This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
It's another big Tuesday for college hoops, with DraftKings offering a $5k top prize in its Pull Up Jumper and even FanDuel topping out at $1k in its All American. Hoops fans also have 12 top-25 teams to look forward to tonight, with three matchups getting contested between ranked schools. As always, we'll take a look at implied totals before jumping into the plays.
Top Players
Kofi Cockburn, F, Illinois ($8,800 DK, $8,500 FD)
Purdue might have the best offensive attack in the country, per KenPom's adjusted efficiency ratings, but its defense is lagging way behind, ranking ninth in the Big Ten since conference season started. Purdue's defense has been most vulnerable inside the arc, allowing Big Ten opponents to make 51 percent of two-point attempts, the fourth-worst percentage allowed in the conference. Kofi Cockburn has made 60 percent of his field-goal attempts, a high percentage considering he's taking 33 percent of his team's shots when on the court, the second-highest rate among all Big Ten players during conference play. Cockburn always has the potential for a big game, scoring 20-plus points in 10-of-17 games played this season while also recording 10-plus rebounds in 12 games. Illinois might not win, but Cockburn should help them stay within striking distance, putting up a ton of fantasy points in the process.
Adama Sanogo, F, Connecticut ($7,800 DK)
Marquette is arguably the worst rebounding team in the Big East, ranking last in offensive rebounding rate and third-worst in defensive rebounding rate since conference play began. UConn, meanwhile, has recorded the best offensive rebounding rate and fourth-best defensive rebounding rate during conference play. Adama Sanogo is second on the team in points, rebounds and blocks, so we can count on him to stay heavily involved throughout the game. Sanogo has scored in double figures in seven of his last eight games and has a gigantic ceiling, recording multiple games this season with 18-plus points and 16-plus rebounds. Considering the favorable matchup, Sanogo has a shot at another spectacular performance.
Middle Tier
Sasha Stefanovic, G, Purdue ($6,600 DK, $6,000 FD)
Purdue is projected to put up the third-most points on the slate, which is impressive considering it's going against the best defense in the Big Ten since conference season started, per KenPom's adjusted efficiency ratings. Illinois has a stout defense, one that's most effective against two-pointers, allowing Big Ten opponents to make just 43 percent of shots inside the arc, the lowest percentage allowed in the Big Ten. In this matchup, Purdue will likely need to attack the perimeter in order to have success, which is where Sasha Stefanovic comes into play. Back when these two teams played on Jan. 17, Stefanovic made 5-of-8 three-point attempts, putting up 22 points and 8 rebounds while leading the team in scoring. The same players from the previous matchup are once again involved, so I'm thinking history might repeat itself, giving us some value with Stefanovic.
Jalen Bridges, F, West Virginia ($6,100 DK, $5,500 FD)
Iowa State's defense looks elite at first glance, but digging into the numbers reveals a major weakness. Since conference season started, Iowa State is allowing opponents to make 56 percent of two-point field goal attempts, the worst percentage allowed in the Big 12 during conference play. Given this major vulnerability, Jalen Bridges is perhaps best suited to take advantage, as he has the best two-point field goal percentage on the team in addition to posting the highest offensive efficiency rating among all Big 12 players during conference play. This high level of efficiency is nothing new for Bridges, as he also led the Big 12 with the highest offensive efficiency rating last season as well, although this year he's more aggressive, taking 21 percent of his team's shots when on the court against Big 12 opponents. This game probably won't be the highest scoring on the slate, but, either way, Bridges should play a key role, providing value in the process.
Value Plays
Cody Riley, F, UCLA ($5,700 DK, $5,300 FD)
Stanford's defense isn't bad, although it's soft on the inside, allowing Pac-12 opponents to make 52 percent of two-point field goal attempts, the third-worst percentage allowed in the conference. Riley is among the Bruins who are likely to take advantage, as he's recently strung together several productive games in a row, scoring nine-plus points in five straight games. Since conference season started, Riley is using 22 percent of his team's possessions when on the court, the 18th highest rate among all Pac-12 players.
Caleb Daniels, G, Villanova ($5,400 DK, $5,500 FD)
Villanova has the fourth-best offensive efficiency rating in the country, and it has the distinct pleasure of facing off against the worst defense on the slate, per KenPom's adjusted efficiency ratings. Most notably, St. John's is somehow allowing Big East opponents to make 39 percent of three-point attempts, the worst percentage allowed in the conference. Villanova has a trio of impressive three-point shooters, although Collin Gillespie, the best shooter on the team, is currently a game-time decision due to an ankle injury suffered in the previous game. This means that Caleb Daniels, who's making 41 percent of his shots from behind the arc, will likely see a boost in playing time. I should also point out that another key Villanova shooter, Justin Moore, is also a game-time decision after missing the previous game due to injury. Assuming one or both miss the game, Daniels will shoulder a larger workload than usual, making this pick an even easier decision. In any event, St. John's has struggled to defend the perimeter this season, so you'll want to plan accordingly.
