Dressed in a well-pressed gray suit instead of a sweaty No. 23 Kansas University basketball jersey, Wayne Simien looked more like a coach than a player Wednesday at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo.

The 21-year-old Simien performed the role of mentor well, offering his undamaged, unbandaged right hand to Jayhawk veterans, and, perhaps more importantly, freshmen alike during pregame stretching exercises.

KU’s rookies appeared to appreciate the gesture as they prepared to play for the first time without their human security blanket who wore a bulky wrap on his surgically repaired left thumb.

“It’s big,” KU freshman guard/forward Alex Galindo said. He was not referring to the wrap, but the fact the 6-foot-9, 255-pounder is now sitting on the bench instead of stalking the court.

“We lose 12 rebounds a game. I said to myself, ‘I’ve got to rebound. Everybody’s got to rebound. That’s 12 rebounds,'” he added.

The 6-foot-7 Galindo hit the boards hard, grabbing seven rebounds, including a pair of offensive boards for stickback tip-ins during the Jayhawks’ 73-62 victory over Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Freshman C.J. Giles contributed four boards, and the two freshmen almost combined to match Simien’s average.

“Alex did well. He and Russell (Robinson) really stepped up. It’s good to see,” said Simien, who wants the Jayhawks to do as well as possible during his absence of six to 10 games. Every victory is important as far as the Jayhawks’ eventual NCAA seeding in Simien’s senior year.

Robinson tallied 12 points in 24 minutes, and Galindo had 14 in 17 minutes. They combined for 26 points, nine more than Simien’s average.

“I don’t know,” Robinson said, asked why the Jayhawk freshman duo didn’t panic with Simien out of action. “We had a little time to prepare for it, to realize he (Simien) wasn’t going to be playing. We knew what was expected of us. We had time to work on some things in practice.”

Indeed, the Jayhawks had three practices without Simien, who was hurt in the second half of the Dec. 18 game against South Carolina and had surgery Monday.

“Yes, we talked about it,” KU coach Bill Self said of discussing how everybody would have to “give a little more” without Simien.

“A lot of it is going to fall on J.R. and Keith and Aaron’s shoulders. The pressure is going to fall on those three more so than anybody.”

In Game One without Simien, sophomore J.R. Giddens struggled with five points and three boards in 25 minutes. Aaron Miles had nine assists, but just six points and an uncharacteristically high five turnovers in 36 minutes.

Keith Langford, however, exploded for 21 points with seven rebounds and six assists in 36 minutes. Junior Christian Moody was the only other effective player with nine points and six boards in 26 minutes.

“Keith’s line was excellent. He has to play like that all the time,” Self said. “Aaron has to eliminate his carelessness. J.R. has to get involved where he’s a factor in games. If those three play the way they are capable of playing, I think it’ll drag the freshmen along. The freshmen probably played as well as anybody on the floor with the exception of Keith.”

The veterans believe the Jayhawks will need to be patient without Simien and get better each and every day in preparation for the Georgia Tech game on New Year’s Day.

“For the first time without Wayne, it was just good we got the win,” said Miles. “That’s the most important thing. I thought we showed some good signs. Alex stepped up and got rebounds, tips, knocked down some shots. Keith played his game.”

Langford, who hit seven of 15 shots, stepped up and took a leadership role in the game. Robinson, Galindo and Giles contributed, but on this night Sasha Kaun and Darnell Jackson combined for no points and no boards in nine minutes.

“Obviously, their time will come to step up,” Langford said. “They are not needed to score. They are needed to rebound, screen, jump to the ball, screen, box out, rebound. They did that.”

Added Galindo: “It’s going to be hard work from now on.”

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Downs saga, part II: Micah Downs, who was quoted in the Seattle Times in Friday’s editions as saying he would turn down a scholarship offer from Kansas to enter the NBA Draft, told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in Saturday’s editions the report was “false.”

“He (reporter) quoted me false on that. What I told him was that it was just an option. If it’s something possible, we’ll see what can happen. I’m still looking forward to going to the University of Kansas and playing for coach (Bill) Self,” the 6-8 forward said told the P-I.

Downs’ dad told the paper: “He’s still planning on going to Kansas. He’s looking to see what his options are. He’s been told that he could possibly be drafted in the top 10 in the first round. If that’s really the case, he’ll probably go that way.

“The thing is, Micah is testing the waters, and anyone in his position would do the same thing. That’s his dream to play in the league. Hopefully for the Sonics. He’s going to make the league. It’s just a matter of time.”

Downs’ high school coach, Zeke Bambolo, told the Post-Intelligencer, “Right now, Kansas is his first choice, unless the NBA says, ‘You’re a No. 1 draft pick.'”

What the saga has done probably is assure the 6-8 guard a spot in the McDonald’s All-America game, which has become a showcase for dozens of NBA scouts.

Last year, North Carolina signee J.R. Smith had no plans of turning pro before hitting five three-pointers (including a 30-footer) and scoring 25 points in the McDonald’s game. He declared for the draft shortly after, was a first-round pick of the New Orleans Hornets where he’s averaging 2.6 points a game on chilly 26.9 percent shooting. He’s made five of 31 threes for the Hornets, 2-23.