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Getting to know the 2012 Final Four: Ohio State

This week, The Dagger takes a deeper look at each of the four schools participating in the 2012 Final Four. Previously: Louisville and Kentucky.

Location: Columbus, Ohio

Enrollment: 56,064

Team Mascot: Buckeyes

How they got to New Orleans: d. No. 15 Loyola (78-59), d. No. 7 Gonzaga (73-66), d. No. 6 Cincinnati (81-66), d. No. 1 Syracuse (77-70)

Greatest basketball moment: Jerry Lucas leads the 1960 team to a national championship over Cal.

Reason to root for them: Jared Sullinger came back. Super sophs > diaper dandies.

Reason to root against them: School's football team has been involved in so many unwatchable bowl games that there's a legitimate fear the same affliction befalls the basketball team, which will then lead to a 95-41 loss to Kentucky in the national championship.

Name of Thad Matta's hometown: Hoopeston.

Mascot of Thad Matta's high school team: Cornjerkers.

Available Final Final swag items on team website: 38, including one black T-shirt that is described as such: "There ain't no party like a Final Four party, so amp up the energy for what are sure to be some mind-blowing games at the 2012 NCAA Men's Basketball Semifinals with this Final Four Teams tee from Nike!" In a Tahitian hut 7,000 miles to the west, J. Peterman weeps.

Great men who attended Ohio State: The founder of Shoney's, the inventor of Windex, co-creator of George Foreman Grill, the guy Larry David imitated on "Seinfeld," Jack Nicklaus.

Smart quote to make others think you've been following Ohio State all along: "William Buford's middle name should be 'consistency.' He averaged 14.4 points in each of his final three years at the school. I don't know what his real middle name is because it's not listed in the media guide."

What not to say at your Final Four party: "I heard Deshaun Thomas gets his tattoos at the same place as Terrelle Pryor."

What Clark Kellogg will probably say about Ohio State: Nothing. CBS will cut to reaction shots of the OSU alum multiple times during the game.

Chances of winning it all: Vegas installed the Buckeyes as a slight favorite to beat Kansas. They won't get the same respect from oddsmakers if they play Kentucky.

Jim Nantz's most likely scripted line if they do: "Columbus discovers a championship."

Related NCAA tournament video on Yahoo! Sports: