Round 5 Update:

 
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Michigan Wolverines vs Villanova Wildcats for the National Championship.

I don’t know what to say!!

Personally, I couldn’t have concocted a better matchup in my wildest dreams for the refurbished 20th annual PYO Challenge.

With 632 points Bryan Torres is our leader heading into the title game.

  • 204 contestants picked Villanova or Michigan to win the title.
  • 12 brackets picked Villanova over Michigan.
    • Olivia Blackstone, Daren Dale, Finnegan O'Shaughnessey, Lucas Lampman, James Dinnan, Mark Frenette, Chris Bond, Anil Khan, Bryan Torres, Ryan Willoughby, Bill Boyes, and Luke Kutrieb
  • 10 brackets picked Michigan over Villanova.
    • Chris Macklin, Ashley Fisher, Blake Nagengast, Katie Mizell, Pam O'Shaughnessey, Theodore Sterious, Aaron Oskey, Mike Roeper, John Kehlenbeck, and Ricky Webster.
  • Jaclyn Adams, Austin Evans, and Rachel McConnell currently have the highest correct ‘Pick %’ at 69.4% (43 of 62). Rachel picked Villanova and can finish 44 of 63.
  • Title game facts:
    • 55: days since Michigan last lost against Northwestern (14 straight wins).
    • 136: games Villanova has won over a four-year period to set an NCAA record (prev. Duke 134)
    • 17.8: Villanova's average margin of victory through five NCAA tournament games. None of Radford, Alabama, West Virginia, Texas Tech or Kansas were within 10 points, either.
    • The last time Michigan faced Villanova in the NCAA Tournament was in 1985 when Nova won 59-55 and went on to stun Georgetown in the title game.

It’s down to two contestants for Two NCAA Championship tickets!

Possible outcomes:

  • Villanova beats Michigan- Bryan Torres
  • Michigan beats Villanova- Pam O’Shaughnessey

Getting to Know the Leaders:

  1. Who is your favorite NCAA basketball team?
  2. Where were you born & where do you currently live?
  3. Family?
  4. What is your occupation? School or passion?
  5. Of all the people alive in the world today- who would you want to have lunch with and why?
  6. Advice you’d give to those contestants you’re beating? What was your strategy?

1st place- Bryan Torres

  1. Villanova Wildcats
  2. I was born in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico and currently live in Reading, PA.
  3. I have 1 brother and 2 sisters, and my mom who raised me. 
  4. Currently work at Comcast and my passion is basketball.
  5. I would like to have lunch with Michael Jordan so I can pick his brain about basketball and learn what he did to become Great. 
  6. I would say the best advice is it’s not how you start in the first round that matters. It's the teams you choose in the sweet 16 and beyond that can help you rack up points and compete for that #1 Spot!

2nd place- Micah Chapman

      Profiled in previous round (1st place in round 4)

3rd place- Pam O'Shaughnessey

  1. Michigan Wolverines
  2. Born in Bloomfield Hills MI. Currently live Midland, MI.
  3. 4 adult children (3 daughter-in-laws. 5 grandchildren).
  4. Teacher at Calvary Baptist Academy in Midland, MI.

  5. I'd have lunch with Donald Trump to know what in the world he is thinking. I'd really want to have lunch with Corrie ten Boom although she has passed away (1983). I would’ve like to ask about her strong faith and being obedient to what God wanted her to do even when the consequences were unknown or challenging!

  6. Just be loyal to your team! The outcome isn’t  the end of the world.  My strategy was being loyal to my alma mater!

4th place- Theodore Sterious

  1. My favorite NCAA team is any team with a great coach. Gonzaga, Kentucky, Michigan St., Seton Hall........Good teams start at the top with great coaching. Without coaching, you have individuals and egos!

  2. I was born in Philadelphia.  We lived in Lower Merion ( near Kobe). Then, my Dad got a job near Great Valley and we grew up in Chester Springs. I live in Downingtown, PA now!

  3. I am married to a college hoopster, Lindsay. She went to Millersville University (Back in the 90's).  We have 4 kids. Eden, Canaan, Samaria, and Judea.......( 9, 7, 5, and 2).

  4. I am a Middle School Principal. My passion is working with kids.

  5. I would love to eat lunch and dinner with Allen Iverson. His life is crazy still. Just speaking with him would be interesting to learn more about his childhood and his mindset. We would need two meals. ( my second choice would be Doug Pederson. The calls he made in the Super Bowl were outstanding and took guts. Big guts).

  6. My prediction: Pain. You have to pick who you don't think has the best player, but the best team.  Reference Michigan. They work as a team. Along with Villanova. Pick teams that go against your gut. I hated picking Michigan, because of Dani O, but here we are. Even though you followed a certain team all year, that doesn't mean they owe you anything. I did not follow Michigan, but they were hot and still are!