Just like that, we’ve come to the final night of CBB DFS! The college basketball season wraps up with Monday’s National Championship matchup between Virginia and Texas Tech, tipping at 9:20 pm ET.  

Unlike most slates this year, these two teams are the only ones in action tonight so we get a single-game Showdown on FanDuel and DraftKings.

If you’re unfamiliar with how these single-game slates work, here’s a quick tutorial:

On DK, your lineup consists of six players total with one captain spot and five utility players. The captain’s salary is 1.5x more than his original salary, but that player’s fantasy points multiply by 1.5 too. Over on FD, you roster five players with one MVP spot, one STAR spot, one PRO spot and two utility. All the salaries stay the same but the MVP’s fantasy points multiple by two, the STAR’s points by 1.5 and the PRO’s points by 1.2.

You can attack lineup-building in a variety of ways for these Showdown slates, but the general idea is to identify the players who you think will score the most fantasy points and plug them into either the Captain spot on DraftKings or the MVP, STAR and PRO spots on FanDuel. Just keep in mind that the DK Captain’s salary is also multiplied by 1.5 which may limit how many studs you can fit in that same lineup if your captain is one of the most expensive players.

If you want a more detailed breakdown of Virginia and Texas Tech, check out the Playbooks we posted ahead of their respective Final Four games. Virginia defeated Auburn on Saturday, while Texas Tech took down Michigan State to advance.

Let’s break down how each team is expected to line up (with salaries on both sites included) before getting into which guards and forwards to target from both teams.

VIRGINIA

Expected Starters:

  • G: Ty Jerome - $9,800 DK / $13,000 FD

  • G: Kyle Guy - $8,600 DK / $11,500 FD

  • G: De’Andre Hunter - $7,600 DK / $12,000 FD

  • G: Kihei Clark - $5,400 DK / $9,000 FD

  • F: Mamadi Diakite - $6,400 DK / $10,500 FD

Key Reserves:

  • F: Jack Salt - $3,200 DK / $6,500 FD

  • G: Braxton Key - $3,800 DK / $6,500 FD

  • F: Jay Huff - $1,800 DK / $6,000 FD

 

TEXAS TECH

Expected Starters:

  • G: Jarrett Culver - $10,200 DK / $12,500 FD

  • G: Matt Mooney - $7,200 DK / $10,000 FD

  • G: Davide Moretti - $6,000 DK / $8,500 FD

  • F: Tariq Owens - $7,000 DK / $11,000 FD

  • F: Norense Odiase - $5,000 DK / $7,500 FD

Key Reserves:

  • G: Brandone Francis - $4,200 DK / $7,000 FD

  • G: Kyler Edwards - $4,600 DK / $6,000 FD

  • F: Deshawn Corprew - $2,400 DK / $6,000 FD

 

Guards To Target

Jarrett Culver - TTU ($10,200 DK / $12,500 FD)

There’s no question Culver will be the most talented player on the court Monday night and he should be in all your Showdown lineups as the stat-stuffer for Texas Tech. The sophomore point guard/small forward hybrid is coming off his worst game in a while - only 10 points scored on 3-of-12 shooting (25%) vs. Michigan State on Saturday - yet he’s been anchoring the Red Raiders this whole tournament, putting up stats in every category. Before his dud outing in the Final Four, Culver was averaging 21.5 real points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.3 steals and 43.6 DK points over the first four rounds. In fact, he had not scored 10 or less points in a game since a Feb. 2 road loss to Kansas. We can definitely expect Culver to get back to the elite, across-the-board, production that we’ve gotten used to this season. On FanDuel, we should be plugging him into one of the MVP, STAR or PRO lineup spots - and he’s definitely a candidate for your Captain on DraftKings.

Ty Jerome - UVA ($9,800 DK / $13,000 FD)

In terms of the best fantasy players in tonight’s championship game, Jerome is a close 2nd behind Culver and he should also be in most of your Showdown lineups as someone with one of the slate’s highest fantasy floors because of his solid contribution in nearly every stat category. After his impressive showing on Saturday night, Jerome has now scored at least 21 real points and 42 DK points in back-to-back games and he’s also averaging 13 combined rebounds and assists in the last three outings. What makes the junior even more attractive for DFS is his rising tendency to shoot (and make) three-pointers as the tournament rolls on. Before draining 4-of-9 from deep in the Final Four win, Jerome hit 7-of-18 three-pointers in the two previous games combined. We should definitely prioritize Jerome for one of the top three FanDuel lineup spots as well as DK’s Captain spot. If not, look to have exposure in your utility positions.

Matt Mooney - TTU ($7,200 DK / $10,000 FD)

Throughout this tournament, Mooney’s salary has been a bit too high to safely roster him because of the the real chance he wouldn’t return value. Now that we’re dealing with a Showdown slate, though, Mooney shouldn’t be overlooked as one of the few shooters who can get hot on the big stage. The senior did just that on Saturday when he went 4-of-8 from three-point range and finished with 22 points to anchor Texas Tech’s victory. There’s something to be said about a player who was clearly feeling it the first time he played in the massive arena that is U.S. Bank Stadium - not the ideal landscape for shooters compared to smaller gyms. In that Final Four win, Mooney was the team’s leading scorer (by 12 points!!) as Jarrett Culver and others took a backseat. We very likely could see this type of performance again tonight if Mooney hits his first couple three-pointers to begin the game. Consider Mooney for the utility roster spots and limit your exposure to GPP’s because of the chance Virginia looks to shut down his perimeter shooting.

Kihei Clark - UVA ($5,400 DK / $9,000 FD)

Clark has been a value guard for us all tournament long as his price remains affordable while being locked in to 30-35 minutes as the lead point guard in Virginia’s thin rotation. His upside isn’t particularly high because of his low shot volume, but he’ll give you 15-20 fantasy points because the guaranteed minutes keep him involved on both ends of the floor. On defense, Clark is arguably Virginia’s best man-to-man defender who has been tasked with guarding opposing point guards for much of this tournament. His aggressive defending usually leads to a steal or two with opportunities at transition points. On the offensive end, Virginia head coach Tony Bennett has been using Clark in more of the distributor role lately to allow Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome to work off screens and get open without the ball. The freshman is averaging four assists over the five tournament games and will likely be used in a similar role tonight vs. Texas Tech’s tough defense. There’s not a ton of value to round out your utility spots on this single-game slate, but Clark may be the best in this cheaper range. He’s also a candidate for the Captain spot on DK to save salary and fit in more of the top-end players.

 

Other Guards to Consider:

  • De’Andre Hunter - UVA ($7,600 DK / $12,000 FD)

  • Kyle Guy - UVA ($8,600 DK / $11,500 FD)

  • Davide Moretti - TTU ($6,000 DK / $8,500 FD)

 

Forwards To Target

Mamadi Diakite - UVA ($6,400 DK / $10,500 FD)

Diakite’s emergence this tournament has kept Virginia barely alive in some games (see: Purdue) while helping them dominate other opponents in the paint (like his 14 points, nine boards and three blocks vs. Oklahoma). Outside of his five blocked shots against Michigan State, Diakite had an average Final Four - but he should be back in line for monster game tonight. Texas Tech’s best forward, Tariq Owens, may be limited with an ankle sprain and the Red Raiders’ interior defense is fairly soft even with Owens in the picture. Diakite, meanwhile, doesn’t bring much offensive upside but he’s been one of the best shot-blockers in the tournament (14 total blocks in the last four games) while grabbing 8.4 rebounds per game over the first five rounds. With how good Texas Tech’s perimeter defense is, we could see Virginia look to move the ball down low to Diakite more often in order to force Owens and his gimpy ankle to defend the paint and set up the outside shot more. At his price, Diakite is an interesting candidate for DK’s Captain spot to save money and fit in more high-priced players. You can also use him in one of the MVP, STAR or PRO roster spots on FanDuel.

Norense Odiase - TTU ($5,000 DK / $7,500 FD)

Odiase has been an inconsistent fantasy contributor for much of this season, but he may be playing a larger role for Texas Tech tonight after Tariq Owens sprained his ankle Saturday. In 24 minutes of that Final Four game, Odiase put up 20+ DK points with two points scored, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals while Owens missed part of the second half before returning in a very limited capacity. Although Owens is expected to suit up for the Red Raiders tonight, he could still be limited which would force Odiase into increased minutes yet again. Either way, the senior’s size in the paint will definitely be needed as both a rim-protector and to contain Mamadi Diakite, Virginia’s athletic center. Odiase doesn’t have much offensive upside with a minimal shot volume, but we’ve already seen in this tournament what he can do when he asserts his dominance on the glass. In Tech’s second-round win over Buffalo, he had 35+ DK points with 15 boards and 14 points scored. If you’re looking for a cheap option in a utility roster spot, Odiase could be your man - especially in GPP contests.

 

Other Forwards to Consider:

  • Tariq Owens - TTU ($7,000 DK / $11,000 FD)

  • Jack Salt - UVA ($3,200 DK / $6,500 FD)

 

Example Lineup on DraftKings:

CAPT: Mamadi Diakite, UVA - $9,600

UTIL: Jarrett Culver, TTU - $10,200

UTIL: Ty Jerome, UVA - $9,800

UTIL: Kihei Clark, UVA - $5,400

UTIL: Matt Mooney, TTU - $7,200

UTIL: De’Andre Hunter, UVA - $7,600

 

Alternate Lineup on DraftKings:

CAPT: Jarrett Culver, TTU - $15,300

UTIL: Davide Moretti, TTU - $6,000

UTIL: Ty Jerome, UVA - $9,800

UTIL: Norense Odiase, TTU - $5,000

UTIL: Mamadi Diakite, UVA - $6,400

UTIL: Matt Mooney, TTU - $7,200

 

Example Lineup on FanDuel:

MVP: Jarrett Culver, TTU - $12,500

STAR: Ty Jerome, UVA - $13,000

PRO: Mamadi Diakite, UVA - $10,500

UTIL: Norense Odiase, TTU - $7,500

UTIL: Jack Salt, UVA - $6,500

 

Alternate Lineup on FanDuel:

MVP: Ty Jerome, UVA - $13,000

STAR: Kyle Guy, UVA - $11,500

PRO: Matt Mooney, TTU - $10,000

UTIL: Kihei Clark, UVA - $9,000

UTIL: Jack Salt, UVA - $6,500