This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
As usual, Saturday's slate presents a few discrepancies between DraftKings and FanDuel, but we will touch on the exclusive games and place our focus on the shared eight games on the slate.
SLATE OVERVIEW
Ohio State (-7) vs. Indiana O/U: 133
Villanova (-6) vs. Creighton O/U: 143
Michigan State (-5.5) at Wisconsin O/U: 130
Butler (-8.5) vs. Providence O/U: 129
Marquette (-7) vs. DePaul O/U: 147
Mississippi State (-6.5) vs. Tennessee O/U: 128
Louisville (-3.5) at North Carolina State O/U: 140
West Virginia (-12) vs. Kansas State O/U: 130.5
Texas (-3) vs. Iowa State O/U: 139.5 (DraftKings only)
Oklahoma (-6.5) vs. Oklahoma State O/U: 133.5 (DraftKings only)
Notre Dame (-6) vs. Georgia Tech O/U: 140 (FanDuel only)
Memphis (-6) vs. Connecticut O/U: 133 (FanDuel only)
Before we begin, we have two major injury situations to address. Marquette's Markus Howard (head) took a hit to the face on Wednesday and his status is uncertain. Howard is a must-start for any fantasy slate, and I would have no problem going with him if he starts. If he misses again, Sacar Anim (DK $6,800, FD $6,600) would be my favorite pivot.
Also, Villanova's Jermaine Samuels is questionable with a foot injury. I like Collin Gillespie (DK $7,7000, FD $6,600) on his own, but I like him even more if Samuels misses as he takes on a heavier load. Your value pivot in a Samuels absence would be Cole Swider (DK $4,400, FD $3,600).
Top Plays
Jordan Nwora, Louisville (DK $7,900, FD $7,700) at North Carolina State
Nwora is coming off a huge 37-point game against Boston College, and a favorable matchup against the Wolfpack could help the 6-foot-7 junior get a little distance from a string of mediocre games. The increased pace bodes well for Nwora, and he has a good shot at a double-digit rebounds against N.C. State's 230th-ranked total rebounding percentage.
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Villanova (DK $7,500, FD $7,100) vs. Creighton
The 6-9 freshman entered the season as the Big East Preseason Freshman of the Year, and he hasn't disappointed. Although his college career began with meager scoring totals opposite his impressive rebounding numbers, the two metrics have begun to even out. He's recorded three double-doubles in his last five games and has a great matchup against Creighton's defense, which allows 69 points per game.
Derek Culver, West Virginia (DK $7,000, FD $6,100) vs. Kansas State
The 6-10 sophomore averages 10.7 rebounds per game, which puts him atop the Big 12. The Mountaineers are big favorites against Kansas State, but some of Culver's best totals have come in blowouts. Even when a game has gotten out of hand, Culver's minutes haven't been adversely affected. He competes for boards with Oscar Tshiebwe ($7,000), who is also a safe bet against the Shockers' weak frontcourt.
Dwayne Sutton, Louisville (DK $6,600, FD $6,200) at North Carolina State
Although he consistently plays second fiddle to Jordan Nwora, Sutton's ancillary numbers get a moderate bump in games where the Cards are favored, and the Wolfpack are a poor rebounding team and clear underdogs in this matchup. Beyond Nwora, no one really stands out as a premium fantasy option, but more often than not, Sutton comes up with the second-best FP total.
Sean McDermott, Butler (DK $6,400, FD $5,900) vs. Providence
McDermott had a great January, averaging 13 points and 7.6 rebounds in seven games. The upside from McDermott is clearly there, as he crushed value with a 48 FP score against Georgetown in his last game. He's also beaten his average of 23 FPPG five times in the last 10 games. His court time has also remained consistent, and you can rely on 30-35 minutes from the 6-6 senior.
Also consider: Charlie Moore, DePaul (DK $8,300, FD $7,600) at Marquette
Value Plays
Koby McEwen, Marquette (DK $6,000, FD $6,000) vs. DePaul
McEwen's a favorite target when Marquette is on the slate. The junior guard is a solid multi-category contributor who averages 10.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists. The last three games, he's beaten those seasonal averages in every category. DePaul ranks 184th in scoring defense, and with Markus Howard's questionable status, McEwen could carry a heavier load.
David Johnson, Louisville (DK $5,500, FD $4,800) at North Carolina State
Johnson has all the tools to be a star in the ACC, but he still needs some seasoning before he's ready to take the next step. Although he sits amidst a crowded depth chart in Louisville, the Cards have tried to give the freshman every opportunity. For the most part, he's responded well, and in recent weeks he's finally logging significant assist totals, which is a good indicator of his comfort with coach Chris Mack's system.
Malik Williams, Louisville (DK $5,200, FD $5,300) at North Carolina State
I continue to load up on Louisville in what I think will be a decisive win for the Cards. Williams is appealing because starting center Steven Enoch only averages about 21 minutes per game, and in recent games, Williams is seeing an equal amount of court time. He managed to grab 13 rebounds in a game where his knee injury was still in question, but it appears that he is mostly past that malady.
Gabe Osabuohien, West Virginia (DK $5,000, FD $5,200) vs. Kansas State
The only problem with this play as that the 6-7 sophomore plays behind Derek Culver and Oscar Tshiebwe, who I've already endorsed. I can't recommend a stack involving these players, but I can justify a complete pivot to Osabuohien if I believe in the blowout potential of this game. He averaged nearly 24 minutes in his last five games, so he could be a reasonable play based on opportunity alone.
Darius Perry, Louisville (DK $4,400), FD $4,000) at North Carolina State
I suppose it's fairly obvious which game will be selected as my contest to target, as I keep going back to the well with Louisville. We're always thrilled if we can find a starter at this price point, and recently the point guard has woken up with consecutive double-digit scoring totals. There's a lot of variance involved with the pick, but if he can find his stroke from beyond the arc, he could give you enough points to be a relevant punt play.
DraftKings
Texas (-3) vs. Iowa State O/U: 139.5
Tyrese Haliburton ($9,000) is the obvious target in this game as he is the centerpiece of the Cyclones' offense, but I wouldn't sleep on the Texas side of the matchup. My favorite play is Matt Coleman III ($6,300), who logs decent assist numbers and can get hot from beyond the arc. Jase Febres ($5,000) is also a decent value play for the Longhorns.
Oklahoma (-6.5) vs. Oklahoma State O/U: 133.5
My favorite elites in this matchup are Brady Manek ($8,200) for Oklahoma and Isaac Likekele ($7,600) for Oklahoma State. The pace for this matchup is a little slow, so I'm hesitant to go much lower in this game, but Oklahoma's De'Vion Harmon ($4,500) is a decent low-cost pivot who has some decent totals mixed into his otherwise tepid stat lines.
FanDuel
Notre Dame (-6) vs. Georgia Tech O/U: 140
The Irish's John Mooney ($8,600) is as chalky as you can get, regardless of the slate. He's rolling through his senior season averaging 15.9 points and 13.4 rebounds. After Mooney, there is a significant drop, but I've used Prentiss Hubb ($6,000) as a mid-range option several times, and he's never disappointed.
Memphis (-6) vs. Connecticut O/U: 133
The great thing about this game is that the top options are at reasonable prices. Precious Achiuwa ($8,100) is the sole exception, but his price is justifiably high. He's the linchpin of Memphis' offense and his usage is sky-high. Christian Vital ($6,500) is the Huskies' best fantasy target.
Game to Target
Louisville (-3.5) at North Carolina State O/U: 140
I loaded up on Louisville in the article, but its opponent is worthy of a look. Markell Johnson (DK $8,100, FD $7,200) is one of the best two-way threats in the ACC, and you can also look to C.J. Bryce (DK $6,900, FD $5,900) as a decent value target, especially on FanDuel.
Game to Fade
Mississippi State (-6.5) vs. Tennessee O/U: 128
This game figures to be a tight defensive battle, and while there are some decent targets, I don't expect many players to end up with double-digit points.
