This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
March Madness is clearly upon us, with 12-game sets featuring $5k top prizes on DraftKings for both the morning and evening DFS college basketball slates. This column will examine some of the top plays by salary tier for the evening set of games that tips off at 6:30 p.m. EST.
Top Players
Hunter Tyson, F, Clemson ($8,500)
There are a lot of red flags and bad matchups in the $9,700+ tier, so I'm shooting for more balance Tuesday night, starting with my pay-up options. Tyson has logged 4x at this price point in three of his last four and also has a 52.8 DK point showing against N.C. State in his game log for the season. It's easy to see why, as the Wolfpack are an up-tempo matchup and a team that ranks No. 195 in opponent 2-point FG percentage. If Tyson doesn't float your boat, PJ Hall ($8,100) is more of a cash game option with 30+ DK points in each of his last six games. He's also the team leader in usage rate over the last five.
Jack Nunge, F, Xavier ($8,200)
Xavier registers with the slate's highest implied total at time of posting, and Nunge has been consistently good against DePaul this season. We're talking two double-doubles with 38.5 and 36.3 DK points, with the former even occurring with Zach Freemantle (foot) still in the lineup. I'm not concerned about a couple of duds down the stretch -- if anything, I'll buy the dip.
Middle Tier
Nick Smith, G, Arkansas ($7,000)
This is a bad matchup against Auburn any way you cut it, but I'm buying the talent here, as Smith was a top-five overall recruit this season and has a chance to play himself into the NBA lottery. I wouldn't be surprised in the least bit if his salary reaches $9,000 or greater by the time the NCAA Tournament gets here -- he just got a late start to the year due to injury. Smith is averaging 33.15 DK points over his last four, which includes a 47.8-point outing in a game against Kentucky five days ago. Auburn will limit him on the perimeter, but Smith can score at all levels, as well as generate both assists and steals.
Adam Kunkel, G, Xavier ($6,200)
Kunkel provides high upside at a cheaper price than most of Xavier's core, as his hit-or-miss production typically comes from the perimeter. The fifth-year senior had success against the Blue Demons last time out, posting 39.3 on DraftKings on 4-for-8 from distance. DePaul allows opponents to shoot 34.7 percent from three, good for No. 226 in the country entering Thursday. The Blue Demons also have an atrocious defensive rebounding rate that ranks No. 351, which is a feather in the cap for Nunge above, or potentially a nod for Jerome Hunter ($6,100) if you prefer a more stable option than Kunkel (or pivot from a likely-popular Nunge).
Value Plays
Dylan Disu, F, Texas ($4,900)
This is a numbers play, as Disu has recorded 3x or greater at this price point in six of his last seven contests. That includes a 36.5 DK game against Baylor and a 24.3 one against TCU -- two tremendously respectable defenses. Oklahoma State might be a top-10 defense in terms of KenPom's efficiency rankings, and have more to play for, but the Cowboys also sport a defensive rebounding rate that ranks No. 195 in the country heading into Wednesday's games. Disu also leads Texas starters in usage rate over the last five contests.
Quentin Millora-Brown, F, Vanderbilt ($3,700)
With Liam Robbins (leg) out for the season, early indications are that Millora-Brown will be tasked with filling those shoes. The 6-10 senior had 20.0 DK points in the game Robbins went down and logged 31 minutes in a start the following game. The downside is low usage, but the upside is a matchup against an LSU team that ranks No. 267 in opponent 2-point FG percentage and No. 191 in defensive rebounding rate entering Thursday's set of games.
