Kansas City, Mo. ? Wayne Simien didn’t sleep well after Kansas University’s first-round NCAA Tournament victory Friday night over Illinois-Chicago.

His tossing and turning had nothing to do with the fluffiness of the pillows or softness of the beds at the Westin Crown Center hotel.

It was not affected by how he felt the fourth-seeded Jayhawks played in their 78-53 victory over the 13th-seeded Flames.

It had everything to do with the fact the 6-foot-9, 250-pound junior bedded in the lounge next to the trainer’s room, waking every 90 minutes for ice and electrical-stimulation treatment on his strained groin.

“It was pretty tough getting up every hour and a half and trying to sleep with ice bags all over you,” Simien said, referring to the aftermath of doing the “ballerina splits” with six minutes left in the first half of the KU-UIC game.

“That’s no fun, but I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do to be out there.”

Simien, who wasn’t limping Saturday at Kemper Arena, site of today’s 3:50 p.m. second-round battle between KU (22-8) and 12th-seeded Pacific (25-7), said he would not miss today’s contest, even if it meant another night of sporadic sleep.

“All the treatment has really helped. I’ll be out there playing for sure,” Simien said. “It’s tournament time. I’ll be able to rest later.”

Simien, who has played despite a groin injury virtually all season, also bruised his lower back when hitting the floor Friday.

Kansas University senior Jeff Graves' singing makes teammates Michael Lee, center, and Aaron Miles, right, laugh in the locker room before practice. The Jayhawks, who will play Pacific at 3:50 p.m. today at Kemper Arena, worked out Saturday in Kansas City, Mo.

“If we had to play today, he wouldn’t play,” KU coach Bill Self said Saturday. “He has a unique way of getting himself fired up, giving himself a pep talk. I imagine him playing. It’ll be hard to keep him out.”

Simien played 12 minutes of the second half against UIC after getting treatment at halftime.

“The doctors told me if he didn’t play, it’d stiffen up and he wouldn’t play Sunday,” Self said, adding KU needed Simien to hold off the Flames, who cut a 22-point deficit to 10 in the second half.

KU’s players were concerned, to say the least, when Simien went down.

“I think it made everybody sweat. I lost 10 pounds I was so nervous,” freshman J.R. Giddens said. “It was like I was on trial in the trial of the century sweating in the courtroom.

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“I’m anxious when he goes down like that. That’s a big dude. I’ve seen him take elbows in practice, get hit. He never goes down. I was just happy the big fella got up.”

After the Jayhawks saw Simien walking around, they regained confidence he would play.

“Wayne is always positive, more positive about his condition than anybody,” said sophomore Stephen Vinson, who said he was a “bachelor” Friday night with his hotel roommate Simien spending the night in the lounge.

“He was positive today. Do I think he’ll play? Who’d have thought he’d come back last night? Of course.”

Simien’s quick comeback from the slip has added to his legend.

He was asked if he really was “Superman” like Illinois-Chicago coach Jimmy Collins suggested this week.

“No,” he said, “I’m Batman. Just kidding.”

Even Batman needs sleep, however, and so will Simien to maintain his powers and lead KU to the Sweet 16.

“I hope to catch a nap after this,” Simien said. “Gotta do what it takes. I don’t want to spend Spring Break in Mexico. I want to spend it in St. Louis.”