This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
Similar to Tuesday, DraftKings has a 12-game main slate tipping at 6:30 p.m. EST, with four games doubling into their evening slate at 9:00 p.m. Only four games have a total of 140 or higher, and none of those are on the late slate, so we know where we want to look early, and know points aren't going to be plentiful as the evening goes along.
Further making lineup builds difficult is the presence of Xavier and its dominant core four, which represents 40 percent of the slate's top-priced options. They are priced there for a reason, but it's been a challenge for me all year to pinpoint which will be elite on a nightly basis.
Top Tier
Trayce Jackson-Davis, F, Indiana ($11,000)
The price point is an obvious stickler, but Jackson-Davis has put up 49.75 DKP or better in five of his last six outings, making him a slate-breaking choice and clearly worth the payup. Further, Minnesota could be without their best big in Dawson Garcia ($8,000) due to an ankle injury, and if he misses Wednesday, they'd have little chance at stopping Jackson-Davis. They allowed Michigan's Hunter Dickinson to go for 23 and 9 last time out, and Purdue's Zach Edey has 43 points and 28 rebounds in two meetings against them.
Baylor Scheierman, G, Creighton ($8,200)
While St. John's comes in 40th defensively, per KenPom, they also play at the nation's third-fastest tempo. Creighton will attack that with the nation's 28th-ranked offense, leading Vegas to give them an implied total of 80 points. I think this makes for a nice stacking opportunity between Scheierman and Ryan Kalkbrenner ($8,300), and normally, my choice would be the frontcourt option. But Scheierman rebounds terrifically, and won't have to contend with Joel Soriano ($9,200) on the inside. He's the less consistent option, but should come with lower roster percentages as such, setting him up as a solid GPP option where a 4.5x return is possible.
Middle Tier
Jordan Hawkins, G, Connecticut ($7,500)
I'll fully admit it's difficult to impossible to fit Hawkins in as a third option, so you're likely going to have to choose between Jackson-Davis, or a more balanced build. But this looks like a plus spot for Hawkins. Xavier ranks 292nd in defending the 3-point shot, allowing opponents to hit at a 36.2 percent clip. Hawkins leads the Huskies with 54 made 3s, connecting at a robust 38.8 percent clip. He needs 30 DKP to hit a 4x return, something he's only done twice in his last eight outings, but he's failed to reach 28 DKP just twice as well. The matchup sets up well for upward production.
Pop Isaacs, G, Texas Tech ($6,200)
Isaacs looks like an ideal glue piece after paying up multiple times previously. He enjoys huge volume, taking at least 13 shots in six straight games for the Raiders. It's resulted in a 20.0 DKP floor and a less-than-stellar, but not harmful, 3.2x return. With Texas Tech expected to score nearly 73 points, he should see slight better results.
Bargain Tier
Henry Coleman, F, Texas A&M ($5,900)
Truth be told, Coleman is as volatile as any forward in this pricing tier, but he has far more upside as well, setting him up to be a GPP pay-down option. Fouls have been his kryptonite recently, collecting nine across the Aggies' last two games. But he posted two double-doubles in the two games prior. He'll get no matchup boost, as Auburn is terrific defensively. But, they do allow offense rebounds at more than a 30 percent clip. Teammate Julius Marble ($5,400) has seen a higher usage rate of late, and may be the safer play, but he doesn't bring Coleman's double-double potential.
Keisei Tominaga, G, Nebraksa ($4,700)
To afford some of this slate's top tier options, we're going to have to be creative as we round out our builds, and Tominaga seems to offer some appeal. He's scored in double-digits in three straight, earning him a starting spot for the last two, playing at least 24 minutes in four straight. He's enjoyed a solid 24.0 percent usage rate over the Huskers last five. There is a questionable floor, as Northwestern comes in at 21st in defensive efficiency and 214th in tempo, but there's minimal risk at this price, which is offset by the presence of the likes of Jackson-Davis balancing things out. The Huskers losing Emmanuel Bandoumel to a season-ending knee injury also helps Tominaga's case.
