NCAA Tournament Survivor Pool 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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

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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.

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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!

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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.

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

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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.

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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!

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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+

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

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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

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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!

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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.

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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+

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

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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.

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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.

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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!

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

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March Madness: Sixth-round strategy for the $5K USA TODAY’s NCAA Tournament Survivor Pool

College basketball expert Kevin Erickson makes his final pick in the $5K NCAA Men’s Tournament Survivor Pool.

The NCAA Championship Game is set. It’s the 5th-seeded San Diego State Aztecs and 4th-seeded UConn Huskies taking center stage Monday night in Houston to play for all the marbles.

If you’re fortunate enough to still have one or both of them eligible for the USA TODAY’s NCAA Men’s Tournament Survivor Pool contest and you haven’t been eliminated, which team do you pick?

Only 24 entries remain out 8,109 entrants, but only 3 can even make a pick since 21 of those remaining already picked the Aztecs or Huskies along the way.

I would have been eliminated in the 1st round with my pick of No. 2 seed Arizona, which was knocked out by 15th-seeded Princeton. My 2nd-round picks also would have sent me packing as I selected 13th-seeded Furman, which lost to San Diego State, and 9th-seeded Auburn, which lost to a No. 1 seed in Houston.

At least I bounced back with No. 6 seeded Creighton defeating Princeton in the 3rd round, and with 5th-seeded Miami topping No. 2 seed Texas in the 4th round. Unfortunately, I would have lost in the 5th round on No. 9 seed FAU’s buzzer-beater loss to San Diego State.

SDSU is playing for its 1st national title in program history; UConn is playing for its 5th and will be making its 6th Final Four appearance.

If I were still alive in the Men’s Basketball Tournament Survivor Pool, here’s my strategy.

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National Championship pick

UCONN HUSKIES (30-8)

Who they play: San Diego State Aztecs (32-6)

When: Monday, 9:20 p.m. ET (CBS)

Where: NRG Stadium, Houston

UConn (-7.5) is a nice-sized favorite against San Diego State, per BetMGM Sportsbook. As mentioned, I picked against the Aztecs twice in this contest, using Furman in the 2nd-round in what I hoped would be a points grab (it wasn’t), and taking FAU in the 1-point semifinal loss.

The Huskies steamrolled the Miami Hurricanes in the other semifinal game, winning 72-59. It was actually a lot worse at one point as UConn led by 20 points early in the second half before Miami made it somewhat respectable.

Still, UConn has looked the part of national champion from the jump. There’s a reason the sportsbooks installed the Huskies as 7.5-point favorites.

If the Huskies win Monday, it’s thanks in large part to F Adama Sanogo. He posted 21 points (9-for-11 from the field) with 10 rebounds and 2 blocked shots in Saturday’s win over the Hurricanes. He also hit 2 of 3 behind the 3-point line. If there was anything for the critics to pick on, it’s the fact he was 1-for-4 from the free-throw line. I imagine coach Dan Hurley and Huskies fans will give Sanogo a pass.

The good news for the Huskies is that G Jordan Hawkins, who blamed calamari for food poisoning prior to Saturday’s game, was able to fight through and play against Miami. He hit just 3 of 8 from the field, but all 3 makes were from the perimeter. He ended up with 13 points, 3 boards and a blocked shot.

I expect UConn to win its 5th title Monday. The Huskies have a thing about playing and winning title games in Texas, where they’ve won 3 of their 4 championships.

They last won in 2014 under then-coach Kevin Ollie with the game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Jim Calhoun was the coach of the Huskies’ previous 3 titles. One was in 2011 in this same building, then known as Reliant Stadium. In 2004, UConn won in the Alamodome in San Antonio. Their other title came in 1999, won at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The point is: Roll with UConn Monday, and don’t look back.

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March Madness: Fifth-round strategy for the $5K USA TODAY’s NCAA Tournament Survivor Pool

College basketball expert Kevin Erickson is here to help you win the $5K NCAA Men’s Tournament Survivor Pool with a 5th-round pick.

Then there were 4.

If you’re still alive in the USA TODAY’s NCAA Men’s Tournament Survivor Pool contest heading into this weekend’s Final Four, way to go! After the Elite 8 action, only 61 entries out of 8,109 remain alive.

We’re down to 4 teams — the 9th-seeded FAU Owls, two 5 seeds in the Miami Hurricanes and San Diego State Aztecs and the 4th-seeded UConn Huskies.

If you’re one of the remaining 61 entries, congrats on staying alive until Houston. With a decent number of points still available, it could be a wild finish for the $5,000 prize.

As an employee, I was ineligible to win this NCAA Tournament Survivor Pool contest. I would have been eliminated in the 1st round, anyway, when No. 2 seed Arizona was upset by 15th-seeded Princeton. My 2nd-round picks wouldn’t have been any better with Furman losing to San Diego State, and Auburn falling to Houston.

At least I bounced back with Creighton defeating Princeton in the 3rd round, and with Miami topping Texas in the 4th round.

Meanwhile, the national championship remains wide open.

FAU, Miami and San Diego State are playing in their 1st-ever Final Four, while UConn has 4 national titles and will be making its 6th Final Four appearance.

So, this is certainly unchartered territory for 75% of the remaining field.

Here’s my strategy of how to advance into the title game of this Men’s Basketball Tournament Survivor Pool.

Since the Sweet 16, remaining entries were/are required to pick just 1 team to win in each of the final 4 rounds — no spread involved. Once you pick a team, it can’t be used again, similar to an NFL survivor pool.

We were required to picked 3 winning teams in the 1st round and 2 winners in the 2nd round

Now, you’ll pick 1 team in the Final Four and then the National Championship Game winner — if you still have eligible teams left to choose from.

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The other significant rule is that points are earned equal to your winning teams’ seeds.

There are still a few available points in the Final Four:

9 points – FAU Owls
5 points each – Miami Hurricanes, San Diego State Aztecs
4 points – UConn Huskies

Then again, you might have already burned one or more of these 4 semifinalists and your options are limited.

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Final Four pick

FAU OWLS (35-3)

Who they play: San Diego State Aztecs (31-6)

When: Saturday, 6:09 p.m. ET (CBS)

Where: NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

If you haven’t picked the Owls yet, then it’s high time to use them up now. If FAU is able to advance, those 9 points would be huge at this stage of the contest.

FAU (+2.5) isn’t nearly as big of an underdog as Miami (+5.5), which is in the 2nd semifinal vs. UConn, per BetMGM Sportsbook. Plus, I already used Miami in the last round in its upset win vs. Texas.

The Owls started their basketball program in 1988. Heck, Florida Atlantic University was only founded in 1961, too.

FAU had been to the NCAA Tournament only once before, back in 2002 when it lost as a 15-seed in the 1st round to 2nd-seeded Alabama. So, FAU’s 1st NCAA Tournament win was just over 2 weeks ago (March 17) with a 66-65 squeaker over 8th-seeded Memphis. The Owls went on to win 3 more times to earn this trip to the Final Four.

FAU topped Memphis, with a controversial call at the end, and then it was fortunate enough to draw a 16th-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson for a chance at the Sweet 16. It topped FDU by 8 (78-70), but it still looked like there would be a huge, uphill battle, to even think about Houston.

In the Sweet 16, the Owls played their best basketball of the tournament at Madison Square Garden, beating 4th-seeded Tennessee 62-55. The Owls recovered from a low-scoring, 22-point first half by posting 40 2nd-half points in the 7-point victory. They shot a respectable 42% (21-for-50) from the field against a strong Vols defense, and hit 29.6% (8-for-27) from behind the 3-point line.

If FAU is to knock off San Diego State, it will need to perform like it did against Tennessee.

The Aztecs have a similar lockdown defense, which is just about as good as anybody in the country. It’s San Diego State’s offense that concerns. In the regular season, only G Matt Bradley (13.0 PPG) averaged double-digit points.

If FAU runs, and is able to dictate the tempo, will San Diego State be able to hang offensively? I don’t believe so.

The one thing that is very much in San Diego State’s favor, making FAU a risky pick, is that the Aztecs ranked 15th in defensive 3-pointer percentage (29.8%) during the regular season, according to Covers.com.

The Owls go 9-deep in their rotation, and coach Dusty May likes to get guys like G Jalen Gaffney (32.3%) and G Brandon Weatherspoon (33.3%) off the bench for their 3-point ability. G Johnell Davis hits 36.6% from behind the arc, and 1st-round hero G Nick Boyd sinks 39.3% of his 3-point attempts.

The Owls have the depth to solve the Aztecs defense and continue an unlikely run to the title game.

Good luck and make sure to check back before Monday’s National Championship Game for the final pick.

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For 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:

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March Madness: Fourth-round strategy for the $5K USA TODAY’s NCAA Tournament Survivor Pool

College basketball expert Kevin Erickson is here to help you win the $5K NCAA Men’s Tournament Survivor Pool with a 4th-round pick.

March Madness continues to surprise. If you’re still alive in the USA TODAY’s NCAA Men’s Tournament Survivor Pool contest heading into this weekend’s Elite 8, congrats! After Friday’s action, only 210 entries out of 8,109 remain alive.

All four No. 1 seeds are gone. Some of you might have advanced by picking the 9th-seeded FAU Owls. Nicely done! But you’re only half way there. You still have 3 more rounds (picks) to go.

As an employee, I’m not eligible to win this NCAA Tournament Survivor Pool contest. Had I been, I would have been eliminated in the 1st round when No. 2 seed Arizona was knocked out by 15th-seeded Princeton. I also would have been shown the door in the 2nd round with losing picks of Furman (vs. San Diego State) and Auburn (vs. Houston). At least I bounced back with Creighton defeating Princeton in the 3rd round.

For the 1st time in the history of the NCAA Tournament, there are no No. 1 seeds in the Elite 8. So, it’s wide open for the national championship as fans coast to coast, from South Florida to San Diego and Spokane, have dreams of “One Shining Moment..

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

A rules reminder: Remaining entries are required to pick just 1 team to win for the remaining rounds — no spread involved. Once you pick a team, it can’t be used again, similar to an NFL survivor pool.

You’ll pick 1 team in the Elite 8, 1 in the Final Four and then the National Championship Game winner — if you still have eligible teams to choose from.

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Along with not being able to pick the same team twice, the other tricky rule is that points are earned equal to your winning teams’ seeds.

There are still a lot of points available in the Elite 8. They are:

9 – FAU Owls
6 – Creighton Bluejays
5 – Miami Hurricanes, San Diego State Aztecs
4 – UConn Huskies
3 – Gonzaga Bulldogs, Kansas State Wildcats
2 – Texas Longhorns

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Elite 8 pick

MIAMI HURRICANES (28-7)

Who they play: Texas Longhorns (29-8)

When: Sunday, 5:05 p.m. ET (CBS)

Where: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Mo.

Prior to last season, the Hurricanes had never been to the Elite 8. Coach Jim Larranaga has proven that basketball can succeed in South Florida, and NIL deals certainly have helped that success.

This Miami team is playing with a lot of confidence, and it only seems to be getting stronger as the NCAA Tournament goes along.

The Hurricanes topped Drake 63-56 in the 1st round, covering a 2.5-point spread — although covering the spread is not necessary in this contest. You just need your pick to win. Miami has defeated — and covered — against Indiana and Houston, too.

As 1.5-point underdogs, the Hurricanes beat the Hoosiers 85-69 in the 2nd round. As 8-point dogs, they beat the top-seeded Cougars 89-75 in the Sweet 16 Friday.

Now, Miami looks to make its 1st Final Four in program history, and it will be facing a Texas team with an interim head coach.

Texas topped Colgate, Penn State and Xavier to get to this point, winning by 12 or more points in 2 of the outings with an average margin of victory of 12.4 PPG.

Texas is the biggest favorite in the Elite 8, per Tipico Sportsbook, but the spread is just 2 buckets. That’s how tight the books expect all of the games to be this weekend. As a fan, that’s what you should want. In a survivor pool, however, that makes it very difficult to advance.

So why pick against Texas, the largest favorite? I just like how Miami is playing. G Isaiah Wong, the ACC Player of the Year, is averaging 18.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG and 2.4 APG in the postseason, while hitting 44.4% from behind the 3-point line across 5 games in the ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament.

G Nijel Pack, one of the biggest winners in the NIL game in Miami, has averaged 15.8 PPG with 3.6 RPG, while hitting 40.0% from downtown in 5 postseason contests. G’s Jordan Miller and Wooga Poplar also averaged double figures in points, while F Norchad Omier scored 9.0 PPG and pulled down 11.0 RPG in the 5 postseason contests.

Miami is a deep and consistent team from top to bottom, and it will ‘steer’ the Longhorns home to Austin.

Good luck and make sure to check back before the Final 4 for the next winning pick.

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

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For sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Plus, try out the USA TODAY Parlay Calculator and please gamble responsibly.

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

College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:

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March Madness: Third-round strategy for the $5K USA TODAY’s NCAA Tournament Survivor Pool

College basketball expert Kevin Erickson is here to help you win the $5K NCAA Men’s Tournament Survivor Pool with a 3rd-round pick.

The NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 is hereupon us, and March Madness has certainly lived up to its nickname. Nobody said winning USA TODAY’s NCAA Men’s Tournament Survivor Pool contest would be easy. In fact, out of 8,109 entries, only 309 remain alive heading into the 3rd round.

There are 16 teams remaining, and blue bloods Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina are nowhere to be found in the Sweet 16 for the 2nd time in 3 years. In fact, you have to go back to 2014 to find a recent national champion still remaining — the UConn Huskies.

As an employee, I’m not eligible to win this NCAA Tournament Survivor Pool contest. I’ve been in the “Loser’s Lounge” for a while now, but for those of you who have a shot at the $5K first prize — I hope I can help. But I get it if you want to go it alone as I was bumped on the first day thanks to 15-seed Princeton’s upset of Arizona. Plus, I had 2 losing picks in the 2nd round with Furman (vs. San Diego State) and Auburn (vs. Houston).

Here’s my strategy of how to advance out the Sweet 16, and eventually win the Men’s Basketball Tournament Survivor Pool.

You’ll pick 1 team in the Sweet 16, 1 in the Elite 8, 1 in the Final Four and then the National Championship Game winner — if you still have eligible teams to choose from.

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Along with not being able to pick the same team twice, the other tricky rule is that points are earned equal to your winning teams’ seeds.

There are still a lot of points available in the Sweet 16 and beyond, including the following:

15 – Princeton Tigers
9 – FAU Owls
8 – Arkansas Razorbacks
7 – Michigan State Spartans
6 – Creighton Bluejays
5 – Miami Hurricanes, San Diego State Aztecs
4 – Tennessee Volunteers, UConn Huskies
3 – Gonzaga Bulldogs, Kansas State Wildcats, Xavier Musketeers
2 – Texas Longhorns, UCLA Bruins
1 – Alabama Crimson Tide, Houston Cougars

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Sweet 16 pick

CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS (23-12)

Who they play: Princeton Tigers (23-8)

When: Friday, 9 p.m. ET (TBS)

Where: KFC Yum! Center, Louisville

I love Creighton in this game. Princeton is the lowest seed remaining, and it’s the first time the Tigers have made the Sweet 16 since 1967. It’s been a fun run for Princeton, a school with a rich basketball history.

If you’re old like me, you’ll remember head coach Pete Carril, and you can still see all the backdoor cuts in 1989 on St. Patrick’s Day in 16th-seeded Princeton’s near-miss against mighty No. 1 Georgetown in Providence, R.I. The Tigers led 29-21 at halftime, but the Hoyas pulled out a 50-49 victory.

The Tigers would have been the first 16 seed to pull off such an upset, long before UMBC (2017 upset No. 1 Virginia) and Fairleigh Dickinson (2023 stunned Purdue) made history.

Georgetown led Princeton 50-49 with just 23 seconds left in that 1989 game after an Alonzo Mourning free throw. The Tigers would get the ball back with a chance to a win against a Big East power. Kit Mueller had a chance with 1 tick left, but Mourning got a piece of the shot to keep the Hoyas from becoming a trivia answer.

OK, sorry for the history lesson. You just want a winner, right? Well, so far I’ve been better at providing historical angles than plucking winners in this contest. But it’s interesting, since Princeton is up against another Big East power, and like 1989, it’s going to see a Big East team sending the Tigers home.

Creighton is the largest favorite of the 8 games in this Sweet 16, laying 9.5 points, per Tipico Sportsbook. Fortunately for the contest, we just need it to win outright.

The Bluejays ousted a good NC State team in the 1st round (72-63), and the defending champ Baylor Bears in the 2nd round (85-76). This Creighton team is starting to look like the one which was in USA TODAY’s Coaches Poll and the Associated Press Top 25 earlier in the season — the Bluejays were ranked as high as No. 7 in late November.

Creighton C Ryan Kalkbrenner has been unstoppable in the postseason, averaging 20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game in 4 games between the Big East Tournament and NCAA tourney. G Ryan Nembhard is also hot, going for 15.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 4.0 APG in the postseason. They are 2 of 5 Bluejays who average double figures in points.

Creighton is not going to be denied by Princeton as Cinderella’s slipper breaks Friday night.

Good luck and make sure to check back before the Elite 8 for the next winning pick.

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

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For sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Plus, try out the USA TODAY Parlay Calculator and please gamble responsibly.

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

College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:

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