This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
Although DraftKings is providing a slate for the early games on Wednesday, both sites are playing pretty much the same allotment of games later in the day, so that offering will be our focus in today's article.
First, let's look at what Vegas has to say about our available contests.
Syracuse (-3) @ Oklahoma State O/U: 130
Gonzaga (-24.5) @ Southern Mississippi O/U: 138
Pittsburgh (-2) @ Northwestern O/U: 119
West Virginia (-1) vs. Wichita State O/U: 127.5
Oregon (-1.5) vs. Seton Hall O/U: 138
BYU (-2.5) vs. Virginia Tech O/U: 137.5 (DraftKings Only)
Penn State (-2.5) vs. Mississippi O/U: 139 (FanDuel Only)
Kansas (-4) vs. Dayton O/U: 148.5 (FanDuel Only)
Right off the bat, we can see some obvious games to target and fade, which we'll outline at the conclusion of the article, along with the soundest plays in those matchups.
TOP PLAYERS
Lamar Stevens, F, Penn State (FD $8,400) vs. Mississippi
It's hard to beat Stevens' numbers over the past two games, although it's an easy feat to average 43 FDFP against teams like Yale and Bucknell. Stevens has started every game for the Nittany Lions since game one of his freshman year, and is the unquestioned leader of production on the squad. With a narrow line and a decent total, he's my favorite elite add of the night.
Elijah Hughes, G, Syracuse (DK $8,300, FD $8,000) vs. OK St.
It's been in small increments, but Hughes' numbers are slowly creeping up to the 40 FDFP range. An absolute beast for assists, Hughes is matching the dimes with some excellent point and rebound totals as well. He's also been an everyday starter since transferring from ECU two seasons ago and is sure to be the linchpin of Syracuse's offensive attack.
Filip Petrusev, F, Gonzaga (DK $8,100, FD $7,400) at Southern Mississippi
Petrusev possesses one of the more stable floors among the elites. The sophomore's minutes have been kind of all over the place, but his rebounding numbers are holding steady, and he should have an easy time against the Golden Eagles, who aren't a particularly strong rebounding squad.
Landers Nolley II, Virginia Tech (DK $8,000) @ BYU
BYU's defense is good but not great, and the Hokies have looked superb alongside the freshman Nolley's stellar numbers to begin the season. The 6-7 forward has been especially potent from beyond the arc, where he's converting 49 percent of his shots.
Udoka Azubuike, F, Kansas (FD $6,500) vs. Dayton
While not exactly an elite by the FanDuel price, he's too recognizable to be considered a value grab. The 7-0 senior already has two double-doubles this season, and Dayton will need to double-team him if they hope to keep him from recording another.
VALUE PLAYS
Joe Girard, G, Syracuse (DK $5,700, FD $5,900) vs. Oklahoma State
I called out his name the last time Syracuse made a slate against Bucknell and you were happy if you followed my lead. He put up 12 points and six assists in just 21 minutes of work. He's going to keep starting while Jalen Carey recovers from this thumb injury.
Marcus Garrett, G, Kansas (FD $5,200) vs. Dayton
As the Jayhawks' starting shooting guard, Garrett's produced a fairly reliable floor thanks to his multi-category contributions in rebounds and assists. While mostly a role player throughout his college career, he now has a regular gig in the backcourt and is a sneaky pick among a cavalcade of star power on the roster.
Ty Etienne, G, Wichita State (DK $4,600, FD $$4,100) @ West Virginia
You can see flashes of speed like his NFL-bound brother Travis of the Clemson Tigers, but the freshman isn't quite at those heights -- at least, not yet. Games like his 21-point pop against UTM are encouraging indicators -- the only variable is his usage. If he gets on a heater, the Shockers could start riding him more often.
Bourama Sidibe, F, Syracuse (DK $4,500, FD $5,000) vs. Oklahoma State
Sidibe popped with a 26.25 DKFP performance against Bucknell, which could be a sign that the 6-10 junior center is rounding back into form. Sidibe can be frustrating because he always flirts with double-doubles but has narrowly missed them countless times throughout his career at Syracuse. Missing that bonus will hurt you in some formats, but he's still a capable center that will ultimately deliver a decent score for this price.
GAME TO TARGET
Oregon (-1.5) vs. Seton Hall, o/u 138, 9:30 p.m. EST
You can only find this game on DraftKings, and at the elite level, it's all about Payton Pritchard ($8,700) for the Ducks and Myles Powell ($8,500) of the Pirates. Both of these guards are capable of putting up monster numbers and will undoubtedly have high ownership. Other favorite picks in this game are Oregon's Jared Rhoden ($5,800) and Seton Hall's Sandro Mamukelashvili ($6,600). Myles Cale ($4,400) is a vet for Seton Hall who can drill threes effectively.
GAME TO FADE
Pittsburgh (-2) at Northwestern, o/u 119, 8:30 p.m EST
As you'll notice, I didn't endorse anyone from this game, but it's not for lack of decent players - it's mostly about the syrupy-slow pace we expect from this matchup. I don't fault a play for Pete Nance ($7,500 DK, $6,800 FD) or Justin Champagnie ($6,100 DK, $6,200 FD), but there are simply better targets on the slate. Unless you're looking for ultra-low ownership, this game is mostly a DFS trap on both sites.
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