Kansas University center Sasha Kaun, top, elevates above Fort Hays State's Shawn Emerick for the game-opening jump ball. The Jayhawks cruised in their two exhibition games, including a 93-56 victory against Fort Hays State on Tuesday, and will tip off the regular season at 7 tonight against Louisiana-Monroe.

One of Kansas University’s senior team leaders, Sasha Kaun doesn’t think he’ll have to say anything to inspire the younger Jayhawks tonight.

“I’m pretty sure the guys know,” Kaun said of the difference between KU’s two exhibition games and tonight’s Opening Night contest against University of Louisiana at Monroe (7 p.m., Allen Fieldhouse).

“Coach (Bill) Self makes it real clear. In the exhibition games, he tries to play everybody. In a real game, you screw up you’ve got to come out because the game counts. You can’t have somebody on the court who doesn’t play hard. I think the guys know,” the 6-foot-11, 250-pounder repeated.

The Jayhawks realize that starting tonight, the games count in the standings.

Mistakes – like Kaun’s missed slam dunk to open Tuesday’s 93-56 rout of Fort Hays State – won’t be tolerated.

“It was early in the game. I wasn’t loosened up. I didn’t jump high enough,” Kaun said, dismissing the notion that as a fourth-year player he might not have been fully fired up for a mere exhibition game.

“It’s always nice to play any game here. We get a full house and try some of the things we’ve been working on in practice. They (exhibitions) give the coaches perspectives on how guys will play. I like to play any game in the fieldhouse.”

Yet the adrenaline figures to be flowing more tonight … Opening Night.

“Everything goes in the record books. We’ve really got to play hard, get a lead and maintain that lead to keep the win,” frosh center Cole Aldrich said.

The Jayhawks haven’t forgotten the fact they opened last season with a 91-56 rout of Northern Arizona followed by a shocking 78-71 loss to Oral Roberts.

“I think last year we started off slow, but this year everybody is on the same page,” senior forward Darnell Jackson said. “We all know what we want because we have the same guys back and only lost Julian (Wright).

“We have a lot to work on,” Jackson added. “We played pretty well in the exhibition games, but it doesn’t mean anything. We still have to go out there and play and execute plays and make sure guys are on the same page and nobody is out there trying to do it individual because it’s, ‘We not me.'”

All for one and one for all.

“We have a different mindset,” Kaun said. “We have to start from the beginning and get better, not waste any time this year. You’ve got to get better every day and by the time conference starts have to be one of the best teams.”

KU coach Self says he is “excited” to tip off his fifth season as KU coach tonight.

“I do think if I had to do it all over again I wouldn’t play three games in one week like we’re doing now, but this will be good for us to get used to it,” he said of playing FHSU Tuesday, Louisiana-Monroe tonight and UMKC Sunday.

“It’s like the Saturday-Monday games we’ll see in the conference.”

He definitely respects tonight’s foe.

The Warhawks won the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference a year ago and are picked to do the same this season with five returning starters and 11 letterwinners.

“The nervousness is you’re playing against a team that returns their top seven or so scorers and won their side of the league last year,” Self said. “Coach (Orlando) Early was Sun Belt Coach of the Year. They return all that experience.”

His team is experienced as well.

“I didn’t think last year’s team played hungry early in the season in large part because that team was so young and had won 15 of 16 down the stretch. The NCAA Tournament loss (to Bradley) … let’s be real honest, it is motivation, but after a point in time you have to motivate yourself. You can’t go to practice every day using a negative to motivate yourself. You have to be a self-starter, so to speak. I didn’t think last year’s team, as a group, was that. This year we’re better in that area. Maybe it’s UCLA (loss in Elite Eight). Maybe it’s five seniors knowing it’s their last go-round. Maybe we’re just maturing as a group. But it’s probably a combination of all those things.”

How it translates to the court Self and 16,300 fans will find out tonight … Opening Night.

¢ This, that: ESPN made it official this week, indicating its Game Day crew would be in Lawrence for the KU-Kansas State game on March 1. … This is the first meeting between KU and ULM. … KU is 17-3 against membership of the Sun Belt – 2-0 vs. Arkansas Little Rock, 3-1 vs. Denver, 1-0 vs. Florida International, 1-1 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, 3-0 vs. Middle Tennessee State, 2-0 vs. New Orleans, 2-0 vs. South Alabama and 3-1 vs. Western Kentucky. … KU last faced a Sun Belt team on Dec. 29, 2005, when the Jayhawks stopped New Orleans, 73-56. … Located in Monroe, La., ULM has an enrollment of 8,571. Nickname is Warhawks. School colors are maroon and gold. … KU has won 34 straight home openers. KU has won five straight season openers. Last loss was to Ball State in the 2001 Maui Invitational.