It doesn’t know who its first-round opponent will be.

The Jayhawks, the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region, will face the winner of the First Four game between Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, the Southland champion, and Texas Southern, the SWAC champion. That game will be played Thursday in Fort Worth, Texas.

It’s only the third time the Jayhawks don’t know who their opponent will be on Selection Sunday, but it wasn’t a problem the previous times it happened. In 2007, top-seeded Kansas won 107-67 against Niagara, which beat Florida A&M in the play-in game. Ten years later, it earned a 100-62 victory over UC Davis, which defeated North Carolina A&T in a First Four game.

“I think it presents a challenge,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “I’d rather know who we’re going to play. It presents more of a challenge from a prep standpoint, so you know, we’re going to have a full day tomorrow and a full day Tuesday that we’re working on stuff and we don’t even know who we’re playing yet.”

Here’s a primer on each potential opponent:

TEXAS SOUTHERN TIGERS

Located: Houston

Record: 18-12, 13-5 SWAC

Qualification: SWAC champion; as No. 2 seed, beat No. 1 Alcorn State 87-62 in final

Coach: Johnny Jones (Fourth season, 75-51)

Top players: Senior forward John Walker III, 9.9 points per game; senior forward Joirdon Karl Nicholas, 9.2 ppg, 6 rebounds per game; senior forward Brison Gresham, 7.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.2 blocks per game; senior guard Bryson Etienne, 8.5 ppg.

NET ranking: 197

KenPom.com ranking: 188

NCAA Tournament appearances: NCAA Tournament appearances: 10th; last in 2021, an 88-62 loss to No. 1 seed Michigan State after a 60-52 win over Mount St. Mary’s in a First Four game.

Strengths: Allows 65.5 ppg, 65th in Division I; holds opponents to 39.6% shooting (23rd); holds opponents to 29.1% from 3-point range (18th); grabs 39.5 rebounds per game (19th) and 12.1 offensive rebounds per game (34th); 5 blocks per game (20th).

Weaknesses: Adjusted offensive efficiency of 98.1, according to KenPom.com, 270th out of 350 teams in Division 1; makes 67.1% of its free throws (308th); commits 14.9 turnovers per game (323rd) and has a 0.72 assist-to-turnover ratio (342nd); 10.8 assists per game (320th).

Notable wins: At Florida, 69-54

Notable losses: None

TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI ISLANDERS

Located: Corpus Christi, Texas

Record: 23-11, 7-7 Southland

Qualification: Southland champion; as No. 4 seed, beat No. 2 Southeastern Louisiana 72-65 in final

Coach: Steve Lutz (First season)

Top players: Junior forward Isaac Mushila, 13.5 points per game, 9.5 rebounds per game; junior guard Trevian Tennyson, 11.8 ppg; junior guard Terrion Murdix, 9.8 ppg, 3.8 assists per game; senior guard Simeon Fryer, 8.4 ppg; senior forward De’Lazarus Keys, 7.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg.

NET ranking: No. 241

KenPom.com ranking: No. 243

NCAA Tournament appearances: Second; last in 2007, a 76-63 loss to No. 15 seed Wisconsin

Strengths: Scores 76.9 ppg, 43rd in Division I; holds opponents to 41.7% shooting (89th); holds opponents to 31.1% shooting on 3-pointers (54th); grabs 38.4 rebounds per game (40th); averages 8.5 steals per game (27th).

Weaknesses: Adjusted offensive efficiency of 97, according to KenPom.com, 287th out of 350 teams in Division 1; 1.74 blocks per game (342nd).

Notable wins: Top seed Nicholls, 71-64 in conference semifinals

Notable losses: Houston Baptist, 77-71; at Northwestern State, 90-76

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