Kansas UniversityâÂÂs Jeff Graves craves grilled cheese sandwiches.

But after feeling the heat from the Jayhawk community because he was overweight, the junior from LeeâÂÂs Summit, Mo., has had to cut back on his cheesy favorites.

âÂÂNah, I donâÂÂt cut them out (completely), itâÂÂs just all the other junk food,â Graves said after Kansasâ 81-57 victory over Holy Cross on Tuesday at Allen Fieldhouse.

Despite a somewhat silent effort on the court where he scored three points, grabbed three rebounds and picked up three fouls in eight minutes, Graves spoke out for the first time as a Jayhawk.

âÂÂIâÂÂm working a lot harder, trying to get back to where I was,â said Graves, whoâÂÂs officially listed at 6-foot-9, 275 pounds in KUâÂÂs media guide, but reported to Lawrence last summer at 293.

Gravesâ sloppy physical condition definitely caught the attention of Kansas coach Roy Williams.

Williams wasnâÂÂt bashful about publicly criticizing Gravesâ condition, saying Graves wasnâÂÂt an official member of the team until he completed 6 1âÂÂ2 laps of a mandatory 12-minute run.

But no one was as hard on Graves as himself.

âÂÂHeâÂÂs been riding me pretty hard, but coming in as a juco transfer there were a lot of expectations that I had to do and I didnâÂÂt do them,â said Graves, who scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in Kansasâ two exhibition victories. âÂÂThat was the consequence. Now IâÂÂm just working a lot harder than I was, trying to make up.âÂÂ

His teammates have taken notice.

âÂÂWe just tried to stay as positive as possible, because a lot of negative things got out in the media,â said sophomore Wayne Simien. âÂÂYou can say it doesnâÂÂt effect you, but it really does.âÂÂ

While Graves didnâÂÂt really get a chance to show Kansas fans Tuesday the slimmer version of himself that averaged 16.6 points per game and 8.2 rebounds a contest at Iowa Western Community College, he did say heâÂÂs making smarter choices.

âÂÂAbout 10 to 15 more pounds, thatâÂÂs where I need to play at. But I need to get down to about 270, and now IâÂÂm down to about 275. ItâÂÂs getting there, but I need to keep pushing,â he said.

Since he has shunned his snacks, the results have shown.

âÂÂI feel like IâÂÂve got to be the guy,â Graves said. âÂÂThereâÂÂs a lot of expectations from coach and the team for me to step up, and thatâÂÂs what I have to do.âÂÂ