OKLAHOMA CITY ? Kirk Hinrich doesn’t have a nasty cold or case of the flu.

“Just the normal bumps and bruises this time of year. I’m fine,” said Hinrich, Kansas University’s senior guard from Sioux City, Iowa.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pounder has been fielding a lot of health-related questions since Thursday, when he scored just eight points in KU’s 64-61, first-round NCAA West Regional victory over Utah State at Ford Center.

Hinrich took just seven shots in 38 minutes, making some observers wonder if an impostor had stolen his No. 10 jersey and taken the court.

“I’m just going to try to put it behind me and move on,” said Hinrich, looking ahead to tonight’s 7 p.m. second-round battle against Arizona State.

“I was not aggressive,” he said, assessing Thursday’s game. “I didn’t try to penetrate. I passed down a bunch of open looks. I was too passive. I’ve got to be aggressive. I need to set the tone from the start by being aggressive.”

Hinrich, who averages 17.3 points a game, has had just five single-digit scoring outputs this season. He’s come back from each poor game with a big one.

To wit …

Hinrich scored five points against Florida Nov. 29 and 24 versus Oregon Dec. 7; he scored four Dec. 11 against Tulsa and 23 versus Emporia State Dec. 14. He had seven Jan. 2 versus UNC Asheville and 29 against UMKC Jan. 4, and had five Jan. 6 against Iowa State followed by 28 against Nebraska five days later.

“There have been a few games I’ve not taken many shots,” said Hinrich. “It’s the way I’ve been a lot of times, not trying to force anything. I do need to try to set the tone of being aggressive.”

Kansas University's Keith Langford, left, makes Nick Collison grin. The Jayhawks spoke at a news conference Friday in anticipation of tonight's game against Arizona State in Oklahoma City.

KU coach Roy Williams isn’t expecting a Hinrich scoring explosion tonight, but he is counting on more than seven field-goal attempts. Hinrich hit three shots against pesky Utah State, making one of two second-half attempts.

“I do need him to be more offensive-minded than he was (Thursday), no question about that,” Williams said.

“He needs to get in rhythm a little better. He needs to look for his shot a little bit more. You cannot expect him to score 25 because the quality of opposition has something to do with that too. We’re playing a very difficult team. They’ll try to do a good job on Kirk and Nick (Collison) both.”

The No. 2-seeded Jayhawks (26-7) are facing an Arizona State (20-11) team led by inside players Ike Diogu and Tommy Smith, who average 19.2 and 11.1 points. Guard Curtis Millage chips in 16.2 per contest.

“They call him ‘the beast,”’ Hinrich said of the 6-foot-8, 250-pound Diogu, a freshman from Garland, Texas, who considered KU during the recruiting process but never made an official campus visit. “He is a big-time presence inside.”

The Sun Devils of the Pac-10 Conference average 77 points a game compared to KU’s 82.8 mark. The Devils like to push the ball, though they will play zone like Utah State did Thursday night.

KU had big-time problems with the Aggies’ zone.

“Yes we can (beat a zone),” sophomore guard Keith Langford said. “Kirk is going to have to hit some shots. I’m going to have to break the defense down and try to get to the rim. Mike (Lee) has to come in and shoot it well. We have to not let ’em get in the zone by getting some steals, playing defense.”

The good news is the Devils do not prefer a slow pace. They like to run like other Pac-10 teams KU has faced this season — the Jayhawks are 2-2 with victories over UCLA and Cal and losses to Arizona and Oregon.

“It’s the way we want to play as a team. It’s what we’ve tried to play all year,” Hinrich said of a running style. “When you get in a game you try to stick with what is working.”

What’s worked for ASU is no secret. Powerful Diogu has hit 61.4 percent of his shots and 73.8 percent of his free throws while grabbing 7.8 boards a game. He also can drift outside — he’s made nine of 24 threes, including two in his 22-point outing in Thursday’s 84-71 victory over Memphis.

“He’s one of the top 10 freshmen in the country,” KU coach Williams said, “and is having a fantastic year.”

So is Hinrich, who earned first-team all-Big 12 honors and has an uncanny ability to score points in bunches.

“It’s ridiculous sometimes,” Lee said. “Kirk can take over a game when he wants to. It’s been great being his teammate the last two years. I know what he can do. He can do it all.”

“I am not worried about Kirk,” Langford said. “I would never worry about an All-American like Kirk.”