This article is part of our FanDuel College Basketball series.
The Madness has begun, and we couldn't have asked for two better days of basketball to begin the tournament. We saw crazy upsets, multiple buzzer-beaters, and a lot of very close games which is exactly what fans want. The next two days should be just as exciting, with some very intriguing round two matchups. Let's take a look at today's FanDuel Value plays for the eight game slate in the round of 32.
Guards
Yogi Ferrell, Indiana vs. Kentucky, $8,300 – This game should be a fast-paced affair with both teams getting up and down the floor quickly, which is great news in terms of fantasy production. Although Ferrell will see better defense than he did on Thursday when he dropped 20 points and 10 assists, he'll still be driving force behind the Hoosiers offense and they'll rely on him to score it, or get easy shots for others. The senior guard averages 17.1 PPG, 5.7 APG, and 1.2 SPG, and his team will need even more than that today if they're going to knock off Kentucky.
Frank Mason, Kansas vs. UCONN, $7,100 – Mason is the heart and soul of the Jayhawks offense, and he's a sure bet to play 35-plus minutes in today's game, assuming he doesn't get into foul trouble. The junior guard averages 13.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG and 4.7 assists per game, and he needs to come up big today if the Jayhawks are going to get by a scrappy UCONN team. Mason should be a good bet for 20-plus fantasy points in what should be a great game.
Marcus Johnson Jr., Arkansas-Little Rock vs. Iowa State, $5,400 – Johnson is one of two really good guards on the Trojans' roster and he'll be a key factor in today's game. He's scored in double-figures in six straight games, which includes a 10 point, eight rebound performance against Purdue in the opening round upset. Iowa State likes to get up and down the floor, so this game should be a lot more fast-paced which opens up the door for added production out of Johnson. He comes with very reasonable price tag at $5,400, and he should provide great value in this game.
Forwards
Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga vs. Utah, $7,900 – Wiltjer averages 20.5 PPG and 6.5 RPG, and the Bulldogs are going to rely heavily on him in today's game against UTAH. The senior guard has scored in double-figures in all but three games this season, including his last eight contests. Wiltjer shoots 49 percent from the field and 43 percent from beyond the arc, and he's going to get a ton of looks in this matchup.
Troy Williams, Indiana vs. Kentucky, $7,300 – Much like Yogi Ferrell, who we discussed just a bit ago, Williams is one of the leaders on this team, and he'll be very important in the fast-paced affair against Kentucky today. Williams had 12 points and eight boards against Chattanooga, despite playing just 26 minutes in the blowout win. His minutes are sure to go up today in what should be a close game until the end.
Rodney Purvis, UCONN vs. Kansas, $5,900 – Purvis leads the team in scoring at 12.7 PPG and he went for a cool 19 points and five boards in the opening round matchup against Colorado. Today's game could be a bit more fast-paced than the matchup with Colorado was, and Purvis should get plenty of shots up. The junior guard has scored in double-figures in three of his last four games, and he could provide great value at such a reasonable price tag of $5,900.
