Hey-oh! DraftKings is bringing some serious heat to Tuesday's main slate, with a massive $60k Shootaround tournament detailing the total prize pool with $20,000 going to first-place and four additional four-figure prizes available. Unless things went crazy last Saturday too while I was away, this is our biggest tournament of the season.
College Basketball DFS Picks for Tuesday, February 17
Ten games make up this main slate, tipping slightly earlier than usual at 6:30 p.m. EST to capture Michigan/Purdue. It spans all the way to an 11 p.m. tip with Texas Tech/Arizona State, so it's going to be a late call into Wednesday morning for some if you're in the running.
All but two of the games on the slate come with totals north of 150 points; only Nebraska/Iowa and UCLA/Michigan State don't, and those come in lower than 140 points, suggesting we stay away if we can. South Carolina is a massive underdog with a low 64.5 point expectancy, and the Gamecocks can be shied away from safely in cash games as well.
Only JT Toppin ($11,000) comes with a five-figure price tag, and is absolutely worth the cost if you can find enough value. North Carolina's frontcourt is the major spot we need to track with regards to injury and opportunity.
Want to see how recent injuries might affect the top DFS plays in college basketball? Head to RotoWire's latest college basketball injury news page or follow @RotoWireCBB on X.
College Basketball DFS Top Players
Mikel Brown, G, Louisville ($9,500)
We certainly don't want to chase prior results, but it's difficult to ignore how hot Brown is right now, posting 120 DKP total across his last two. This game is targetable from both sides with it's 167.5 point total and narrow 3.5-point spread in favor of the road side. Brown is seeing a huge bucket from outside, and the Mustangs aren't elite at defending the arch (114th). But with this pace, I look for Brown to better his 5.1 assist average; SMU allows assists on 60.5 percent of their opponents makes. The Mustangs allow steals on 10.3 percent of their possessions, and Brown has eight thefts in his last two to boot. There's multiple paths to a big return yet again.
Bruce Thornton, G, Ohio State ($8,300)
John Mobley remains sidelined for the Buckeyes, and while that should open up some value, Taison Chatman ($4,100), though showing some intrigue previously, didn't flash in 31 minutes as a starter. Rather, Thornton shouldered as much of the offensive onus as possible, posting his third-straight game with at least a 30.0 percent usage rate and his second with 40+ fantasy points. He wasn't elite in an earlier matchup with the Badgers, but that one finished 92-82, plenty of points to make this attractive. We've got a narrow spread and plenty of points likely again, so I'll swing on Thornton again to go big.
Matas Vokietaitis, F, Texas ($7,400)
An upside play at a fair price for a forward. Vokietaitis has scored in double-digits in eight straight, averaging 16.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and a block, posting a 27.5 percent usage rate. The usage helps ease concerns that this game may not be overly competitive; Vokietaitis can get to a 4x with less than 30 minutes.
Check out RotoWire's college basketball starting lineup data to view recent stats, usage trends and identify potential DFS value plays.
Middle Tier
Ven-Allen Lubin, F, North Carolina State ($6,700)
While I don't enjoy this price, it's static from the weekend when Lubin posted 35.75 DKP, and there's plenty to like about the matchup. First, the Wolfpack should flirt with 80 points. Second, North Carolina's frontcourt; we know Caleb Wilson is out and Henri Veesaar is uncertain. If Veesaar is out, Lubin is going to feast down low on Zayden High ($4,400). If Veesaar returns, we can go to angle three; revenge. Lubin left North Carolina after last season, seemingly in an NIL dispute. NCST coach Will Wade has stoked the flames on this rivalry since Lubin joined the 'Pack, questioning the 'Heels' decision makers. He's absolutely going to put his money where his mouth was. And it's not like Lubin is in poor form, averaging 15.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks over his last ten.
Denzel Aberdeen, G, Kentucky ($6,100)
Picking the right Wildcat certainly feels like a guess, but Aberdeen's recent volume has me intrigued. He's hoisted 42 shots over his last three games, but is hitting at just a 38.1 percent clip. Georgia's defense is decent enough (67th against 2-pointers, 118th against 3-pointers) but playing at the ninth-fastest tempo, per KenPom, there's no reason to think Aberdeen's volume won't again be elite. Mix in that Aberdeen has the Wildcats' highest assist rate and there's a clear path to at least 4x Tuesday.
LeJuan Watts, F, Texas Tech ($5,800)
A fair price for a mid-tier forward and offers linesup a potential late-night hammer! Watts' game logs are all over the map, which is seemingly ideal for GPPs. He's scored in double-figures just five times in his last 12 outings, but is averaging 10.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in that span. He's averaging over two offensive boards per game overall, Arizona State allows them at a 34.2 percent clip (320th). The Red Raiders will score 80+, giving us a cheap entry point with some ceiling potential.
Need help filling in the rest of your picks and constructing college basketball lineups? Head to the RotoWire college basketball DFS lineup optimizer to find value plays, build stacks and export up to 150 lineups directly to DraftKings or FanDuel.
College Basketball DFS Value Plays
Michael Nwoko, F, LSU ($4,800)
Nwoko is highly volatile, highly likely to be in foul trouble and there's concern the game won't be competitive. But he's also, somewhat quietly, got a 28.8 percent usage rate over his last four, averaging 10.5 points and 4.8 rebounds in just 19.3 minutes. Nwoko hasn't shown any kind of ceiling during conference play, but can be a double-digit fantasy scorer while freeing up spending elsewhere while occupying a forward spot on the cheap.
Luka Bogavac, G, North Carolina ($4,700)
We touched on the 'Heels' frontcourt issues above. If Veesar is out, High becomes the chalky value play, but he's an energy guy that feasted on a bad team Saturday. So did Jarin Stevenson ($6,300), whose price soared now that his minutes are secured with Wilson out, making him far more risky. So perhaps pivot to a different angle for North Carolina, who will need Bogavac to shoot it well to keep pace. North Carolina State doesn't defend the 3-point line well at all, 222nd nationally which is elevated after Miami's 3-for-17 performance over the weekend. Miami isn't a good shooting team, so don't let that scare you away. It is largely a bet on scoring, but Bogavac has been an occasional source of decent assist numbers, and we're probably okay with a 15-20 fantasy point return.
Kareem Stagg, F, Georgia ($4,000)
This late in the year, it's rare we can find players with changing or evolving roles. Georgia's season has gone south fast and they offered Stagg a starting opportunity in their last outing, where he responded with 10 points and four boards across 27 minutes. This is a dart throw, but assuming he starts again over Dylan James, there's plenty to like at this price point. Stagg was considerably more involved in the offense than James has been all season. He'd be a very cheap entry into a team comes with an implied total nearing 80 (77.0).
