This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
Both DraftKings and FanDuel have one exclusive game each in today's slate and share eight games of action. As usual, we'll cover it all in our Wednesday DFS preview.
SLATE OVERVIEW
Penn State (-6.5) vs. Rutgers O/U: 137.5
Syracuse (-1) @ Pittsburgh O/U: 139.5
Virginia (-3.5) @ Virginia Tech O/U: 113.5
Marquette (-8) vs. Georgetown O/U: 151
Arkansas (-4.5) vs. Tennessee O/U: 132.5
Minnesota (-1) vs. Maryland O/U: 134
Florida (-5) vs. LSU O/U: 148.5
Notre Dame (-4.5) vs. Boston College O/U: 142
Missouri (-2.5) # Vanderbilt O/U: 140.5 (DraftKings only)
Stanford (-7.5) vs. Utah O/U: 130.5 (FanDuel only)
Let's begin by saying that Markus Howard (DK $9,400, FD $8,500) needs no introduction, and let's face it -- it's foolhardy to not consider him as your cash anchor in a game that sports the highest O/U on the slate. My ultimate goal in this article is to provide you with less-obvious targets that hold lower ownership, but I don't think this is a spot where you avoid the nation's top point guard. He's holding steady at No. 3 in Pomeroy's Player of the Year race, and for our purposes, he's a clear No. 1.
ELITE PLAYERS
Daniel Oturu, Minnesota (DK $9,200, FD $8,800) vs. Maryland
Oturu is another guy holding fast in Pomeroy's Top 10 for POY, and I like his chances in what should be a competitive game against the Terps. The 6-foot-10 sophomore is in the midst of an insane six-game run where he's averaged 19.5 points, 11.7 rebounds and a whopping 3.2 blocked shots. While Maryland has a serviceable defense, allowing only 63 points per game (29th), their offensive rebounding percentage of .314 ranks a paltry 99th in the nation. Oturu should be a double-double magnet tonight.
Jalen Smith, Maryland (DK $8,400, FD $8,300) @ Minnesota
I like Smith on the other end of the ball in this contest. You have to love the CBB formats on both sites, as you aren't penalized for fielding multiple centers. This is a night where I'm keen to load the F and Utility spots with them, beginning with Oturu and Smith. Maryland's nine-game winning streak finally came to a close against Ohio State, which was due in large part to a lukewarm outing for Smith. Still, you can't fault a guy who posted nine straight double-doubles prior to that misstep. He also has recorded 17 double-doubles on the season.
Skylar Mays, LSU (DK $8,000, FD $7,500) @ Florida
There's no way that we can leave the elite section without getting a piece of this game, and as you'll see, I've elected to hit it on the LSU end twice, beginning with Mays. Not only did he put up 38 FP against the Gators in their last meeting, but he's also coming off a win against South Carolina where he stuffed his stat line with 13 points, nine rebounds and six assists. I also like his potential ceiling -- over his past six games he's posted totals of 23, 24 and 30 points.
Omer Yurtseven, Georgetown (DK $7,400, FD $8,000) @ Marquette
The absence of Mac McClung (foot) has certainly put added pressure on Yurtseven over the past couple of weeks, and he even came up with an ankle injury of his own that sidelined him for two games. His return to the court was rusty against DePaul, but I expect he'll be ready to contribute at a higher level tonight, as the Hoyas attempt to even the score against Marquette, who escaped Capital One Arena with an 84-80 victory.
Darius Days, LSU (DK $6,700, FD $5,600) @ Florida
I tried to limit my elite exposure to one LSU target, but the price for Days was a little too good to pass up. As previously noted, the O/U total for this game is attractive, and their previous matchup totaled a whopping 166 points, in which LSU eked out an 84-82 victory. If those facts weren't enough to load up on the Tigers, you only have to look at Days' contributions as a floor-stretching power forward to see why he's worthwhile. He can grab boards as a nightly double-double threat but also keep you guessing with a deadly stroke from beyond the arc. Over the past eight contests, he's averaged four 3-point attempts per game at a conversion rate of 38.7 percent.
VALUE PLAYS
Akwasi Yeboah, Rutgers (DK $5,800, FD $5,300) @ Penn State
After a somewhat slow beginning to the season, the Stony Brook transfer has started 19 consecutive games for the Scarlet Knights. While his numbers aren't going to wow you, his minute totals have crept up over the past ten games, and he's now averaging a full four minutes over his seasonal average during that span. I'm more compelled by his FanDuel price, but as we look for budget targets, you could certainly do a lot worse.
Jahvon Blair, Georgetown (DK $5,600, FD $5,000) @ Marquette
While Mac McClung (foot) could pop up as active on any given day, we'd have to assume that his activity would be limited. Given that, it's still safe to give Blair the nod at least one more time. Aside from an awful showing against DePaul, Blair has performed well in McClung's stead with averages of 21.4 points, 4.2 rebounds in 2.4 assists over five starts (excluding the DePaul game). We're thrilled to find averages like that at this price.
Payton Willis, Minnesota (DK $5,200, FD $4,500) vs. Maryland
As we delve deeper into the bargain bin, Willis emerges as a decent target in what should be a close game in Minneapolis. Willis has received a lot more opportunity as a Gopher after two years in a reserve role at Vanderbilt. Willis will help you with excellent three-point shooting, and his totals depend on how hot he is from long range. He attempts an average of 6.4 shots per game from beyond the arc, and though his season-long conversion rate is just so-so, he' ratcheted his average up to 40.6 percent over the last five games.
Terrell Brown, Pittsburgh (DK $4,200, FD $4,200) vs. Syracuse
Eric Hamilton leapfrogged Brown on the depth chart earlier in the season, but he's now started five consecutive games and appears to be the favored guy under the basket for the Panthers. Since reclaiming the starting role, he's averaged 7.8 points and 4.8 rebounds to go along with 1.2 blocks over five games. Syracuse has probably one of the worst rebounding records in the Power 5 (274th nationally), so this should be a spot where Brown has the chance to shine.
John Harrar, Penn State (DK $3,800, FD $4,000) vs. Rutgers
I'll freely admit that Harrar's numbers are nothing to write home about, but it's hard to find a starter at this price, especially on a potent team like Penn State. We're looking to Harrar as a method to offset the huge salary picks we'll be forced to make today, so while his 5.7 point, 4.7 rebound averages as a starter aren't great, you'll be able to grab one more high-priced guy than you usually would if you go this low.
DraftKings only
Missouri (-2.5) @ Vanderbilt, o/u 140.5, 9 p.m. EST
The point total for this contest is pretty good, and the oddsmakers view these two teams as evenly matched. The first thing worth mentioning here is the potential continued absence of Mark Smith (back). If he's out again, Xavier Pinson ($6,800) would log his seventh start with the Tigers. Pinson's highlight over that span was a brilliant 32-point game against Ole Miss. The top target on the Vandy side is Saben Lee ($7,700), and I also like some value here with Vandy's Scotty Pippen Jr. ($5,500) and Dylan Disu ($5,300) as my top two budget selections.
FanDuel only
Stanford (-7.5) vs. Utah, o/u 130.5, 10 p.m. EST
These two teams haven't been on many slates this season, so there are some targets here that some may not be familiar with. Stanford's Oscar da Silva ($7,600) is an excellent target, as his numbers have consistently trended up over the past few weeks, and Utah's Timmy Allen ($7,200) is another strong elite play. My favorite budget selection is Bryce Wills ($4,800) for the Utes. He may be called upon to shoulder a heavier load if Rylan Jones' (leg) injury is as serious as it looked on Sunday.
GAME TO TARGET
Marquette (-8) vs. Georgetown, o/u 151, 8:30 p.m. EST
No big surprise here -- two top teams with a high point total in a battle for Big East supremacy. We've already mentioned some excellent targets, but Georgetown's Jamorko Pickett (DK $6,200, FD $6,000) has enjoyed some excellent stat lines lately, and you can always count on Marquette's Koby McEwen (DK $6,400, FD $6,000) to deliver solid production. Aside from Jahvon Blair, no one really stands out as a value candidate, but I'd expect good things from the usual suspects in this one.
GAME TO FADE
Virginia (-3.5) @ Virginia Tech, o/u 113.5, 7 p.m. EST
As per usual, the Cavaliers are hemlock for DFS play. While the Hokies should drive up the pace a bit, Virginia has the lowest adjusted tempo in the country (353rd with 59.2) and Virginia Tech doesn't fare much better (312th with 65.2). I think it's amazing that the Cavs have managed a 19-7 record with this style of play, but their defense is the hallmark of their success. Unfortunately, that doesn't translate well from a fantasy perspective.
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