Quintrell Thomas, who started one of Kansas University’s two basketball exhibition games as well as the regular-season opener against UMKC, reacted like most high-profile 18-year-olds after seeing a reduction in playing time.

“I was kind of upset,” said Thomas. He played seven minutes total in CBE Classic games against Washington and Syracuse. “Any competitor would be mad sitting out games. It’s something obviously I’m not used to. (But) as long as the team is winning. ...” he quickly added.

The 6-foot-7, 240-pound freshman power forward from St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth, N.J., went from “upset” to embarrassed upon learning first-hand why his minutes had diminished.

“Coach showed me the tape,” Thomas said. “We were watching film and he was like, ‘Look at you right there. You did not even go for the ball. You didn’t even jump.’ He told me to put myself in his shoes. He said, ‘Would you play somebody who is not aggressive?’’’

Thomas’ answer to KU head coach Bill Self, of course, was “no.”

Instead of sulking, Thomas went to work on his shortcomings.

Awarded 17 minutes of playing time after practicing well of late, Thomas scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds in KU’s 100-79 rout of New Mexico State on Wednesday in Allen Fieldhouse.

“Pretty much all I’ve got to do is rebound and block shots,” said Thomas, who was 5-of-5 shooting versus the Aggies. “My goal is to get in the game and not get out because something stupid happened as soon as I got in. I’ve got to come in and do my job.”

Thomas sparked the Jayhawks on a night Cole Aldrich, Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris each picked up two first-half fouls.

“I was the only big man (left). If I didn’t do a good job, they’d go off and kill us,” he said of ˚the visiting Aggies.

Thomas scored six points and grabbed five rebounds while playing 12 minutes the first half as KU opened a 42-31 lead.

“I thought he was good tonight,” Self said of Thomas, adding, “I’d say he needed that.”

Thomas agrees his positive performance came at a good time.

“Anytime you get an opportunity to get in the game, especially if you haven’t been playing as much, anything you do that’s good gives you leeway for the next game,” Thomas said.

“It’s like now the coach gets a little more confidence in you. That’s what the other coaches have been telling me. I’ve just got to do something to give him more confidence.”

Like finishing strong on inside attempts. Thomas had two dunks versus the Aggies.

“Coach talks to me all the time about finishing around the rim. He tells me I’m not a finesse player,” said Thomas, who averages 3.0 points and 3.4 boards in 9.1 minutes per game.

Thomas has somebody to emulate in sophomore center Cole Aldrich, who averages 14.6 points and 10.4 boards.

“Before, I thought he couldn’t jump at all. He’d get two inches off the floor, but he’s got long arms. In the game, he’s a little different jumper,” Thomas said of the 6-11, 245-pound Aldrich, who has 19 blocked shots in seven games. “He’s got the title already,” Thomas added. “People consider him the best big man in America. He’s really strong.”

As far as his chances of playing meaningful minutes in the same frontcourt as Aldrich, Thomas said: “Everybody here has an opportunity to play. If you do what you have to do, you stay in. You have to give him a reason to keep you in the game.”

lMario Little back in action: KU junior forward Mario Little has been cleared to start practicing on a limited basis, Self said Thursday.

Little, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound transfer from Chipola (Fla.) Community College, has yet to play in a game this season because of a stress fracture in his lower left leg.

X-rays taken on Thursday “looked good,” according to Self, allowing for Little’s return to the court.

“We’ll monitor his progress as we go to see how he’s doing. Really he’s not done much at all since Canada,” Self said, referring to KU’s Labor Day weekend trip to Ottawa.

“We’ll start slow and gradually build up. He’ll be limited in certain drills, maybe do some non-contact stuff early on. We’ll bring him along like we did Brandon,” he added, referring to former KU player Brandon Rush’s early workouts after coming back from ACL surgery.

“Hopefully, depending on how he responds to pounding, he’ll be able to play (in a game) in a couple weeks. That’s the best-case scenario, to play in a couple weeks,” Self added.

Little is anxious to return to the court.

“I’m looking forward to finally getting back out there and working with the team,” Little said. “I’m not used to watching games from the sidelines, in street clothes. Hopefully, now I can contribute to the team’s success. It’s going to take some time to get caught up and in playing shape.”

lHardwood Series: KU will wait a bit to play its game in the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series. It’ll come on Dec. 23 at Arizona. No contracts have yet been signed, but plans are in the works for KU and UCLA to begin a home-and-home series starting next season as part of the challenge.

— Assistant sports editor Gary Bedore can be reached at 832-7186.