Sure is, says KU coach Roy Williams, who would like to give the 6-foot-11, 250-pounder some more minutes during tonight’s nonconference game against Illinois State (7:05 p.m., Allen Fieldhouse).

“I told the team yesterday at the start of practice if anybody could feel they were getting shortchanged, it’s Jeff Carey,” Williams said Wednesday.

Carey, who is behind Nick Collison, Eric Chenowith and Drew Gooden on the big man depth chart, is averaging six minutes a game through six games, playing three minutes or less in half of KU’s contests.

“He hasn’t said one negative word, had one negative look or anything. He’s just tried to practice and do the best he could,” Williams said. “Jeff is sort of my security blanket. I’m so comfortable, confident with him. I know he’s going to do a good job when I put him out there. Hopefully he’ll get more playing time so he gets more satisfaction out of it like I’m getting (with him) now.”

Carey said he’s not dissatisfied, but admits at times he’s “frustrated.”

“Somewhat, yes,” he said. “I think I’ve been playing pretty well. When you think you play a pretty good game and the next game don’t get many minutes, I’d say it hurts your confidence a bit. I try to keep the mindset to not let it bother me, that coach will do what’s best for the team.

“I don’t have a theory behind it,” Carey added of the reason behind his inactivity. “The guys who are playing in front of me Drew, Nick and Eric do a pretty good job.”

Carey says he wants no sympathy minutes.

“I would never want to feel I asked for minutes or coach feels obligated to give me minutes because I complained to coach or my dad called and complained,” Carey said. “I’d hate that to be the reason I’m playing. It’s not that big a deal. I think it’s blown way out of proportion.”

He’ll be ready if called upon against the 0-1 Redbirds.

“I think he’ll be looking to put me in more,” Carey said of Williams. “He’s mentioned it a couple times. I’d like to get in now and build some confidence to be more comfortable later if those guys get in foul trouble and I need to play. I’d like to build some confidence. If I get five minutes or 15, I will play hard.”

KU freshman Mario Kinsey, who had surgery on Nov. 21 to repair anterior compartment syndrome in his left leg, is practicing some. Williams said the plan was for Kinsey to go one of three plays at practice. “We’ll wait and see when they (doctors) say he can play,” Williams said, noting he “had no idea” whether Kinsey would be given the OK to play tonight.

Williams said by season’s end, this could emerge as the top offensive team in his 13 years at KU.

The Jayhawks take a 94.2 ppg average on 56.3 percent shooting into tonight’s game. He said the 1989-90 team (30-5 record) and 1996-97 squads (34-2) rank as his best offensive squads.

“We have guys who can shoot and shoot with range. Guys who can score inside, and rebound the basketball and get second opportunities. Kirk (Hinrich) does push it real well. All of those reasons,” Williams said.

“Right now we are so far from being one of the best defensive teams, it’s the difference between night and day,” he said, saying No. 2-ranked KU is definitely overrated because of defense.

“I don’t think it’s even close,” he said, noting Arizona and Duke were ahead of everybody else at this early date. “It doesn’t make any difference. I don’t vote. In basketball you have to do it on the court.”

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