Kansas University sophomore C.J. Giles has been slowed by a groin pull.

“I did it a few weeks ago. I’m fine,” Giles said.

“He’ll be OK,” coach Bill Self said. “Playing three days in a row (at Big 12 tourney) probably is not the easiest thing for someone who has one of those.”

¢ Morningstar in town: KU signee Brady Morningstar shot on the side on his own in Allen Fieldhouse on Tuesday. He’s on spring break from New Hampton (N.H.) Prep School.

“I’m going to go up to Michigan (for Friday’s game). My sister lives there,” Morningstar said. “It’s a pretty exciting time. They are playing well as a team. It’s a whole different team from the beginning of the year.”

Morningstar said he averaged between 20 and 21 points a game for New Hampton, which had a 24-10 record.

“I feel I held my own against everybody we played,” the 6-foot-3, 170-pound former Free State High player said. “I shot the ball well. I worked on a quick release shooting and a high release point and my ballhandling.”

He said he’d hit the weights hard the rest of the spring and summer.

¢ More on flap: Texas coach Rick Barnes said the Longhorns next year would use as motivation KU players saying they “wanted it more than the Longhorns” after Sunday’s Big 12 tournament title victory in Dallas.

One reporter’s tape has KU’s Hawkins simply saying, “I think we did,” when asked if Kansas wanted it more than UT.

“They can use it as motivation if they want to,” Hawkins said, adding the Jayhawks were upset UT was able to celebrate with the regular-season trophy after its clinching victory over Oklahoma, while the Jayhawks were denied after they clinched by beating K-State. “We didn’t appreciate them holding up the trophy. If they want to use that as motivation, they can. That’s over.”

¢ This ‘n’ that: The Jayhawks are slated to leave Allen Fieldhouse via bus between 2 and 2:30 p.m. today and fly out of Forbes Field in Topeka to Detroit. Their hotel is the Auburn Hilton Suites. KU will hold its open practice from 5:10-5:50 p.m. Thursday at the Palace of Auburn Hills. : KU sophomore Sasha Kaun roomed with Bradley 7-footer Patrick O’Bryant at last summer’s Pete Newell Big Man camp in Las Vegas. “He’s really a good guy,” Kaun said. : Vinson on heading to cold, snowy Detroit: “I saw all those nice tropical locations we could have gone to. They put us in Detroit,” he said. “I heard there’s snow on the ground. That’s not my kind of weather, but it’s better than tornadoes.” : Self was asked if Bradley’s fans would embrace him. “Will the Bradley fans embrace me? Not if they’re Illini fans they won’t, but I don’t have any idea,” he said, noting Peoria was about a 90-minute drive from Champaign, Ill., where he worked three years as U of I coach.