What the lanky 6-foot-6, 205-pound junior forward has is more of a yellow light — proceed with caution.

“Coach told me if I’m going to shoot it, I’ve got to step up and make it — to have the confidence I can make it,” said Nash, who is 6-of-28 from beyond the arc entering a 1 p.m. contest Sunday at Missouri. “He told me to be tough enough to make it or do something else (with the ball).”

KU coach Roy Williams had seen enough after Nash missed a three-pointer Feb. 11 at Baylor. That dropped Nash to 5-for-25 from three-point range.

“I had been getting on his case about coming in the game and shooting the first look he had from three-point line,” Williams said. “I told him if you are gonna shoot the daggum thing, be tough enough to make one now and then.”

Nash didn’t attempt a three in four games after the Baylor game before hitting one of two against Oklahoma State on Senior Day. He missed his only trey try Monday at Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas.

“I do feel I can make the shot,” Nash said. “I always felt I could make it. Sometimes I’ll shoot it, and I think it’s going in and it’ll rattle around in and out. I’d shake my head when it didn’t go in.”

Rather than drift outside, Nash has headed to the glass of late.

He grabbed seven boards and scored seven points against Texas Tech. He had 12 rebounds in 20 minutes in a recent home win over Texas A&M.

Nash, who scored eight points against Okie State, is playing a bigger role since 6-9 sophomore Wayne Simien was sidelined by a shoulder injury.

“Since Wayne is out I am trying to step up my game,” Nash said. “I am trying to do my part on defense. Coach has talked to me about using my feet. He says at practice to use your feet playing defense.”

Nash has logged 17 or more minutes in each of KU’s last three games. For the year he averages 11.7 minutes per outing.

“I hate to see my teammate get hurt,” Nash said. “It did give me an opportunity to play more, but I never want the opportunity to come because of an injury. I was ready for Wayne to get back. I wanted to get back on the wing. I’m a light body down there,” Nash said with a laugh.

l
Reno update: On Thursday, the University of Nevada athletic department and the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority announced that the Wolf Pack Holiday Classic would be played at 11,200-seat Lawlor Events Center on Saturday, Dec. 20 and Sunday, Dec. 21.

Kansas will play Cal Santa Barbara the first night and Nevada the second. Nevada will likely play Gardner Webb the first night and KU the second. It’s a two-day doubleheader format, not a tournament.

“Coach Alt (Chris, Nevada AD) mentioned they travel 5,000 people,” Nevada coach Trent Johnson said of the Jayhawk fans. “They also travel 10 pretty good players.”

Nevada will play KU the following two seasons at Allen Fieldhouse.

“I think it’s exciting. With a classic, you get one team that normally wouldn’t come in,” former Nevada coach Sonny Allen told the Reno Gazette-Journal. “It’ll create some excitement with Padgett coming back and Kansas playing Nevada.”

KU signee David Padgett, 6-11 from Reno, will be a freshman on KU’s roster next year.

“We are extremely pleased to be a part of the classic next season,” Williams said. “Each year we try to play a very challenging nonconference schedule and next year will be no exception. We look forward to participating in the event and I expect everything there will be handled in a first-class manner.”