This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
While there are only three NBA games on Tuesday night, there's plenty of college basketball to fill the void. DraftKings is offering a full eight-game slate starting at 7 p.m. EST. Tuesday's slate is littered with matchups from the 24th and final ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The ACC won both of its matchups Monday, but will some stand-out performances allow the Big Ten to win the challenge for the fifth straight year?
Top Tier
Kris Murray, F, Iowa ($8,400)
Murray is having a break-out season now that his brother Keegan has left for the NBA. Murray is averaging 19.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 29.3 minutes across six games. The junior forward has the highest usage percentage on the team at 27.6 for an offense averaging 87.6 points per game. Going up against a Georgie Tech team that ranks 97th in defensive efficiency, Murray should offer similar value to a Hunter Dickinson at $1,400 less.
Adam Flagler, G, Baylor, ($7,700)
Flagler is the point guard and primary initiator for one of the best offenses in the country. His lofty 7.2 assists per game and scoring average of 17.0 points give him great overall value. The senior guard also tallies 1.7 steals per game, so he can score points for your lineup while on defense. While Marquette's defense isn't necessarily bad, the over/under of 154 points for this game is the highest of any on the slate. Flagler plays the most minutes (30.3) for an offense that puts up points in its sleep.
Middle Tier:
Jahmir Young, G, Maryland ($6,600)
Young brings us back to the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in another matchup of middling defenses. However, Maryland is a 13-point favorite, so this game could get out of hand. Young has the highest usage percentage on the team at 28.3 percent and has posted over double-digit points in five of his six games this season. The 6-foot-1 guard is only shooting 17.6 percent from three this season, so some positive regression could see him upping his scoring average while maintaining his 4.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Young doesn't necessarily have the highest ceiling, but his floor feels safe.
Reece Beekman, G, Virginia ($6,500)
Virginia versus Michigan is probably the matchup that most people are looking forward to Tuesday night. Beekman offers well-rounded production as he leads the team in steals (2.2) and assists (5.2) while still averaging 10.6 points and 3.0 rebounds. In the only two games in which the junior guard failed to score ten or more points, he tallied nine total steals + blocks. This means that he is finding a way to be productive in all scenarios. Virginia's balanced attack will likely look to avoid Hunter Dickinson and Jett Howard, asking their guards to lead the way.
Value Tier:
Ian Schieffelin, F, Clemson ($5,100)
Schieffelin is coming off by far his worst performance of the season, which is likely tanking his price Tuesday. However, Schieffelin is averaging 4.7 rebounds off the bench this season, and I believe he can take advantage of a Penn State that doesn't see anyone putting up more than 6.6 rebounds per game. Despite not starting, the sophomore forward averages the 5th-most minutes on the team and is second in rebounding. If you plan on spending big on some of the top players, you'll need to utilize value plays like Schieffelin to maintain your budget.
Connor Essegian, G, Wisconsin ($4,800)
My final pick of the day brings us back to the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Essegian is incredibly undervalued here as he came into his own in the Battle 4 Atlantis. After losing Johnny Davis and Brad Davison, Wisconsin came into the season searching for some level of replacement in their backcourt. The Badgers just might have found it in the freshman guard, who scored double-digit points in each of his last three games, including 17 points against Kansas. Essegian is third on the team in scoring despite only playing 19.8 minutes per game, a figure which will surely continue to rise if he can maintain this level of play. Ultimately, Essegian has a good chance of outperforming players that you'll find in the $6,000 range.
