Filling out a March Madness bracket is so passé. Okay, not really — it's still one of life's simplest and best pleasures. However, one of the fastest-growing ways to enjoy the NCAA Tournament that has emerged in recent years is a March Madness survivor pool. Just like any other survivor pool, your bracket will actually be busted with one wrong pick and one false move.
The best March Madness survivor pool entries that you can make are the ones that aren't by round but by day of the tournament. That means you're picking one team for Thursday's First Round games, another for Friday's First Round games, one more for Saturday's Second Round games, and so on. Not only does it keep you even further invested day-to-day but it makes it that much more challenging to be the last one standing in such a pool.
So on the eve of the 2025 NCAA Tournament beginning, we're going to guide you through your survivor pool (and be transparent along the way if we drop the ball ourselves. Not only are we giving you March Madness survivor pool picks, starting with Thursday's First Round matchups, but also the teams you should try to save and even some teams you should avoid.
Let's survive and advance like the 68 teams in the tourney are trying to, shall we?
Teams to hold onto in your March Madness survivor pool
1 Houston (vs. 16 SIU Edwardsville)
Yes, Houston is almost surely going to win in the First Round against SIUE. There's strategy when it comes to a March Madness survivor pool, though, which means hanging onto some bullets. While some are sweating a potential Second Round matchup against 8-seed Gonzaga, I'm not. Kelvin Sampson's team is primed for a deep run in the NCAA Tournament and I think we'll have better opportunities, potentially as early as in the Sweet 16, to make a play on them. Regardless, you should be saving a Houston team that hasn't lost in a month and a half.
5 Michigan or 12 UC San Diego
The winner of the always-upset friendly 5-12 matchup in the South Region between Michigan and UC San Diego will take on the winner of the Texas A&M-Yale matchup in the 4-13 seed showdown. I think both the Wolverines and the Tritons have real potential to win that game. With this one being a toss-up largely and UC San Diego being one of the most popular upset picks but the Wolverines coming in after winning the Big Ten Tournament, this is a clear stay-away spot for both teams.
2 Tennessee (vs. 15 Wofford)
Somewhat of a combination of the two previous teams I told you to hold onto, we have Tennessee. I don't expect Rick Barnes' team to have much or any trouble with Wofford in the First Round on Thursday. Having said that, the 7-10 matchup in the Midwest, which Tennessee would play the winner of, is UCLA-Utah State, which might be the weakest in the bracket. Beyond that, the Vols are capable of a deep run in the tournament, so why not just keep them there for you?
Teams to avoid in your March Madness survivor pool
11 VCU and 6 BYU
I have VCU advancing past BYU in the First Round, but let's be real, we're not going to act like that's the most confident pick in the world. Both of these teams are not only capable of winning this matchup but winning multiple NCAA Tournament games as well. That's not to say they'll be featured in an upcoming survivor pool picks either but it is saying that you couldn't pay me to take either of these teams with my life in a pool on the line.
4 Purdue (vs. 13 High Point)
High Point has been one of the most popular upset picks in the First Round and for good reason. This is a dangerous 13-seed that has the makings, especially with their ability to match Purdue's size on the interior, of a team that can shock the world. More importantly, though, I refuse to actually trust the Boilermakers in March Madness without Zach Edey on the floor. Braden Smith is a good, veteran player but Matt Painter is routinely outcoached this time of year and I don't think this year's Purdue team is talented enough to overcome that.
7 Kansas (vs. 10 Arkansas)
Frankly, there's a world in which Kansas has just outright given up on the season and Bill Self is ready to turn to a new chapter with the Jayhawks program after several whiffs that are seemingly holding this program back right now from what we know it can be. Now, you throw in John Calipari's Arkansas, a team that has shown a high ceiling, albeit without much consistency, and that only further complicates the matter. I don't trust either team, really, but I definitely can't Rock Chalk with where the vibes currently reside.
March Madness survival pool picks for First Round Thursday
2 St. John's (vs. 15 Omaha)
Let me be clear in saying that I have St. John's making it to the Final Four in my own bracket, so I clearly believe in the Red Storm. At the same time, I'm not foolish enough to believe that the Johnnies are infallible. This is the best defense in the country but an offense that ranks outside the Top 60 in terms of KenPom adjusted offensive efficiency. That could bite them down the line, but it won't be against Omaha, so take the Johnnies now and feel good about it, even if they do end up making a deep run.
3 Wisconsin (vs. 14 Montana)
It's not that there isn't a world in which Montana could upset Wisconsin, it's just that the Badgers seem like they're going into a First Round matchup where they will have their way 99-of-100 times. The Grizzlies rank 250th in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency while Wisconsin is the 13th best offense in the country according to KenPom. I do think the Badgers are susceptible down the line but they might just score at will in this one to a level that Montana has little hope of matching it.
1 Auburn (vs. 16 Alabama State)
Typically, I'd avoid No. 1 seeds in the First Round but, if you aren't a fan of the Wisconsin or St. John's picks, then I'm all for taking Auburn in this situation. Despite the fact that the Tigers have been world-beaters for much of the season, Bruce Pearl's team comes into March Madness with at least a little bit of a limp, losing three of their last four. Auburn is obviously capable of winning a title this season behind Johni Broome, but I'd rather take them now and not have that opportunity given some of the concerns I do have.
The boldest March Madness survivor pool pick to make on Thursday
11 Drake (vs. 6 Missouri)
The inverse of St. John's is, to some degree, Missouri. This is an offense that ranks fifth in the country according to KenPom but a defense that comes in at 73rd. While the Johnnie's offense worries me down the stretch, the Tigers defense worries me right away, especially against a 30-win Drake team that has a Top 50 defense and a solid offense, especially with potential breakout star Bennett Stirtz leading the way. Mizzou is a prime candidate to be upset and, if you want to play it risky, this is your team.
My Official Pick: St. John's