It’s been well documented that Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self is still searching for a team leader on and off the court.

What about a “go-to guy” – somebody who will demand the ball and ice a game-winning shot or draw a foul with just a second or two left on the clock?

“Our ‘go-to guy’ right now is by committee,” Self said Wednesday at his weekly news conference. “Against Florida, it was definitely ‘Shady’ (Darrell Arthur). Mario (Chalmers) has the most poise under those conditions without a doubt.”

So, has Self identified the one player he wants to take over during crunch time?

“Uh huh, yeah, yeah,” Self said, breaking into a grin when asked “who would that player be?” as a natural follow-up question.

“I’d put the ball in Mario’s hands,” Self said of sophomore shooting guard Chalmers, the team’s fourth-leading scorer at 11.0 points a game off 46.8 percent shooting.

Chalmers, who has made a team-leading 15 threes in 39 attempts (38.5 percent shooting), was flattered when informed he’s the current candidate for late-game heroics.

“I think it’s good for coach Self to have faith in me like that,” Chalmers said. I think anybody on the team can be the go-to guy. Coach will put the ball in the hands of the person he thinks will have the best opportunity to score at the end. It could be me, Brandon (Rush), Russell (Robinson) or anybody else.”

Entering the season, it was believed Rush would take most of the big shots. It still could wind up that way, but at this time, Rush is hitting 38.2 percent of his shots while averaging 12.3 points per game.

“We need Brandon to be more of a go-to guy,” Self said. “He needs to get out of it (slump in which he’s hit 16 of 55 shots over five games) through repetition. There are a lot of reasons we have not looked good offensively. That (Rush’s performance) is one I’m least concerned about. I believe in my heart it’ll still happen.”

Point guard Russell Robinson can see why Self has a lot of confidence in Chalmers.

“You do need a certain presence to take that shot. Mario has it,” Robinson said. “When the game is late and a play needs to be made, Mario wants to step up and make a play. He has that presence about him. I think Brandon is beginning to get it. Brandon is playing freely, getting good looks, not getting down on himself.”

Robinson said that in running the point, “as far as on the court in transition, I’m looking for Mario or Julian. In the halfcourt, I’m looking for Brandon or Shady more than anybody. If I had to pick one guy to get a shot off, I’d probably pick Shady. He has a quick release.”

Arthur is team’s leading scorer at 14.3 points a game, followed by Wright (12.4), Rush (12.3) and Chalmers (11.0).

Rush averaged 13.5 points his freshman season off 47.4 percent shooting.

“I make one and I get all excited thinking I’m on a roll. I’ll keep shooting until I start making ’em,” Rush said.

¢ New court date for Giles: Former Kansas University basketball player C.J. Giles didn’t appear in court Wednesday on a charge of battering a female KU student. City prosecutor Jerry Little spoke with Giles, who indicated he likely would apply for diversion in the case. If a diversion ultimately is approved, chances are Giles, who has moved back to Seattle, would not return for his next court date, set for 7 a.m., Jan. 25.

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Elite teams: Expected powerhouse teams such as KU, Florida, North Carolina, Duke and Ohio State all have lost one or more games in the early going.

“I think there are five or six teams that have potential to be dominant,” KU coach Bill Self said.

Is KU one of those teams?

“I think we will be, yes,” he said. “I think Florida is still a dominant team, even though they have not played particularly well. I don’t think we are at that level yet. I wish we were playing at that level. I 100 percent believe we are going to become one of those teams. We are an elite team. We haven’t played like an elite team yet.”

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Toledo tragedy: Toledo (2-4) which will meet KU at noon Saturday at Kemper Arena, suffered a tragedy in the preseason. Junior Haris Charalambous collapsed and died during a morning conditioning workout on Oct. 9. The players have dedicated the season to Charalambous.

“Certainly it puts everything in perspective: the importance of understanding the value of living each day and never taking anything for granted,” Self said.

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MU is tough: Russell Robinson, on Missouri’s 9-0 start: “I’ve definitely circled that game, Mizzou, on my calendar,” he said of the first meeting on Jan. 15 at Allen Fieldhouse. “The way they play and the pressure they bring will be good for us I think.”

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Zona game possible: If, as rumored, there is a Big 12/Pac-10 challenge next season, look for the Jayhawks to be matched against Arizona at Allen Fieldhouse, with a return game against the Wildcats the following year in Tucson, Ariz. KU senior associate athletic director Larry Keating said the Jayhawks’ return game against USC next season also conceivably could be KU’s game in the challenge, patterned after the Big 10/ACC challenge.

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Knee still sore: KU junior Sasha Kaun has been practicing one day and taking the next off as his right knee continues to heal. “He is sore,” Self said. “He is not where he is going to be real soon. He needs a lot of repetitions and see good things happen. He’s not had that opportunity yet.”

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Aldrich, Reed excel: Future KU center Cole Aldrich scored 28 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in Bloomington (Minn.) Jefferson High’s 59-53 season-opening victory over Lakeville North on Tuesday. Future KU guard Tyrel Reed scored 29 points in Burlington High’s 79-61 season-opening victory over Louisburg.