Bill Self’s weekly news conference opened with four straight questions and a five-minute give-and-take about — what else? — Kansas University’s winning ways against Kansas State in men’s basketball.

“Does anybody have any questions about the streak?” Self quipped before answering Question No. 4 — whether he considered KU’s 27-game sizz against KSU, including 20 victories in a row in Manhattan, “remarkable.”

“It is a remarkable streak and one the past staff and past players deserve big credit for doing that,” Self, the Jayhawks’ first-year coach, said. “Very rarely do you see that in today’s time, a streak like that.”

The Jayhawks (12-3 overall, 4-0 Big 12 Conference) will try to continue their success versus KSU (9-6, 1-3) Wednesday night in Manhattan. Tipoff is 8 p.m. at Bramlage Coliseum, where KU is 15-0 all-time.

“I don’t have a choice,” Self said, asked if he was happy he inherited such a streak. “I’m proud to be at a place where they’ve won so much and done so well.”

KU has rattled off several streaks the past several years.

“I had a guy call me this morning, and he talked about all the streaks I’ve inherited,” Self said. “He told me I blew the Richmond one. It was a streak I didn’t even know existed, number of wins against nonconference unranked opponents (52 games at home snapped Wednesday in loss to the Spiders).

“You can find a streak on everything. I don’t think it’s a big deal from my perspective,” he added. “It does not give me one bit more incentive to prepare our guys for K-State. It’s the same incentive whether it is what it is or zero.”

The Jayhawks upended Kansas State, 73-67, 14 days ago at Allen Fieldhouse.

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“I don’t know mentioning the streak or talking about the streak to this group of kids is beneficial in any way in my opinion,” KSU coach Jim Wooldridge said Monday. “We’ve got to figure a way to pass it and catch it better, score better and use our focal point today and tomorrow as we get ready to play Wednesday.”

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‘Big Dub’ feeling better: Wayne Simien’s strained groin gave him virtually no problems Sunday against Colorado. His health showed in the 6-foot-9, 250-pound junior’s performance — 20 points and 15 rebounds in 30 minutes.

“Our trainer told me it’s the best Wayne felt all year. He had bounce. He was rebounding the ball out of his area, in traffic and moved so much more fluid,” Self said. “Hopefully he’s making steps to full recovery with his groin.”

Simien made his first five shots and scored 12 of KU’s first 24 points.

“Yesterday was the best I felt since the Michigan State game (Nov. 25),” Simien said Monday. “I’m starting to get my explosiveness back. I’ll try to keep it going.”

Simien has had a reduced practice load the past several weeks because of his groin strain. He’s been practicing two days and then resting one, Self said.

As for the rest of the team …

“This is the most healthy we’ve been since Michigan State,” Self said. “We’re still not 100 percent healthy. David (Padgett, left foot) has some bounce. His rhythm is not there. Mike Lee (shoulder) has gotten his rhythm back.”

Freshman center Padgett, who started the first 11 games of his career, has come off the bench the past two games since returning from his foot injury. Padgett figures to continue to sub for Jeff Graves, at least for the time being.

“I’m not sure what we’ll do. I’ve not talked to either player about it (starting),” Self said. “Although David feels fine, we’ll not overload it. Until he gets to practice every day, until he can go full speed every day, we probably won’t see a change. When it does, we’ll go with whomever is playing best.”

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Jersey talk: Self said Monday on his Hawk Talk radio show that KU’s criteria for retiring jersey numbers could be adjusted in future years to make room for deserving players like, say, Darnell Valentine.

“I’m not saying publicly what we’ll do, because we don’t know,” Self said, “but it’s been brought to my attention, and it’s probably right that there are some guys out there who deserve to have their numbers in the rafters.

“We’ll probably do some things different, not that anything done before was wrong.”

Chances are players who qualify for admission will have to wait longer than Drew Gooden and Nick Collison did for jersey-retirement ceremonies. Those jerseys were hung the season after their KU careers concluded.

“I do think when you have your jersey hung it’d be so much more special after you’ve been away so it’ll be so much more special coming back,” Self said. “When you retire from baseball and the NBA there’s a minimum waiting period. It’s something we’ll probably implement. Several (individuals) will probably look at it, not just me. We’ll definitely give it our attention. Certainly all the numbers up there are deserving. I believe some more are deserving as well.”

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More on Harrison: David Harrison was banished to the locker room by CU coach Ricardo Patton Sunday after picking up his fifth foul. Harrison had engaged in yelling matches with some fans behind the visitor’s bench.

“If that’s the worst thing the kid does all year he’ll be fine,” Patton said. “I don’t want to make too big an issue about him getting tossed and responding to the fans taunting him. And they were pretty vicious with him. … I think it’s unrealistic for us as adults to think a kid will respond the right way in every adverse situation.”