For the first time since 2002, the Living Room Times men’s basketball pool is going down to the wire.

North Carolina’s win over Michigan State denied USC alum Andrew Long a chance to clinch the tenth annual Times men’s pool during the Final Four. Instead, the Irish-Trojan battle between Long and Notre Dame 1L Brian Kiolbasa will be decided by the national championship game between Illinois and North Carolina.

If the Tar Heels win, Kiolbasa will be crowned pool champion. If the Illini win, Long will capture the pool championship — making him the first USC student or alumnus ever to do so, despite the participation of Trojans in every Times pool, men’s and women’s, since 2000.

This is the fifth time the Times men’s pool champion has not been decided until the championship game (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005). In 1998 and 2003, the winner clinched during the Final Four; in 1996, 1997 and 2004, the suspense was over by the end of the tournament’s second weekend, as the winner clinched during the Elite Eight.

Current standings here and after the jump. Final standings if Illinois wins here; final standings if North Carolina wins here.

LIVING ROOM TIMES MEN’S POOL STANDINGS
1. Andrew Long 342
2. Brian Kiolbasa 337
3. Tom K. 330
3. Dmytro Aponte 330
5. Chris Hehman 322
6. Brian Grummell 321
7. Stacey Tetreault 317
8. Dan Port 315
9. Craig Frizzell 311
10. Kevin Chmielnik 307
11. Em Merkler 303
11. Victoria Lopez 303
13. Blake Hanson 298
14. Ben Eng 295
14. Adam Williams 295
16. Eric Boisvert 293
16. Todd Stigliano 293
18. Jay Barasch 292
19. Derek Walden 291
19. Pat McGriff 291
21. Bill Weinstein 290
22. Ginny Zak 286
23. Alex Ho 285
24. Mike Quinn 284
24. Jim Wall 284
26. Dennis Chow 283
27. Carol LaPlante 281
27. Kevin Hauschulz 281
27. Brendan Loy 281
27. Lauren Davis 281
27. Arash Markazi 281
32. Dave Downes 279
33. Sarah Wake 278
33. Andy Lee 278
33. John Dooley 278
36. Chris Aemisegger 277
37. Lisa Velte 276
38. Steve Hartranft 275
39. Tim Sendek 274
39. Mike Murphy 274
41. Josh Rubin 273
41. Ryan McBride 273
41. Greg Kagan 273
44. Chris Pearsall 271
45. Byron Thompson 268
45. Brian Merrell 268
47. Eddie Domaingue 266
48. Matt Thomsen 265
49. Tom Greca 264
50. Rick Boeckler 261
50. Pat Caplin 261
52. Jon Caplin 258
53. Joel Thrift 257
54. Scott Loomer 256
54. Ryan Dalidowitz 256
54. Alex Boeckler 256
54. Jackie Domaingue 256
58. Brian Noonan 253
58. A.J. St. John 253
60. David Kreutz 251
60. Cam McLachlan 251
60. Richard Jacquin 251
63. Jackie Wilson 249
64. Matt Kagan 248
65. Amy Greca 247
65. Tara Stuckey 247
67. Jack Strayer 246
68. Dan Dinunzio 244
69. Jenn Castelhano 243
70. Mike Wiser 242
70. The Backer 242
72. Suzanne Ogden 241
72. Chris Evans 241
72. Milan Cisar 241
75. Erin DeRubbo 239
75. John Chung 239
77. Paul Lucht 238
78. Rick Garnett 237
79. Bobby Brown 236
79. Danielle Thomsen 236
79. Kate Spitz 236
79. Bea Duque 236
83. Earl Baker 233
83. Robert Weyman 233
85. Greg Plank 231
85. Josef Treggor 231
87. Justin Stolte 229
87. Kathy Johnson 229
89. Jordan Pinjuv 226
89. Liz Janelle 226
91. Justin Vale 224
91. Christine Venter 224
93. George Heidkamp 223
93. Tara Boisvert 223
95. Mike Tran 222
96. Ted Zak 221
96. Sergio Lopez 221
96. Paul Zak 221
99. Nick Surmacz 220
100. Terry Wood 219
100. Boi From Troy 219
102. Kristy LaPlante 218
102. Chris McLemore 218
104. Conor Sullivan 217
105. Esteban Coca 216
105. Patrick Roach 216
107. Larry Caplin 214
108. Kristen Wall 211
109. Mike Smoragiewicz 208
110. Cody Groeber 207
111. Kevin Mickey 206
111. Brian Newbold 206
113. Kristy McCray 204
114. Tim McDonough 201
114. Edgar Cardoso 201
116. Brenden Roche 199
116. Kevin Pilz 199
118. Jennifer Bullock 198
119. Joey Serfass 197
120. Bonnie Stone 194
121. Tyler Condon 192
122. Kaat Harbeson 191
123. Kimberly Stone 189
124. Beth Milewski 182
125. Kevin Cannon 180
126. Lance Spafford 179
126. Danny Pilz 179
128. Don LaPlante 174
129. Sandy Pilz 167
130. Kelly Marino 162
131. Becky Zak 159
132. Toby, Sasha & Butter Zak 141
133. Rosalie Town 140
134. Brooke Bennett 132
135. Robbie Zak 130