This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
We get a bit of a break on Saturday's slate, as there's only one game that isn't shared by both sites.
Providence (-2) vs. Marquette O/U: 142
Auburn (-6.5) vs. Tennessee O/U: 132
Virginia (-3) at Pittsburgh O/U: 110.5
Baylor (-2) vs. Kansas O/U: 126.5
Arkansas (-6.5) vs. Missouri O/U: 136
Purdue (-3) vs. Michigan O/U: 133.5
Kansas State (-4.5) vs. Texas O/U: 123.5
West Virginia (-4.5) vs. TCU O/U: 127.5
Houston (-2.5) at Memphis O/U: 139
Villanova (-1) at Xavier O/U: 138
Dayton (-14) vs, Duquesne O/U: 142 (DraftKings only)
Top Players
Chalk players like Markus Howard, Obi Toppin, Devon Dotson and Udoka Azubuike will produce big numbers, but my goal is to provide elite options who have better ownership numbers.
Tyrique Jones, Xavier (DK $8,700, FD $8,000) vs. Villanova
I think the battle between Jones and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl in the paint will be hotly contested, but Jones outscored the freshman by eight FP in their first matchup. Jones is on an eight-game double-double streak, averaging 14.1 points and 15.0 rebounds over that span.
Naji Marshall, Xavier (DK $8,400, FD $7,600) vs. Villanova
Marshall is coming off a 15/11 double-double against St. John's and posted 20 points and seven rebounds against Butler two games ago, so the 6-foot-7 junior is definitely on a roll. He'll have his hands full against Saddiq Bey, but Marshall won that duel in their first matchup with 31 FP.
Alpha Diallo, Providence (DK $8,000, FD $7,500) vs. Marquette
Diallo's been nothing short of brilliant his last three games with averages of 24 points, 11. 7 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He also went off against Marquette in their last matchup with a 12/11 double-double that included three blocked shots. With a recent 55 FP score, Diallo has a ton of upside and is worth the cost on both sites.
Santiago Vescovi, Tennessee (DK $6,700, FD $5,600) at Auburn
While players like Yves Pons and John Fulkerson are viable targets for the Vols, they are also the most recognizable. Vescovi flies under the radar a bit despite the second-highest usage on the team. His long-range shot has been on point in recent weeks, with a 40 percent conversion rate from beyond the arc the last six games. Auburn is dreadful (214th) in defending the three, so expect Vescovi to hurl up his share of long bombs.
Xavier Pinson, Missouri (DK $6,600, FD $5,900) vs. Arkansas
I definitely wanted to get a piece of this matchup, and Pinson comes at a great price, especially on FanDuel. The sophomore point guard scored a career-high 32 points against Ole Miss in his last game, so he's obviously trending up. His recent stat lines are pretty ridiculous, with four-game averages of 23.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists.
Also consider: Collin Gillespie, Villanova ( DK $7,800, FD $6,900) at Xavier
Value Plays
Josiah-Jordan James, Tennessee (DK $5,400, FD $4,900) at Auburn
I'll go back to the well with Tennessee and target the freshman phenom who has shown flashes of brilliance amidst some expected inconsistency. That deficiency hasn't cost him a starting role, however. The recent groin injury that sidelined him appears to be a thing of the past, and I like the freshman's chances against a porous Auburn defense.
Luwane Pipkins, Providence (DK $5,300, FD $4,600) vs. Marquette
Pipkins' numbers the last two games have been excellent in relation to his price. with a two-game average of 14.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Although the undersized guard transfer isn't producing as he did at UMass, he's still worth a shot at this low price.
Boogie Ellis, Memphis ( DK $4,900, FD $5,200) vs. Houston
The inconsistent freshman could always disappoint, but Ellis has upside — he has season highs of 22 points, eight rebounds and four assists. As you load up on elites, this is a price point you'll need.
Marcus Sasser, Houston (DK $4,600, FD $4,900) at Memphis
Sasser is performing well in his first season and recently scored a career-high 26 points against SMU. He's also started 11 consecutive games, so the team appears comfortable with letting the freshman guard get loose.
Chris Harris Jr., Houston (DK $4,500, FD $4,100) at Memphis
Harris could be an excellent value for Houston if he steps it up against a tough Memphis team. He fares well enough in the secondary categories but carries significant risk. But finding a starter at this price isn't easy.
DraftKings only
Dayton (-14) vs, Duquesne O/U: 142
Dayton is a huge favorite, so rather than going with ringers like Obi Toppin, I'm going to take a closer look at backups for the Flyers. Ryan Mikesell ($5,500) should see more time as Dayton puts the game away, and Trey Landers ($6,400) could end up helping with weight distribution.
Game to Target
Providence (-2) vs. Marquette O/U: 142
We've mentioned this teams, but let's drill down and take a closer look at who could yield some big totals in this game. Marquette's Koby McEwen (DK $6,700, FD $6,000) and Theo John (DK $5,500, FD $4,900) are two of my favorite mid-range targets, while Maliek White (DK $5,300, FD $4,500) is a Providence option who needs to prove he's worthy of every-day consideration as a starter.
Game to Fade
Virginia (-3) at Pittsburgh O/U: 110.5
My distaste for Virginia in DFS is well-documented, but Pittsburgh's tempo is also syrupy slow, clocking in at 64.7 (330th). Virginia is also one of the nation's best defensive teams, with a defensive efficiency of 86.7 (4th), and we are already aware of its sluggish tempo, which is almost a full 10 points below the national average. You don't want to aim at any targets with numbers like these.
