This year’s Kansas team is the highest seed the Jayhawks have ever received during Bill Self’s tenure. Kansas received the No. 7 seed in the West Region and will take on No. 10 Arkansas in the first round on Thursday.

While a seven-seed might indicate that the sky is falling for Kansas fans, Self remains confident because of the nature of the NCAA Tournament. He said that outside of getting a more favorable first-round matchup, having a one—or two-seed doesn’t make too much of a difference.

“After that game, you’ve got to win five games against people that are all really good,” Self said. “In this particular situation, if you’re not a one or two, you gotta win six games against people that are all really good.”

Self said Kansas didn’t do itself any favors on Selection Sunday because of the Jayhawks’ inconsistencies throughout the season. However, he also cited history, stating that there have been many situations where higher seeds have made deep runs in the NCAA Tournament.

The team that will come to mind for Kansas fans is the 1988 Jayhawks. Kansas started the year 11-8 under Larry Brown and was a six-seed in the NCAA Tournament. That team of course had Danny Manning, and he and the Miracles went on to win the national championship.

Self also mentioned 2010-11 UConn, who entered the Big East Tournament as the No. 9 seed. The Huskies won five games in five days to clinch an NCAA Tournament berth before going on to win the national championship on the back of Kemba Walker.

Also in 2011, VCU was seen as a controversial selection to the NCAA Tournament. The Rams finished fourth in their conference, which at the time was the CAA, and were thought to be on the outside looking in. VCU made the tournament as one of the last four teams in the field and advanced to the Final Four, beating Kansas in the Elite Eight along the way.

“Isn’t there examples of this stuff all the time?” Self said. “I think right now, everybody’s got to be stoked and ready to go right now.”

10 of the last 11 NCAA Tournaments have featured a team seeded seventh or higher in the Final Four. Seven-seed UConn won the national championship in 2014. NC State should not have made the tournament last season, but won five games in five days to win the ACC Tournament before making the Final Four.

While it’s not the seed the Jayhawks expected, it’s the one they deserved.

“It’s a hard draw, but you deserve a hard draw,” Self said. “That’s the position that we’re in and every other seven seed is in. But I like it. I’m looking forward to it. I think it’ll be fun.”