This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
Wednesday brings us another attainable $2,000 first-place prize in DraftKings main tournament, where $10 gets you one of 941 seats at the table. We tip at our usual 7:00 p.m. EST, with eight games tipping within two hours, and the three late games double into a second smaller contest.
It's an interesting slate. We've got rivalry games in South Carolina-Clemson and West Virginia-Pittsburgh. All of the games feature single-digit point spreads, and we've got totals ranging from 138.5 to 147, so no huge disparity or any clear and obviously forced games to target. We should see diverse lineup builds and low roster percentages throughout.
Top Players
Julian Reese, F, Maryland ($8,300)
Maryland comes with the third-highest implied point total on the slate behind Marquette and Clemson, and we don't yet know the status of guard Jahmir Young, who'd make for a nice play himself if available. I generally prefer frontcourt options as anchors unless it's a clear smash spot, so I'll side with Reese. He's got major upside with three double-doubles in his last four, falling just two boards short last time out while returning 4.6x or better in those three. He's blocking shots at a career rate and has just one game all year under a 3x return, the result of a foul out. He's got as much potential as you'll find in this pricing tier with the potential to match those above him while saving as much as $2,000.
Blake Hinson, F, Pittsburgh ($7,700)
The Panthers are a three-man offense with Hinson, Ishmael Leggett and Carlton Carrington doing the heavy lifting. All three have had their price slide under $8,000, which seems to create a buying opportunity in this narrow 2.5-point spread. Hinson leads the trio with a terrific 29.2 percent usage rate over his last five, averaging 15.2 shot attempts, resulting in 21.4 points and 4.4 rebounds. We'd like more counting stats than scoring, as it caps Hinson's ceiling, but given he's the lowest priced of the trio with the highest usage, a 3.5x return would flirt with disappointment.
Middle Tier
Chase Hunter, G, Clemson ($5,500)
Hunter is second on the Tigers in usage of late, but is priced fourth. He's taken at least eight shots in every game to date, reaching double digit attempts in all but two. That pairs well with a player who has at least three assists in five games to date. We noted Clemson having the second-highest implied point total above, which futher aides Hunter's appeal. There's some volatility, but it's priced in; Hunter is a lock for minutes in a plus spot.
Keisei Tominaga, G, Nebraska ($5,300)
The price here just doesn't seem to match the form or opportunity. Tominaga isn't a world beater, but he's been priced as high as $6,400 as recently as two games ago, and he's averaged 25.1 DKP in his last three games, so why is the price falling? This game has a 1.5-point spread and the slate's highest total at 147, further suggesting Tominaga as a nice stable piece at a below-average price.
Bargain Options
Caleb Mills, G, Memphis ($4,900)
Memphis has the fastest pace on this slate, ranking 30th in tempo per KenPom. Mills has started five straight, seeing a moderate 25.8 minutes across that span. He simply hasn't found his groove in his new home. He's a guy who averaged 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists at Florida State last season, so we know what he's capable of, he simply needs to show it. He's posted a 3.6x return in four of his five starts, and there's an untapped ceiling in his new home. He's been priced as high as $6,600, speaking to his potential and lack of form. So long as he's under 5k, I'll roll with Mills more nights than not.
Carter Lang, F, Vanderbilt ($3,500)
Lang's role seems to change nightly, but this looks like a solid spot for him. The Dons start four players that sit at 6-foot-8 or better and have two additional bodies that see double-digit minutes at that size. Vanderbilt has at best four options, including Lang, so we should expect 20 minutes, which is all we can ask for at this price. Lang has not scored in double-figures in his brief career, but does have at least four rebounds in all but one game he's played in. There's some risk, as he's reached 3x this number in just four of seven, but we can stomach that when paying this little. Jason Rivera-Torres is a high volume bench option that's more expensive, has a higher ceiling and lower floor.
