It should come as no surprise seven of the caroms came off the defensive glass.

“Definitely,” Axtell, a 6-foot-10, 220-pound shooting guard/small forward, said, asked if it’s tougher to grab offensive rebounds.

“You must crash fast, especially when it goes in the post. I’m looking to get the ball kicked out. If there’s a shot put up, there’s hardly any time to get in there. Defense is different.”

A year ago, Axtell grabbed 38 defensive rebounds and 17 offensive rebounds for a 2.8 average in 20 games. This season he has eight defensive rebounds and one offensive for a 3.0 average in three games.

“He told me to go to the boards and I did,” Axtell said of coach Roy Williams. “I did not know I had that many. It’s easy when you box out and the ball comes to you.”

Williams is stressing rebounding even more than usual this season. So far, KU has outrebounded its opponents an average of 47.6 to 31.4.

“We’re extremely demanding for their work on the backboards,” Williams said. “Two years ago we were in the (NCAA) Tournament and Kentucky gets a second opportunity to make a three to tie it up and we lose the game (in overtime).

“Last year we go one ahead of Duke. They miss a shot. They get a second opportunity to put it in. We lose the game. So we are going to be more demanding than ever on the backboards.”

Williams is also stressing taking the best available shot. For Axtell, that shot normally is a three.

Last year, 51 percent of Axtell’s total shots were threes. He made 31 of 79 for 39.2 percent. This year, 70 percent of his total shots have been threes. He’s made six of 14 for 42.9 percent.

“If it goes in, it’s always a green light, right?” Axtell joked of times he’s allowed to fire away. “There’s definitely good and bad shots. It’s a fine line. He (Williams) is not a gestapo or anything. He gives you freedom to shoot.”

When everybody is healthy and things are clicking, the Jayhawks have many offensive weapons.

There’s Axtell, Jeff Boschee (11 of 31 threes) and Kirk Hinrich (14 of 20) firing from the outside, plus Eric Chenowith, Nick Collison and Drew Gooden patrolling the inside. Meanwhile, Kenny Gregory does the slashing and fires up shots from various spots on the court.

“We have seven guys capable of scoring 20 on a given night,” Axtell said. “We have that kind of talent. It is important to get the best shot on each possession.”

The Jayhawks (7-0) will next meet Wake Forest (6-0) at 6:05 p.m., Lawrence time, Thursday in Winston-Salem, N.C.