🏀 March Madness Survivor Picks Today 2026: Best Sunday Strategy (March 29)
It's the third last day of action in the NCAA Tournament, with the Final Four next weekend, so if you're still in a position to make March Madness survivor picks today, you're likely one of the only ones left alive.
If you've survived and advanced this far, you'd better have No. 1 seeds left ... otherwise, it's getting late early for you, because at this point, there are few other trustworthy options when it comes to March Madness survivor pool picks.
Don't miss our March Madness bracket predictions for the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
📊 Sunday survivor pool power rankings: Elite Eight
For more on survivor pools, check out my March Madness survivor pool strategy guide.
| Rank | Team | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No. 1 Michigan | No. 6 Tennessee |
| 2 | No. 1 Duke | No. 2 UConn |
🎯 Best Saturday March Madness survivor picks
Get the latest March Madness odds and Final Four odds.
Best survivor pool pick today: Michigan
With how the bracket has fallen, Michigan is the "best" choice for survivor today. The Wolverines lead the nation in net rating (+38.11) behind a defense that ranks No. 1 in adjusted efficiency (89.8) after shutting down Alabama in the second half of its Sweet 16 win.
While Tennessee's run to a third straight Elite Eight is impressive, the Volunteers' offensive woes are a problem.
The Vols are No. 143 in effective field-goal percentage (52%) and No. 235 in turnover rate (17.5%), which won't do against a Michigan defense that allows the third-lowest effective field-goal percentage in the country (45.2%).
〽️ No harm in using Michigan now
We're into the Elite Eight, and if you have No. 1 seeds to use, this is the time to start leaning on them.
While Michigan has been ferocious in the NCAA Tournament, it'll have to play fellow No. 1 seed Arizona in the Final Four. That makes the other side of the bracket more appealing when it comes to making a Final Four survivor pick.
Dusty May's team is overwhelmingly more consistent than Rick Barnes', and our Tennessee vs. Michigan prediction projects a 12-point win for the Wolverines.
Riskiest survivor pool pick today: Duke
It's a clash of titans in the East, with a Final Four berth on the line. While Duke is the No. 1 overall seed, the Blue Devils have needed two comebacks (Siena, St. John's) in three NCAA Tournament games, while UConn nearly blew a 19-point lead over Michigan State in the Sweet 16.
At the end of the day, I expect the Blue Devils to win but the Huskies to cover, as does our UConn vs. Duke prediction.
Jon Scheyer's team is No. 2 in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency (90.2), and UConn's offense is turnover-prone - No. 200 in turnover rate (16.9%) - and doesn't get to the free throw line - No. 305 in free throw rate (30.2%).
That's a tough combo against a Cameron Boozer-led Duke squad that just got Caleb Foster back. Still, Duke is risky because Dan Hurley always seems to have his Huskies ready to make a run ... he's 19-4 ATS in March Madness.
💵 My survivor picks for March Madness
I'm making two separate survivor pool picks each day for two different survivor pools.
| Round (day) | Pool 1 picks | Pool 2 picks |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 (Thursday) | Arkansas ✅ | Vanderbilt ✅ |
| Round 1 (Friday) | Kansas ✅ | Virginia ✅ |
| Round 2 (Saturday) | Illinois ✅ | Michigan State ✅ |
| Round 2 (Sunday) | Purdue ✅ | Iowa State ✅ |
| Sweet 16 (Thursday) | Arizona ✅ | Purdue ✅ |
| Sweet 16 (Friday) | Iowa State ❌ | Michigan ✅ |
| Elite Eight (Saturday) | N/A | Illinois ✅ |
| Elite Eight (Sunday) | N/A | Duke TBD |
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