But Oubre pulling the trigger from three-point range is not always the best thing for the KU offense.

Oubre, who possesses such an easy-going demeanor in so many aspects of his game, knows that. And during the final few weeks of the 2014-15 season, he decided to do something about it.

No longer content just to let ‘er rip from three-point land, Oubre has made a clear and concerted point to attack the basket as much as possible during recent games. And even though that has not always led directly to easy points or a high field-goal percentage for Oubre, his willingness to attack has had a positive impact.

“It helps us out as a team and gets guys going,” said KU point guard Frank Mason. “If you see him do it, teammates start to get confidence in themselves and think that they can do it, too.”

Never was Oubre’s new focal point more evident than during Thursday’s Big 12 quarterfinal victory over TCU, when he led Kansas with a career-high 25 points and got to the free throw line 19 times.

The 6-foot-7 Oubre arrived at Kansas with the reputation as a slasher and was proclaimed by many, however prematurely, to be the easy answer to the question of who would fill Andrew Wiggins’ role in the KU lineup. Oubre has plenty of confidence in his shot. But even he admitted that he became a little too reliant on his jumper midway through the season.

“For sure,” he said following a late-season victory over Texas. “Just getting to the line and getting easy buckets, that’s what I need to work on. I need to see the ball go in the hole before I step out and try to shoot long jumpers.”

So that’s what he’s done. Rather than settle, Oubre, more often than not, has taken a couple of hard dribbles, slapped a strong grimace on his face and drove right into the land of the giants.

It’s a place he’s comfortable playing because his length and body control allow him to take contact and still finish. The worst case scenario, according to Oubre, is a trip to the free throw line.

“Being in attack-mode the whole time and just having a good feel for the game and getting to the paint (is key),” he said. “I feel like nobody can stop me from getting into the paint.”

The more he does it the more balanced the Kansas offense becomes. And that makes life easier for guys like Mason and Brannen Greene on the wing and Perry Ellis and Landen Lucas closer to the rim.

“Getting into the paint, drawing the defense and finding the open man is definitely something that opens (the offense) up,” Oubre said.

Mason agreed and said he was hopeful that Oubre would continue to attack whenever possible.

“Definitely,” Mason said. “Kelly’s a slasher anyway. He’s long, athletic and he gets in the paint. I see it every day in practice. Everyone gets hit with contact in practice but he loves it.”