Kentucky and Louisville’s non-recruitment of Tennessee star guard Chris Lofton when he was named Mr. Basketball in the state of Kentucky has been well documented over the past 2½ seasons.

It turns out that today’s opponent, Western Kentucky, didn’t offer Lofton a scholarship, either.

"I would have considered it if they did,’’ said Lofton, who’s coming off a career-high 34-point effort against Memphis entering today’s 4 p.m. tip off at Thompson-Boling Arena. "I went on an unofficial visit there when coach (Dennis) Felton was there before he left for Georgia.’’

The Hilltoppers’ new coach, Darrin Horn, has fared well since replacing Felton, running up a 68-32 mark over the past four seasons including 8-2 this season.

Western Kentucky has also, in fact, done just fine without Lofton at shooting guard. The Hilltoppers have a star at the position — 6-foot-5 junior Courtney Lee.

While the Sun Belt Conference doesn’t offer Lee the same exposure the SEC affords the Vols (7-2) and Lofton, Lee is considered a better NBA prospect than Lofton because of his size and versatility.

"He (Lee) will be the best two-guard we’ve faced this year,’’ UT coach Bruce Pearl said. "Courtney Lee is an NBA player. I remember him from when I was at Milwaukee. All us mid-major schools knew they stole him back then, because he was a high-major player.’’

Pearl is so concerned with Lee, the Sun Belt Conference’s preseason player of the year, that he wouldn’t relinquish details on how he plans to stop him. Lee is averaging 19.1 points per game and put up 24 in a win over Georgia earlier this season.

Chances are UT freshman Josh Tabb will see work against Lee. Tabb, 6-4, didn’t allow anyone on the Memphis team to score against him in his 24 minutes of work in the 76-58 win over the Tigers.

Lofton said he’s not taking any element of the Western Kentucky match-up personal, not the non-recruitment nor the comparisons with Lee.

"I’m just going to go out and play my best like I do every game,’’ Lofton said. "I just want to win.’’

Pearl does, too, and he’s made it clear to his team that the Hilltoppers are not to be taken lightly.

"They, along with Butler, are the best mid-major team in the nation,’’ Pearl said. "In fact, they’re like an uptempo Butler.’’

Pearl rode the Vols hard throughout the week in practice.

"You must take things away from them and you must dictate!’’ he yelled during one practice session. "This is a much better run offense than we saw last week (Memphis).’’

Wednesday, Pearl was yelling so loud he was shaking.

"I want a purposeful fast break!’’ he said. "I want three players on the baseline!’’

Pearl has also repeated Western Kentucky statistics each day in practice and afterward to the media.

"This team averages 8½ 3-pointers per game,’’ he said. "You give them that shot, it’s like a layup for them!’’

Pearl said he believes his young players are responding to his style.

"We’ll see the next time we face adversity,’’ he said. "They handled Memphis, but we didn’t handle adversity well in New York when we played two tournament teams. Western Kentucky is another tournament team.’’

JaJuan Minutes: Pearl said he doesn’t anticipate junior wing JaJuan Smith will lose any minutes because of the bruised wrist that forced him to miss two practices.

"JaJuan’s hand hurts and it has affected him, without a doubt,’’ Pearl said. "But I don’t think he’ll miss a beat. We’ve got to get JaJuan going again.’’

Wheezy: Freshman center Wayne Chism has seen his high school nickname catch on at UT. Even Pearl calls him "Wheezy.’’ The nickname, no doubt, is a result of the asthma that once plagued Chism.

Chism has another defining characteristic: loud-colored socks with various designs that he wears in practice.

"I just like them,’’ Chism said. "I wore them in high school, too. Nobody has said anything to me about it.’’

Chism also said no one from back home (Bolivar) has called him to congratulate him on the Vols’ win over Memphis.

"They love Willie (Kemp), and that’s just the way it’s always been,’’ said Chism, a high school teammate of the Tigers’ starting point guard. "That’s all right.’’

Take It Back? Pearl said last week that Western Kentucky was the best team in the state of Kentucky last year.

"I did say that, but really that’s been said by a lot of other people,’’ Pearl said. "I really don’t need to fire up Kentucky any more than they are going to be fired up. Kentucky is obviously a great basketball program and it’s no slight to them or Louisville.

"My point is, Western Kentucky is not a good basketball program — it’s a great basketball program.’’