This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
In what's become our new normal, DraftKings has a 12-game main slate Tuesday evening, tipping at 7:00 p.m. EST with the four games that tip at 9:00 doubling over into their evening contest. Eight of the 12 games have totals of 140 points or greater, three of which are also on the evening slate, so scoring shouldn't be a challenge.
Always like to reflect and humbly brag when the time calls for it. Somehow, my Saturday evening preview yielded a winner, as I took down a small 95-entry slate thanks to my unintended Virginia Tech duo of Hunter Cattoor and Sean Pedulla. The Hokies are certainly in play again here Tuesday, though Catoor's price has surged $900 from the weekend. The other two slates produced more middling results Saturday, but nothing to be embarrassed about. Lets see if we can keep some momentum going!
Top Tier
Jalen Wilson, F, Kansas ($9,500)
The elephant in the room Tuesday is whether or not we pay for Trayce Jackson-Davis ($11,300), who I've discussed every time he's available, and I will not fade him, ever, at this point. But he's pretty costly here, and I think we can flirt with similar returns, proportionate to price, with Wilson while saving a bit. The 22 points Wilson put up at Kentucky over the weekend were a four-game low. He posted a massive 54.75 DKP in an earlier meeting with Kansas State, and we don't need that kind of explosion for a nice return. With a solid 146.5 point total, Wilson's floor and ceiling seem ideal.
Adama Sanogo, F, Connecticut ($8,300)
This slate is loaded with "value" top-tier targets, and its remarkably deep in the front court. There are safer options, as Sanogo's game-to-game results lack consistency. But this looks like a plus spot for him, and he could be a forgotten option given the depth available. His 245-pound frame will not have an answer on the interior. The Huskies are expected to flirt with 80 points, in part thanks to DePaul's 176th-ranked defensive efficiency, per KenPom. Failing to record a double-double would be surprising, something he's done twice in his last four against other undersized lineups but just twice all season prior.
Middle Tier
Damari Monsanto, G, Wake Forest ($6,700)
Monsanto saw a pretty big basket over the weekend, dropping 22 points on the Wolfpack, his second 20+ point outing in three games and fourth in seven games. This game should be wide open, with Wake expected to score around 70 points as an underdog, and Monsanto will benefit from the soft rims at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Monsanto's length will further be needed to help the Deacons with rebounds against Duke's much larger frontcourt. He was worth 27.8 DKP in a previous meeting with the Blue Devils, and there should be multiple paths to a similar performance.
Jordan Wright, G/F, Vanderbilt ($6,500)
I'd expect a pretty spirited effort from Alabama here following Saturday's blowout loss at Oklahoma, so it's possible we get a lopsided defeat and questionable minutes from Wright. But it's also possible the Commodores get a decent pace boost against the Tide, who rank second nationally in adjusted tempo. He's been worth 20+ DKP in 10 of 12 outings -- not massive, but a pretty consistent floor that provides some stability to your builds.
Bargain Tier
Dereck Lively, F, Duke ($5,600)
Lively drew his first start in seven games over the weekend and responded with 33.0 DKP. He also had a 28.5 DKP two games prior in just 18 minutes. He's clearly surging, and the opportunity is there with Dariq Whitehead ($5,200) still seemingly unlikely to play due to an ankle injury. We saw how bad Wake Forest is against big men again over the weekend, with North Carolina State's D.J. Burns erupting for 31 and 9 against them. Lively doesn't have the scoring upside that Burns showed, but he can control the glass and block shots while getting a few buckets. Yes, Kyle Filipowski ($10,000) is in an ideal spot, and Lively figures to be far more popular given that he's nearly half the price. That doesn't make him a "wrong" play however.
Shahada Wells, G, TCU ($4,100)
Wells may be a fade for GPP purposes, as I'd expect everyone to be in on him. He played 39 minutes in the Horned Frogs game over the weekend with Mike Miles injured, and with Miles unlikely to play, that role seems safe to expect again Tuesday. TCU has a nearly 75-point implied total, and the price point here is so low we don't need excellence for a 4x return. Wells has shown explosiveness previously, and given the likely opportunity, he's essentially a free square.
