Kansas guard Tyrel Reed pulls down an offensive rebound before the Washburn defense during the first half Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008 at Allen Fieldhouse.

No Kansas University basketball player will ever complain about getting too many minutes in a single game.

“It’s fun getting tired,” KU sophomore Tyrel Reed said with a smile.

He scored 16 points and grabbed five rebounds while logging a whopping 29 minutes in Tuesday’s 98-79 exhibition rout of Washburn in Allen Fieldhouse.

His previous high in minutes played had been 21 versus Northern Arizona in the fourth game of his freshman season.

“It’s what you work for in the offseason, when you are doing all the conditioning,” Reed said of being ready for significant playing time.

“It was definitely different (after) not getting to play as much last year. It was nice being on the court.”

Reed – he scored 47 points and dished 21 assists against four turnovers his entire freshman season – played in just 23 of KU’s 40 games.

He was slowed by a pair of severe ankle sprains.

“I mean, injuries happen,” the 6-foot-3 Reed said. “I hurt my ankles quite a bit last year. You’ve got to play through those things. I wouldn’t say injuries hampered my year. We had a great team and it was awesome being part of it.”

Reed knocked down five three-pointers in six tries on Tuesday night, a feat that didn’t surprise his teammates, who have seen him on fire at practice.

“Tyrel is a great shooter,” said KU freshman Markieff Morris, who also spoke highly of sophomore guard Brady Morningstar, who exploded for 15 points in 29 minutes Tuesday.

“I knew those guys had it in them. Just get them the ball. They are great scorers,” Morris added.

Of course, it takes solid work on defense to earn meaningful minutes in regular-season games under coach Bill Self.

“I thought Brady and Tyrel’s defense was above average,” Self said. “I think Brady has become a pretty good defender. Tyrel can improve a little bit. Obviously we all can. Also, it’s the second week of practice. We all will get better.”

Washburn coach Bob Chipman, who follows KU’s program closely, says he is thoroughly impressed with the development of Reed and Morningstar.

“Tyrel had a great night for them. He can really shoot the basketball,” Chipman said. “I thought Tyrel Reed looked like he could play anywhere to me. That is as pretty a release as you will see and you just know that ball is going in.

“Brady shot it well and played at a great pace for them. They are just so smart at passing the ball and taking what the defense gives you.”

For Reed, that means bombing in threes from the wing.

“I mean it really doesn’t matter,” Reed said, asked if that was his favorite part of the court. “Being a shooter, you shoot when you are open, wherever you are open.”

Orton has surgery: Daniel Orton, a 6-foot-10 senior from Oklahoma City’s Bishop McGuiness High, had surgery on his left knee Tuesday, the Daily Oklahoman reported.

Orton, a former KU recruit who committed to Kentucky right after Kansas received a commitment from power forward Thomas Robinson, is expected to miss four to six months of basketball.

“We are hopeful we can get him back for the (state) playoffs,” McGuinness coach Tondrell Durham said, indicating he’s not sure when the injury occurred.

Orton is Rivals.com’s No. 22 rated player.

“The Irish will move forward,” Durham told the Oklahoman “We have players who are more than capable of stepping in.”

Rivals.com’s No. 3-rated player, Xavier Henry, was slated to undergo surgery today to repair a broken cheekbone he sustained in a recent car accident. His dad, Carl, told Zagsblog.net this morning that Xavier would choose between KU and Memphis in four-to-six weeks, meaning he would sign in the April signing period.

The early signing period runs from Nov. 12-19.

No release: In a controversial move, Arizona has denied freshman center Jeff Withey’s request for a transfer.

If Withey transfers without a release from his letter of intent, he would have to sit out a year and also lose a year of eligibility. Also, he’d have to pay his own way until becoming eligible for competition at his new school. Withey, who was recruited by KU and Louisville his senior year of high school, elected to leave the team after coach Lute Olson decided to step down.