Getting to know the 2013 Final Four: Wichita State
This week, The Dagger takes a deeper look at each of the four schools participating in the 2013 Final Four. We conclude with the Cinderella story. Wichita State
Location: Wichita, Kan.
Enrollment: 14,898
Team Mascot: Shockers
Must Follow on Twitter: Guard Fred VanVleet
Find them here: Official team site or Facebook
[Getting to know the Final Four: Michigan | Syracuse | Louisville]
How they got to Atlanta: d. No. 8 Pittsburgh (73-55), d. No. 1 Gonzaga (76-70), d. No. 13 La Salle (72-58), d. No.2 Ohio State (70-66).
Greatest basketball moment: With apologies to the 1965 Final Four team, you're watching it unfold in this season's tournament. The NCAA tournament wasn't as competitive and nationally relevant back in the 1960s as it is now.
Reason to root for them: It's obvious isn't it. They're the only Cinderella story in the group as a No. 9 seed. With two weeks left in the regular season, there were serious questions about them even getting into the tournament.
Reason to root against them: You pretty much have to be a fan of the other three teams here to root against the Shockers. In the past 10 years, fans of the underdog have been teased by George Mason, Butler and VCU reaching the Final Four only to fall short. Maybe this Cinderella actually walks away with the glass slipper and joins 1985 Villanova as one of the iconic underdogs in tournament history.
Famous alumni: NFL 2013 Hall of Fame inductee Bill Parcells. Before he started a coaching career that eventually culminated in leading four different franchises to the playoffs and two to the Super Bowl, he was a linebacker for the Shockers.
Noteworthy: Wichita State lost nine big contributors to graduation from the past two seasons, including the top five scorers on last season's team, but it hasn't stopped the Shockers from producing an historic season.
Best player: Take your pick. This is a team that has had six different leading scorers in the past 10 games. Forward Cleanthony Early, forward Carl Hall and guard Malcolm Armstead are the only players who average double figures this season. Armstead seems to be the go-to-guy late in the year.
Must see video: Before the Shockers began their postseason run. This regular season upset over then-No. 12 Creighton was the signature moment of the season.
Memorable Moments from Yahoo! Sports:
More NCAA tournament content from Yahoo! Sports:
• Michigan coach John Beilein shares ties with 'Saving Private Ryan'
• NFL players reach out to Kevin Ware after horrific leg injury
&b• Final Four has something for everyone
