2024 NCAA Tournament picks predictions winning strategy

March Madness: Championship Game strategy for the $2.5K USA TODAY’s NCAA Tournament Survivor Pool

Win $2.5K in the NCAA Tournament Survivor Pool: National Championship Game pick and prediction.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

The 2024 NCAA Tournament and Final Four has been pared down to just two teams for Monday’s National Championship Game. Only 44 entries in USA TODAY’s NCAA Men’s Tournament Survivor Pool contest remain out of the 7,821 who signed up.

We have a pair of No. 1 seeds squaring off, as the Purdue Boilermakers (34-4) will meet the defending champ UConn Huskies (36-5) for all of the marbles Monday night at State Farm Arena in Glendale, Ariz. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:20 p.m. ET (TBS).

I was bumped out of the Survivor Pool in the 1st round with upsets by 11th-seeded Oregon and 13th-seeded Yale. They knocked out my picks of No. 6 seed South Carolina and No. 4 seed Auburn, respectively.

Though unofficially eliminated — I couldn’t win as an employee anyway, but my goal was to steer you in the right direction for the $2.5K first prize — I continued to offer out picks.

I had winning 2nd-round picks with 11th-seeded NC State (for 11 points) and No. 5 seed San Diego State (5 points). In the Sweet 16, I correctly picked Illinois (3 points). In the Elite 8, Alabama (4 points) won for me. And in the Final Four round, Purdue (1 point) prevailed.

With 1 game to go, here’s my strategy of how to win the Men’s Basketball Tournament Survivor Pool.

Remaining entries are required to pick the winner of the National Championship Game — if they still have an eligible team to select.

Points are earned equal to your winning teams’ seeds. At this point, there actually aren’t many points available, with just 1 point apiece if Purdue or UConn wins. Hopefully you have a team available, as every point counts.

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

National Championship Game pick

PICK: UCONN HUSKIES

I intentionally did not pick UConn in the previous round, and I had already picked Alabama and NC State in previous rounds. That’s a good thing, too, as both were eliminated in Saturday’s semifinals. I picked Purdue, which won and will face the defending champs Monday.

The thinking is that UConn was the strongest team in the NCAA Tournament, and it would win the title. So at least there is a pick to make. Hopefully you have either Purdue or UConn available, so you can grab 1 more point.

UConn will have its hands full with Purdue 7-foot-4 C Zach Edey. He was once again very efficient against NC State, hitting 9-of-14 shots from the field, finishing tied for a game-high 20 points, while he grabbed 12 rebounds with 4 assists and 2 blocked shots. He did turn the ball over 5 times, though, and the Huskies will certainly try to put the pressure on, trying to coax him into miscues.

The Boilermakers also have sharpshooting guards Lance Jones and Fletcher Loyer, who combined for 7 3-pointers in the Final Four victory. In fact, with NC State F DJ Burns clogging the middle, the Boilermakers had their most success along the perimeter. They hit a healthy 40.0% (10-of-25) from behind the arc, and it will likely try to do that again, with C Donovan Clingan patrolling the paint for UConn.

Ironically, the Huskies were also 40.0% (10-of-25) on 3-pointers in their semifinal win against Alabama. Four starters hit 2 triples apiece, with only Clingan not getting in on the action. G Stephon Castle led the charge offensively, going for 21 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, while chipping in with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal on 7-of-13 shooting.

UConn F Alex Karaban had 14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocked shots with 2 triples, Clingan was an efficient 8-of-14 from the field to end up with 18 points, 5 boards and 4 blocks, while G Cam Spencer posted 14 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals while hitting 3 treys. G Tristan Newton was good for 12 points and 9 assists with 3 triples, but he struggled with a 4-of-11 shooting night. Still, the balanced scoring, and really the balance in all of the counting stats, show how deep this team is.

We haven’t had a repeat national title winner since the Florida Gators in 2006 and 2007, but that’s all about to change Monday night.

Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / Iowa / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / USC / Wisconsin /
College Sports Wire: Men’s hoops / Women’s hoops / High School

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1667]

March Madness: Final Four strategy for the $2.5K USA TODAY’s NCAA Tournament Survivor Pool

Win $2.5K in the NCAA Men’s Tournament Survivor Pool: Final Four pick and prediction.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

The 2024 NCAA Tournament has been pared down to the Final Four. Only 68 entries in USA TODAY’s NCAA Men’s Tournament Survivor Pool contest remain out of the 7,821 who signed up.

The Final Four will be played Saturday at State Farm Arena in Glendale, Ariz. Surprising 11th seed NC State Wolfpack and fan favorite F DJ Burns Jr. take on the top-seeded Purdue Boilermakers and behemoth C Zach Edey in the opener at 6:09 p.m. ET.

In the nightcap, the 4th-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide will square off with the defending national champions and No. 1 seed UConn Huskies. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:49 p.m. ET. Both games will be on TBS.

I was bumped out of the Survivor Pool in the 1st round with upsets by 11th-seeded Oregon and 13th-seeded Yale. They knocked out my 2 SEC picks of No. 6 seed South Carolina and No. 4 seed Auburn, respectively.

Though unofficially eliminated — I couldn’t win as an employee anyway, but my goal was to steer you in the right direction for the $2.5K first prize — I continued to offer out picks.

I bounced back in Round 2 with NC State (for 11 points) and No. 5 seed San Diego State (5 points). In the Sweet 16, I scored with Illinois (3 points). In the Elite 8, Alabama (4 points) was a winner for me.

Here’s my strategy of how to advance in the Final Four and eventually win the Men’s Basketball Tournament Survivor Pool.

Remaining entries are required to pick 1 winner out of Saturday’s semifinals and then the winner of the National Championship Game — if they still have an eligible team to select.

Points are earned equal to your winning teams’ seeds. At this point, there actually aren’t many points available in the Final Four and championship game, especially if you’ve already used NC State in a previous round.

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

Final Four pick

PICK: PURDUE BOILERMAKERS (33-4)

Who they play: NC State Wolfpack (26-14)

I’ve already used both NC State and Alabama, so my strategy is to play Purdue, hope UConn gets the job done in the other game, and then play the Huskies against the Boilermakers in the title game Monday.

If the Tide beat the Boilermakers, I won’t have a team left to play in the championship and I’ll be eliminated (again).

The Boilermakers got the job done against Tennessee 72-68 in the Elite 8, hitting 45.3% (24-of-53). That made up for the fact Purdue hit just 20% (3-of-15) from behind the 3-point line, and a dismal 63.6% (21-of-33) from the free-throw line. That simply won’t do against a red-hot NC State team playing with house money.

Edey was a one-man wrecking crew, posting 40 points with 16 rebounds and a blocked shot. He got to the free-throw line 22 times, hitting 14 of those attempts. With 40 of his team’s 72 points, Edey was good for 55.6% of the team’s offensive production.

NC State beat Duke 76-64 in the Elite 8 for the biggest stakes yet in that ACC rivalry. Burns continues to be a star, going for 29 points — on 13-of-19 shooting — with 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. G D.J. Horne ended up with 20 points, while G Michael O’Connell pulled down 11 boards with 6 assists and 6 points.

It’s been an amazing run, as the Wolfpack have partied like it’s 1983, but all good things come to an end. The Boilermakers were dumped by a 16 seed last season, and appear to be motivated to go from rock bottom to the cusp of a championship — just like Virginia did in 2019 after losing to a 16 seed the year before.

Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1667]

March Madness: Elite 8 strategy for the $2.5K USA TODAY’s NCAA Tournament Survivor Pool

Win $2.5K in the NCAA Men’s Tournament Survivor Pool: Elite 8 pick and prediction.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

We’re down to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament as the Field of 64 has been pared down to the quarterfinalists. Just 194 entries in USA TODAY’s NCAA Men’s Tournament Survivor Pool contest remain out of the 7,821 who signed up.

In the Elite 8, No. 11 seed NC State will be a popular choice for points if it hasn’t already been used. It is the only remaining double-digit seed remaining, and it will square off against 4th-seeded Duke in the South Region Final Sunday in Dallas.

We have 2 No. 1 seeds remaining — Purdue and UConn — and just a No. 2 seed still alive — Tennessee. The remaining teams are No. 3 seed Illinois, No. 4 seed Alabama, and No. 6 seed Clemson, in addition to the Duke-NC State matchup mentioned above.

I was bumped out of the 1st round with upsets by 11th-seeded Oregon and 13th-seeded Yale. They knocked out my 2 SEC plays of No. 6 seed South Carolina and 4th-seeded Auburn, respectively. I did rebound in Round 2 with NC State (for 11 points) and No. 5 seed San Diego State (5 points). In the Sweet 16, I scored with Illinois (3 points), too.

As an employee, I’m not eligible to win this contest, but I was eliminated in the opening round anyway. However, I’m here to assist those of you who have a shot at the $2.5K first prize — but I’d understand if you don’t want my advice.

Here’s my strategy of how to advance out of the Elite 8 and eventually win the Men’s Basketball Tournament Survivor Pool.

A rules reminder: Remaining entries are required to pick 1 in the Elite 8, 1 in the Final Four and then the winner of the National Championship Game — if you still have an eligible team to select.

Along with not being allowed to choose the same team twice, points are earned equal to your winning teams’ seeds. At this point, there actually aren’t many points available in the Elite 8 and beyond, so choose wisely.

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

Elite 8 pick

PICK: ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (24-11)

Who they play: Clemson Tigers (24-11)

When: Saturday, 8:49 p.m. ET (TBS)

Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles

The 4th-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide showed No. 1 seed North Carolina the door Thursday night, winning 89-87 in a seesaw affair in Los Angeles.

The Tide trailed 54-46 at the break, but it used a stifling defense at times, along with awful shooting by the Tar Heels, to flip things in their favor in the final 30.

Alabama ended up hitting 47.8% (32-of-67) from the field for the game, including 42.3% (11-of-26) from behind the 3-point line. The Tide also had 7 blocked shots. F Grant Nelson scored a game-high 24 points, while G Rylan Griffen hit 5 triples and finished with 19 points. Alabama had 5 different players hit at least one 3-pointer, and Nelson ended up with a double-double, also grabbing 12 rebounds with an amazing 5 blocked shots.

Clemson dispatched 2nd-seeded Arizona 77-72. F Ian Schieffelin ended up with 14 points and 7 boards, while C PJ Hall finished with 17 points, and G Chase Hunter posted 18 points. But the Tigers aren’t nearly as prolific offensively, and they will have a tough time keeping up with the up-tempo Tide.

Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1667]

March Madness: Sweet 16 strategy for the $2.5K USA TODAY’s NCAA Tournament Survivor Pool

Win $2.5K in the NCAA Men’s Tournament Survivor Pool: Sweet 16 pick and prediction.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

The NCAA Tournament heads to the Sweet 16 as the first 2 rounds are in the rear-view mirror. Just 640 entries in USA TODAY’s NCAA Men’s Tournament Survivor Pool contest remain out of the 7,821 who signed up.

As for the Sweet 16 teams, NC State is the only double-digit seed still in the field as an 11. All 4 No. 1 seeds — UConn, Houston, Purdue and North Carolina — and all 4 No. 2 seeds — Iowa State, Tennessee, Marquette and Arizona — are still alive as 14 of the 16 are 1 through 5 seeds.

The other 2? NC State and 6th-seeded Creighton.

Hopefully you were able to scoop up plenty of points in the first 2 rounds. With so many high seeds remaining, the chances to scoop up big points and make up ground is going to be super tough.

I was bumped out of the 1st round with upsets by 11th-seeded Oregon and 13th-seeded Yale. They knocked out my 2 SEC plays of No. 6 seed South Carolina and 4th-seeded Auburn, respectively. I did rebound in Round 2 with NC State (for 11 points) and No. 5 seed San Diego State (5 points). Hopefully, you were able to tail one or both of those and collected a boatload of points in the process.

Here’s my strategy of how to advance out of Round 3 and eventually win the Men’s Basketball Tournament Survivor Pool.

A rules reminder: Remaining entries are required to pick 1 team in the Sweet 16, 1 in the Elite 8, 1 in the Final Four and then the winner of the National Championship Game — if you still have an eligible team to select.

Along with not being able to choose the same team twice, points are earned equal to your winning teams’ seeds. At this point, there actually aren’t many points available in the Sweet 16 and beyond, so choose wisely.

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

Sweet 16 pick

PICK: ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI (28-8)

Who they play: Iowa State Cyclones (29-7)

When: Thursday, 10:09 p.m. ET (TBS, truTV)

Where: TD Garden, Boston

The 3rd-seeded Fighting Illini have looked championship caliber, but they’ve faced a pair of double-digit seeds in No. 14 seed Morehead State and 11th-seed Duquesne. We’ll find out a lot about Illinois Thursday night, but it is one of the lowest seeds which can help you grab an extra point or two.

Illinois won the first 2 games by an average margin of victory of 21.0 points per game (PPG).

G Terrence Shannon Jr. has been on fire in the postseason, racking up 31.6 PPG across 5 tourney games in the Big Ten and Big Dance. F Marcus Domask posted the 10th triple-double in NCAA Tournament history against Morehead State with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. F Dain Dainja has been a tremendous tertiary scoring option, tallying 29 points in the 2 wins, including 21 vs. Morehead State. Forwards Coleman Hawkins and Ty Rodgers have been gobbling up their share of rebounds, too.

This team is rolling along, and I just don’t trust Iowa State. The Cyclones shot just 40.4% (23-for-57) from the field in a 2nd-round, 67-56 win over 7th-seeded Washington State. ISU did shoot 50% (7-for-14) from behind the 3-point line, while turning it over 6 times.

The Cyclones turned it over just 15 times in its 2 tourney games. However, they’ll need to do more offensively to keep up with the Illini, who are a legit Final 4 team. Sorry, but the dance ends here for the Cyclones.

Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1667]

March Madness: Second-round strategy for the $2.5K USA TODAY’s NCAA Tournament Survivor Pool

Win $2.5K in the NCAA Men’s Tournament Survivor Pool: Second-round picks and predictions

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

The NCAA Tournament 1st round is in the rear-view mirror, and there was a nice share of madness. In fact, over 5,000 entries in USA TODAY’s NCAA Men’s Tournament Survivor Pool were eliminated in the first 2 days.

Major upsets of No. 3 seed Kentucky (by 14th-seeded Oakland) and 4th-seeded Auburn (by 13th-seeded Yale) knocked out a bunch of those entries. Losses by 5th-seeded Saint Mary’s (to 12th-seeded Grand Canyon) and 5th-seeded Wisconsin (to No. 12 seed James Madison) also bumped many to the exits.

After the opening round, I learned a hard lesson. Don’t trust the SEC, at least this season.

I was bitten by G Jermaine Couisnard (40 points) and his 11th-seeded Oregon Ducks, who rolled past the 6th-seed South Carolina Gamecocks, who just never were able to get on track in their 1st-round Midwest Region game.

The 4th-seed Auburn Tigers were up 10 points against a Yale team which needed a buzzer beater to top a sub-.500 Brown team in the Ivy League Championship Game. However, it was the Bulldogs who showed championship mettle, sending coach Bruce Pearl and his Tigers packing.

At least Gonzaga was able to come through with flying colors, but in Survivor, 1-for-3 is simply not going to do.

As an employee, I’m not eligible to win this contest, but I’m in the “Loser’s Lounge,” anyway. However, I can still assist those of you who have a shot at the $2.5K first prize — but I’d understand if you don’t want my advice.

After Day 2 (Friday), 3,290 entries remain out of the 7,803 who signed up.

So, here’s my strategy of how to advance out of Round 2 and eventually win the Men’s Basketball Tournament Survivor Pool.

A rules reminder: Remaining entries are required to pick 2 teams to win outright in the 2nd round — no spread involved. Once you pick a team, it can’t be used again, similar to an NFL survivor pool.

After the 2nd round, the rules require 1 pick per round — 1 in the Sweet 16, 1 in the Elite 8, 1 in the Final Four and then picking the winner of the National Championship Game — if you still have an eligible team to select.

Along with not being able to choose the same team twice, the other tricky rule is that points are earned equal to your winning teams’ seeds. At this point, there are still a lot of points available in the 2nd round and beyond.

Can you survive? While the men’s contest is closed, there’s still time to enter the USA TODAY Sports’ Women’s Basketball Tournament Survivor Pool, which also has a $2,500 prize! Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now!

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

Second-round picks

PICK 1: NC STATE WOLFPACK (23-14)

Who they play: Oakland Grizzlies (24-11)

When: Saturday, 7:10 p.m. ET (TBS, truTV)

Where: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh

We get a bonus here. The 14th-seeded Grizzlies, who showed the Kentucky Wildcats the door, meet the No. 11 seed Wolfpack. If you pick one of these 2, you’re going to get a lot of points if either win.

Oakland was bombs away against Kentucky, hitting 15 of 31 (48.4%) from downtown in its upset win. More important, the Golden Grizzlies turned it over just 7 times.

The Golden Grizzlies run into a white-hot Wolfpack team which won 5 games in 5 days at the ACC Tournament, and remained hot against Texas Tech in the opening round of this NCAA Tourney. NC State defeated Tech 80-67 Thursday, shooting 50.9% (27 of 53) from the floor, while doing hitting 810.8% from the free-throw line (21 of 26). Like Oakland, NC State took good care of the ball, too, turning it over just 10 times.

NC State had 4 players score 16 or more points, dominating the Red Raiders despite the fact G Casey Morsell struggled by hitting just 2 of 8 FG attempts and finished with 8 points.

The Wolfpack look like a sweet pick to make the Sweet 16.

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

PICK 2: SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS (25-10)

Who they play: Yale Bulldogs (23-9)

When: Sunday, 9:40 p.m. ET (TBS)

Where: Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane, Wash.

The Bulldogs beat one of my 1st-round picks, erasing a 10-point deficit to sneak by Auburn by 2 points. Now, the Ivy League entrant draws last season’s national runners-up.

Fifth-seeded San Diego State held off a late charge from No. 12 seed UAB of the American Athletic Conference, winning 69-65. It was a typical Aztecs game, as they struggled from the field, hitting 43.6% (24 of 55), including just 27.8% (5 of 18) from behind the 3-point line. The Aztecs turned it over 13 times, and were just plus-2 in the rebounding department. However, San Diego State used suffocating defense to hold down UAB.

The Aztecs don’t get style points … and they don’t care. They grind out wins, relying upon defense to frustrate the opposition. They will do just that against Yale to get back to the Sweet 16.

Good luck and make sure to check back before the Sweet 16 for the next winning pick!

Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1667]

March Madness: How to win $2.5K in USA TODAY’s NCAA Tournament Survivor Pool

Let the March Madness begin. College hoops expert Kevin Erickson is here to help you win the $2.5K NCAA Men’s Tournament Survivor Pool.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

The 2024 NCAA Tournament is here, and Field of 64 begins to pare down to 32 teams Thursday into Friday at 8 different venues across the country. The madness is here, and it’s time to make some money as we move closer to crowning a champion.

You might have already filled out your brackets, but USA TODAY has another unique NCAA Tournament contest in which you can win $2,500.

Can you survive? USA TODAY Sports’ Men and Women’s Basketball Tournament Survivor Pools are here with a $2,500 prize for each contest! Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now!

As an employee, I’m not eligible to win, but there’s no rule against me helping you win $2.5K.

Here is my strategy of how to win the Men’s Basketball Tournament Survivor Pool.

Each round, you’ll pick a set number of teams. For the 1st round, you have to pick 3 teams to simply win their games — no spread involved. If one of your teams loses, you’re eliminated. However, once you select a team, similar to an NFL survivor pool, you can’t use that team again.

In the 2nd round, you must pick 2 teams to win outright. After that, you have to pick 1 team per round — in the Sweet 16, the Elite 8, the Final Four and the championship game.

Another tricky rule is that you earn points based on the seed number of your winning team. Successfully pick a No. 12 seed to knock off a 5 seed, and you get 12 points. Pick a No. 1 seed and you only get 1 point if it wins.

Starting with the 1st round, I’m not going to worry about points. My goal is to survive and advance. There are often too many upsets and I’m not going to take that risk of getting knocked out on Day 1.

Let’s treat this as a short marathon, not a 60-yard dash. We’ll earn our points in the later rounds.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

First-round picks

PICK 1: SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS (26-7)

Who they play: Oregon Ducks (23-11)

When: Thursday, 4 p.m. ET (TNT)

Where: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh

The 6th-seeded Gamecocks are a battle-tested bunch, rattling off 6 Q1 wins this season, including victories over top-10 teams Kentucky and Tennessee.

South Carolina never really had a bad loss this season, and it uses a combination of methodical, careful offense and lockdown defense to get the job done. If the Gamecocks have an Achilles’ heel, it’s guarding against the 3-pointer, allowing teams to hit at a 33.4% clip in the regular season.

However, the 11th-seed Ducks were super inconsistent. While Oregon caught fire in the Pac-12 Tournament, topping UCLA, Arizona and Colorado, it actually had a losing record in its final 15 regular-season games, going 7-8 straight up (SU).

Oregon isn’t a very good 3-point shooting team, hitting at just a 34.7% clip, so it won’t be able to take advantage of South Carolina’s soft spot. Plus, the Ducks are horrific on defense, especially in the interior, allowing opponents to hit 45.7% from the field, and 35.1% from behind the 3-point line.

THE BRACKETS ARE BACK! The USA TODAY Sports Bracket Challenge is back! $1 MILLION grand prize for a perfect bracket, $25,000 prize for top bracket. Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now!

PICK 2: GONZAGA BULLDOGS (25-7)

Who they play: McNeese Cowboys (30-3)

When: Thursday, 7:25 p.m. ET (TBS)

Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City

Traditionally, a 12 vs. 5 matchup in the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament has been the sexy pick for an upset by amateur bracket players.

This season, 12th-seeded McNeese has been the team a lot of people have been touting as the upset special, even though most fans haven’t even seen the Cowboys play and are just taking the word of a lot of talking heads.

No offense to the Cowboys, who won 30 games, but they had a single Quad 1 game, beating VCU in the opener way back on Nov. 6. They did beat UAB on the road for a Q2 win, while also topping Michigan, the worst team in the Big Ten. Other than that, it’s hard to figure what exactly people are seeing about McNeese.

Gonzaga was having some issues around the holidays, falling in marquee games against UConn and San Diego State. This Zags just weren’t hitting on all cylinders. But they topped Kentucky, they topped Saint Mary’s, and they got their act together down the stretch.

Remember, this contest doesn’t require our picks to cover the spread. We simply just need Gonzaga to advance, and the Zags will do just that in their NCAA opener.

Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+

PICK 3: AUBURN TIGERS (27-7)

Who they play: Yale (22-9)

When: Friday, 4:15 p.m. ET (TNT)

Where: Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane, Wash.

The 4th-seeded Tigers won the SEC Tournament, picking up a 31-point win (86-55) over South Carolina, a 7-point win (73-66) over Mississippi State, and a 19-point win (86-67) over Florida in the title game. All 3 victories came against NCAA Tournament teams, and all 3 wins were impressive. The Tigers are a team on an absolute roll.

The Bulldogs, on the other hand, are playing with house money. If you watched the Ivy League Championship Game, you know Brown lost; Yale didn’t win it. Well, it did, with a last-second shot, but it should never have come to that. Brown had a chance to ice it, or at least make things extremely difficult, but missed free throws, turnovers and bad defense turned an NCAA Tournament bid into a title game loss. Yale hit a buzzer beater in the paint, and that’s why it is here.

It would be unfair to say Yale has no shot, because then why play the games? Last season’s NCAA Tournament should serve as a cautionary tale that anything can truly happen. But the Ivy League representative is smallish, and it will be going up against a Tigers team playing with a ton of confidence.

All right. Let’s get these 3 wins, rack up a few points and then make sure to check back before Round 2 for our next winning picks. Play now!

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1667]