This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
OVERVIEW
The New Year's Eve college hoops slate marks the return of conference season. The most lopsided conference matchup on the slate is Boston College/Duke. I strongly suggest picking one or two Blue Devils because Duke has the highest point total projection of all the teams on the slate. The Blue Devils should cruise to an easy victory so you'll definitely want part of the action.
The only game on the slate that isn't a conference matchup is Rider/Wisconsin. This is a fascinating matchup because Rider usually plays at one of the fastest tempos in the country while Wisconsin playing at one of the slowest. The badgers are favored to win by double digis, so having a Badger in your lineup could also provide an easy point boost.
TOP PLAYERS
Vernon Carey Jr., F, Duke ($9,000 DK)
Carey is the most expensive player on the board and he's likely worth every penny. He leads his team in usage rate, points, rebounds, and blocks. Duke is projected to score about 80 points in a blowout so it's possible Carey will have one of his best games of the season. The only risk is that Carey might play fewer minutes if Duke pulls away early.
Omer Yurtseven, F, Georgetown ($8,800 DK)
Much like Vernon Carey, Yurtseven has the highest usage rate on his team and also leads the team in points, rebounds, and blocks. The Hoyas are projected to score around 75 points against Providence so Yurtseven should have decent production in today's contest. It's important to note that Providence has a tougher defense so that could affect Yurtseven's scoring.
Alpha Diallo, G, Providence ($8,700 DK)
Diallo is the heart and soul of the Friars. He leads the team in usage rate, minutes played, points, rebounds, steals, and blocks. He has a great matchup today because Georgetown's weakness is on the defensive side of the ball and each team is expected to score upwards of 75 points. Diallo is a strong fantasy option given the matchup.
VALUE PLAYS
Jordan Goldwire, G, Duke ($4,900 DK)
Goldwire recently started the past two games at point guard with Tre Jones out due to injury. Jones will likely miss today's contest against the Eagles so Goldwire is in line to start for a third straight game. Goldwire is a pass-first point guard but has still managed to score 20+ fantasy points in several games this season.
Editors Note: According to Stephen Wiseman of the Raleigh News & Observer, Jones will make his return to the court Tuesday against Boston College. However, the extend to which he'll take on a regular workload is unclear as of Tuesday morning.
Wendell Moore Jr., F, Duke ($4,900 DK), Jack White, F, Duke ($4,500 DK) & Javin DeLaurier, F, Duke ($4,300 DK),
Duke has a significant advantage on the boards because Boston College is well below average at securing rebounds this season, ranking No. 270 in offensive rebounding rate and No. 255 on the defensive end. Expect Duke players to take advantage of the mismatch.
Brevin Pritzl, G, Wisconsin ($4,600 DK)
Pritzl is a boom-or-bust player and has a favorable matchup in today's game against Rider. He's also coming off one of his best games of the season, as he scored 17 points and had three steals in a victory at Tennessee this past Saturday.
Harlond Beverly, G, Miami ($4,500 DK)
Beverly, Miami's sixth man, has one of the highest usage rates on the team while averaging 18.6 minutes per game. He's already scored 20+ fantasy points on several occasions this season.
Derrik Smits, F, Butler ($4,200 DK)
Smits missed the first 10 games of the season due to injury so he carries some risk given that he's slowly working his way back. The risk might pay off, though, as Smits scored 16 points in just 13 minutes against Louisiana Monroe this past Saturday.
GAME TO TARGET
Georgetown at Providence (-1), o/u 151.5, 5:30pm EST
This game has the highest o/u total on the slate and features two teams that love to play at a fast tempo. Both teams are evenly matched on paper, but note that Providence has the stronger defense so that could make a difference.
For the visiting team, Omer Yurtseven ($8,800 DK) is the primary option, but you'll also want to consider Mac McClung ($6,800 DK) (if he plays). McClung left the previous game against American after getting poked in the eye and is now questionable to play against Providence. McClung has the second-highest usage rate on the team and is the Hoyas' most consistent shooter. Providence is weaker at defending the perimeter, so that could benefit McClung assuming his vision wasn't compromised by the eye poke. The team leader in minutes played is Jagan Mosely ($5,800 DK) as he clocks about 30 minutes each game. Perhaps surprisingly, he's also the most efficient offensive player on the team (per KenPom) but has the lowest usage rate among starters so that undercuts his fantasy potential. Jamorko Pickett ($5,600 DK) has the third highest usage rate among starting Hoyas and averages about 26 minutes per game. Pickett has dual position eligibility in DK contests so that could come in handy when filling out lineups.
For the Friars, Alpha Diallo ($8,700 DK) will likely score the most fantasy points with David Duke ($7,400 DK) being second. Duke has played the second most minutes on the team, scored the second most points, and has a usage rate of 20 percent. Another great option is Luwane Pipkins ($6,100 DK), senior point guard, as he also has a usage rate around 20 percent. Nate Watson ($5,100 DK) has a high usage rate as well but averages only 18.2 minutes per game as a bench player.
GAME TO FADE
Miami at Clemson (-2), o/u 136.5, 4pm EST
This game has the lowest o/u total on the slate so you'll want to plan accordingly. Miami's strength is offense. Clemson's strength is defense. Not sure which side will win out but Miami is on the road so that won't help. In any event, here are your best options if you're interested in the game:
For the Hurricanes, most of their production comes from a trio of players: Kameron McGusty ($7,200 DK), Chris Lykes ($6,700 DK), and Dejan Vasiljevic ($6,500 DK). Each player averages right around 15 points per game and 30 minutes per game. The key differences are that McGusty is more active on the boards while Lykes is the primary point guard.
For the home team, Aamir Simms ($7,700 DK) leads the team in points and rebounds while having a usage rate above 20 percent. Tevin Mack ($6,900 DK) is a cheaper, similar option as he is second on the team in points and rebounds this season. Al-Amir Dawes ($5,200 DK), starting point guard, plays the most minutes on the team and has a chance to rack up more assists than usual as he will go against a weaker Miami defense.
Have questions about our DFS content? Want to learn more about games that aren't mentioned here? Leave a comment, or jump in on our subscriber Discord to chat with other CBB DFS players.
