Kansas University junior forward Sasha Kaun will return to practice today on a limited basis. He has missed KU’s first three games because of a partially torn patellar tendon in his right knee suffered Oct. 30.

“He is doing all the non-contact stuff we do. The doctors feel very good about his progress. He will practice (today). I don’t know to what extent, how many reps,” coach Bill Self said.

“I still don’t know about his availability this week. I anticipate next week for sure if he has no setbacks.”

KU plays Tennessee State on Tuesday in Allen Fieldhouse, then Ball State and Florida on Friday and Saturday in Las Vegas.

“We’re going to play teams a lot better, and we’re going to play teams a lot bigger, stronger and tougher. Getting Sasha back soon will help us,” Self said after Sunday’s 87-61 rout of Towson.

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Tennessee State falls: KU’s foe on Tuesday, Tennessee State, fell to Western Kentucky, 87-69, Sunday at WKU. It was Tennessee State’s first game of the season.

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Case is back: KU junior guard Jeremy Case played for the first time in a game this season. He had three assists and two steals in eight minutes, missing two threes. He had been slowed by a groin injury.

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Easing the pain a bit: Mario Chalmers, who scored 15 points and had four assists, was happy the squad bounced back after Wednesday’s loss to Oral Roberts.

“We needed it big time,” he said. “A couple guys were getting down on themselves. This will bring them up. I was kind of getting down. We’ve got to keep fighting hard and not let it happen again.”

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Downs out for season: Gonzaga officials announced Sunday that former KU guard Micah Downs had a pin inserted in his injured foot and would miss the entire season. Downs transferred from Kansas last season and was not eligible to play until December. He injured his foot during preseason practice. Downs was a McDonald’s All-American at Juanita High School in Seattle.

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This, that: KU hit six of 12 threes the first half and none in six tries the second. : KU forced 24 turnovers and had 31 fast-break points. KU turned Towson turnovers into 23 first-half points, while Towson did not score following a KU bobble. : Russell Robinson had eight assists, missing his career high by one. He had nine versus Baylor last season. : Brandon Rush and Darrell Arthur scored KU’s first 17 points. Rush had nine and Arthur eight. : Matt Kleinmann scored his first points of the season on a second-half layin.