Omaha, Neb. ? Kansas University junior forward Perry Ellis, who is still wearing a brace at practice and in games to protect his sprained right knee, had an especially strong workout Saturday.

“He’s been good in practice most every day, but today was the best day he’s had since he’s been out. I think he would be the first to tell you that. He looked like the old Perry,” KU coach Bill Self said.

Ellis missed 21/2 games with the injury before returning in the semifinals of the Big 12 tournament. He has played in KU’s last three games heading into today’s 4:15 p.m., NCAA Round of 32 contest against Wichita State in CenturyLink Center.

“I thought yesterday (nine points, two rebounds in Round of 64 win over New Mexico State) we got the ball to him a lot early on, and he was tentative. He didn’t show as much explosiveness, didn’t react to balls as well, and I think it obviously was a mental thing,” Self said.

“I think every day he gets through some of those mental barriers, and I can’t see a reason why he can’t be 100 percent tomorrow physically. Now I’ve got to make sure he’s into it mentally as what he should be, and if he does that, I expect him to play very well.”

Of his knee, Ellis said: “My leg feels good. I would say the key thing is just a mental thing. Each day I’m getting better and better. Practice today went well. The key thing is just getting out there and just being aggressive and attacking, and I was doing that today and wasn’t thinking about it at all. The knee feels great.”