photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas head coach Bill Self has a laugh with Kansas guard Frank Mason III (0) as time begins to expire in the Jayhawks' 66-60 win over Baylor, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016 at Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas.

Kansas basketball coach Bill Self on Monday joined CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein for 15 minutes on his regular weekly college basketball podcast and covered a variety of topics from the Jayhawks’ Big 12 title streak to losing to Villanova last year and entering the 2016-17 season with a team that’s good enough to extend the streak and make some noise in March.

Never one to oversell his program, it’s clear that Self believes the Jayhawks have a chance to accomplish some big things this season, but, to hear Self tell it, that’s really nothing new.

Since Self’s arrival before the 2003-04 season, the Jayhawks have never been lower than a 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Add to that the fact that Self has led the Jayhawks to a national title, two Final Fours and six Elite Eight appearances and it’s clear that Kansas has been a consistent contender under Self.

“We’ve been a team that’s been in the game,” Self told Rothstein on Monday. “And you’d think that if you beat on the door enough, eventually you’re gonna kick it in and we’ve only kicked it in once.”

The Jayhawks under Self are just 2-4 in those Elite Eight appearances, including last year’s tough loss to eventual national champion Villanova.

Self and Rothstein discussed the Villanova loss in detail and Self said, even as much as it hurt, it was one he could stomach.

“It’s not awful to lose to a team that won a national championship and played to a national championship level,” he said. “But we had a team that was playing well enough and was good enough to do it ourselves, and that doesn’t sit very well.”

As is the case every season, Self said the bulk of his focus on the Villanova loss since March 26 has been not on the specifics of the game — KU’s slow start, Devonte’ Graham’s foul trouble, Wayne Selden’s rough shooting night or Perry Ellis’ inability to score — but rather on what could be learned from the outcome.

“I reflect back and think about, did we maximize what we had,” Self said. “You have to look at it as a whole first, and then you have to dissect it as you get really down to it: OK, what can we do different to put us in a better position so that when we’re in that position again we’re more prepared.”

That’s what has Self so eager for the start of the 2016-17 season, which will begin, in exhibition form anyway, three weeks from tonight at Allen Fieldhouse against Washburn.

Not only does Self believe this year’s team has a chance to extend the Big 12 title streak and contend at the highest level, but he also likes the make-up of the 2016-17 squad and talked about why with Rothstein.

“I think this team will be a team that’s in the game,” Self said. “But how much we like each other, how much we enjoy playing with each other, how the pieces fit, that still remains to be seen. It remains to be seen with every team out there. But I do like our talent. And I like our blend of youth and experience and we’ve got young players that could be impact guys and certainly we have some great returning guys.”

Chief among them are backcourt mates Devonte’ Graham and Frank Mason, who will team will freshman Josh Jackson to form the most talented guard trio in the Big 12.

“Usually good guards win,” Self said. “And we’ve got as good of guards as anybody, in my opinion. How we manage it and how we grow as a unit still remains to be seen, but it’s gonna be a fun team to coach.”