OKLAHOMA CITY ? Kansas University junior Jeff Graves’ mind is on more than basketball this week.

His father, Robert, is a member of the Army reserves who was called to active service a week and a half ago in preparation for war with Iraq.

Robert Graves currently is stationed in Delaware, but figures to be sent to Iraq when hostilities begin.

“I talked to him (this week). He said they are working 12 to 15 hours a day,” power forward Jeff Graves said Wednesday from Ford Center, site of tonight’s KU-Utah State game.

“He’s helping ship stuff over (to U.S. troops). I said, ‘I’m praying for you.’ He told me to stay focused and said, ‘You know what you’ve got to do to help this team win.”’

Jeff missed practice at Allen Fieldhouse the day Robert, an employee of the Ford Motor Company, headed from Kansas City, Mo., to Delaware. Jeff visited his dad’s house.

“It was emotional. There was a lot of crying,” Graves said. “I was down. I can be choked up to this day. I’m glad we have basketball games to play. Otherwise I’d go crazy.”

Graves also has a high school friend, Steve Morris, who is serving in Kuwait. Assistant coach Joe Holladay’s son, Matt, is an army paratrooper who Holladay says likely will participate in the war.

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Simien takes part in drills: Injured sophomore forward Wayne Simien, who will have shoulder surgery a week from Friday in New York, caused quite a stir in the Ford Center stands by taking part in a 40-minute evening workout in front of about 1,000 KU fans.

Wayne Simien shoots as Moulaye Niang moves in for a rebound. Though Simien practiced Wednesday in Oklahoma City, he says there's no chance he'll play tonight -- or in any NCAA Tournament game.

Some of the fans salivated at the thought Simien would play tonight, but that won’t happen in the NCAA Tournament.

“We’ve been having closed practices in Lawrence, and not too many people have seen me play,” Simien said. “I shoot with the team and get some jumpers up. It’s me trying to stay sane. It feels good, but I know if it gets hit it’ll come out (of socket again). I’m not playing mind games or tricks on anybody.”

Dr. Ken Wertzberger will travel with Simien and his parents to New York. Simien has not yet spoken with the New York Giants team doctor who will perform the surgery.

“Dr. Jeff Randall keeps in contact with him,” Simien said. “I’m ready to get it done and get back on the court next season.”

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Collison nears mark: KU forward Nick Collison is five points from tying Texas A&M’s Bernard King as the Big 12 Conference’s all-time scoring leader.

“It’d be a big honor,” said Collison, who has 1,985 points. “There have been a lot of great players in the league. The league hasn’t been around that long. It probably will be broken before long.”

Kansas University's Kirk Hinrich signs his autograph on a KU media guide for Forrest Klein, 14, a ball boy from Oklahoma City. Klein caught Hinrich outside the KU locker room after Wednesday's practice at the Ford Center.

He’s 15 points shy of becoming the third player in KU history to score 2,000 career points. Danny Manning and Raef LaFrentz are the others.

“It’s the same type thing. If you play a long time, hopefully you get to accomplish some things,” Collison said.

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Tape gone: Aaron Miles, who dislocated his right index finger last Saturday against Missouri, practiced without his finger taped Wednesday.

He will play without tape tonight.

“It’s better,” Miles said. “I taped it up the past couple days. Today in the shootaround doc (trainer Mark Cairns) said, ‘Try to shoot without it.’ I did and it felt good. I will not tape it up again. I’ll just go play.”

Utah State's Mark Brown launches a three-point shot during practice.

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Dunkathon: Bryant Nash had two vicious slam dunks during a short drill for the fans who attended Wednesday night’s practice. KU earlier had worked out for two hours at Oklahoma City University’s gym.

Steven Vinson and Miles threw lobs off the backboard for Nash to slam.

“I liked that. The fans did too. I’ve got hops,” the 6-foot-6 Nash said. “Keith really has hops,” he said of Keith Langford, who had some vicious slams. “He’s 6-3, 6-4 and has some hops.”

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Langford felt energized Wednesday and showed it in the dunk drill.

“My legs have been shot. They’ve been dead the last two weeks. I’ve never played this many minutes in a season before. I got a couple of days rest and they feel good again,” Langford said. “They are dunks I’ve done before. I still had some left in me.”

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angford in fact, ended the drill, taking a few steps to the goal, then returning to a team huddle.

“I was just smiling, joking, teasing the fans a bit,” he said. “I thought they liked it.”

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Proud of Asheville: KU walk-on Christian Moody was pleased UNC Asheville won Tuesday’s play-in game against Texas Southern. Asheville, however, has a rough road ahead with a first-round matchup against Texas.

“It’ll be tough for them,” said Moody, a native of Asheville, N.C. “I was so happy they won that game. It’s great they are in the tournament, but Texas is really tough.”