12 Conference play with an 11-0 record