THE SLATE
12p Connecticut (-11.0) @ Georgetown 145.5 O/U
12:30p SMU @ Houston (-10.5) 137.5 O/U
2p Illinois (-0.5) @ Michigan 141.5 O/U
2:30p Wichita State @ Memphis (-8.5) 140.5
3p Tulane @ Temple (-3.0) 137.0 O/U DK Only
4p Ohio State (-4.0) @ Maryland 142.5 O/U
5p St. John’s (-1.5) @ DePaul 151.5 O/U DK Only
6p Indiana (-2.5) @ Minnesota 131.5 O/U DK Only
7p Nebraska @ Penn State (-10.5) 138.0 O/U DK Only
TOP TEAM IMPLIED SCORES
UCONN 78.25
St. John’s 76.50
DePaul 75.00
Memphis 74.50
Houston 74.00
Ohio State 73.25
Illinois 71.00
Michigan 70.50
TOP GUARDS
Javon Freeman-Liberty (DePaul) Opp STJN ($9.2K DK)
JFL is coming off a 25-point game against Georgetown, his fourth straight game in double figures since returning from a groin injury that sidelined him for seven games. Now he gets a pace-up game against the #2 ranked adjusted tempo offense in the nation (St. John’s) at home. This is the most expensive and highest projected player on the slate, but you can’t deny a 30.2% usage and 32% shot rate in this type of game environment.
RJ Cole (Connecticut) Opp @GU ($7.0K DK/6.3K FD)
Cole is averaging over 16 points and over four assists per game while being the primary ball-handler for a Top-25 team. He has shown up when it mattered the most and besides big scoring nights has multiple seven and eight assist games this year with a 25.8% rate. Georgetown allows 36.3% from beyond the arc (303rd) and Cole is the team leader averaging four attempts per game. Great price and spot against a bad Hoya defense.
Jaylen Forbes (Tulane) Opp @TEMP ($6.7K)
Big game today for Tulane after an emotionally draining home loss to 14th ranked Houston. A win against Temple assures them of a pivotal day off in the AAC tournament while a loss drops them to a probable sixth seed and the huge task of needing four wins in four days. Jalen Cook has been a stud all year, but teammate Forbes is slowly taking over the alpha role – leading the team in scoring (18.0) and second in rebounds (5.7) over the last 10 games. While playing as many minutes as possible he is scoring 32 DKFP over the last 10 and with a lot of Temple’s attention going towards Cook and Kevin Cross, Forbes may come out as the top play of the game.
Other Top Forwards
Julian Champagnie G/F (STJN) $9.4K DK *put up 65 DKFP last game against DePaul
Posh Alexander (STJN) $8K DK
Tyrese Martin G/F (UCONN) $7.2K/6.6K FD
Jalen Cook (TUL) $7.1K DK
Craig Porter G/F (WICH) $6.4K/7.6K FD
TOP VALUE GUARD
Landers Nolley II G/F (Memphis) Opp WICH ($5.9K DK/5.2K FD)
Value at guard today is nearly extinct so we will be looking at more balanced lineups unless something opens up as the day goes on. Nolley II is one of the safer options below $6K due to his spot in the Tiger starting lineup and minutes on the court. Since returning from injury six games ago Nolley is averaging 15.2 points and 3.5 rebounds with a 24% usage and 21.3% assist rate.
Other Value Guards
Andre Curbelo (IL) $4.7K DK/4.3K *slowly building his minutes up; will nuke a game soon
Eric Ayala (UMD) $5.6K DK/4.2K FD * strong FD Value
Jahlil White (TEM) $5.5K DK
Hakim Hart (UMD) $5.3K DK/5.0K FD
Sion James G/F (TUL) $5.1K DK
Earl Timberlake (MEM) $3.2K DK/3.2K FD
Montez Mathis G/F (STN) $4.6K DK
TOP FORWARDS
EJ Liddell (Ohio State) Opp @UMD ($8.4K DK/8.4K FD)
We have been picking on the Maryland interior with big men all seasons so why stop now with one of the best in the nation. Liddell is the #2 ranked KenPom player in the nation and carries a 30.8% usage and 29.9% shot rate. Over the last 10 games, he is averaging 19.2 points and 8.2 rebounds and put up 50 DKFP against this same Maryland defense just three weeks ago. With the lack of value, there will be decisions that have to be made with the high salaried players and Liddell may just be the safest.
Adama Sanogo (Connecticut) Opp @GU ($7.5K DK/8.0K FD)
Sanogo is having a monster season and finds himself in a game DFS game environment today against a Georgetown defense that struggles on the defensive boards (28.9%) and in the interior as one of the worst 2-PT% allowed teams in the nation (52.5%). He already smashed the Hoyas for 37 DKFP back in January (19 points and eight rebounds) and is averaging 40 DKFP over his last three games. Lock Sanogo in as a core play today.
Kevin Cross (Tulane) Opp @TEMP ($6.8K DK)
You will need mid-priced players today and Cross is one of the better point-per-dollar plays on the slate. He is tied as the team usage leader with Jalen Cook at 27.8%, is third in scoring (14.5), and leads the team with 7.2 boards and 32.3 DKFP per game. Not even two weeks ago Cross had a huge game against this same Temple team putting up 15 points with nine rebounds, eight assists, and two blocks. It will be tough to expect another 40 DKFP game like that but Cross is in a great spot for 5-6X value today.
Other Top Forwards
Julian Champagnie G/F (STJN) $9.4K DK *put up 65 DKFP last game against DePaul
Kofi Cockburn (IL) $9.0K/8.1K FD *leverage play with Liddell/TJD/Hunter on the slate
Trayce-Jackson Davis (IU) $8.6K DK *conviction play
John Harrar (PSU) $7.1K DK *Late night hammer; avg 13 rebs last five
Fabian White (UH) $7.2K DK/7.8K FD
Race Thompson (IU) $6.9K DK
TOP VALUE FORWARD
Kyle Young (Ohio State) Opp @UMD ($4.8K DK/5.3K FD)
Young does not start but has been playing his best basketball at Ohio State. He came off the bench to score 18 and pull down seven rebounds in the big win at Illinois on Thursday night and now has three straight games over 20 DKFP. He has been tremendous and a big matchup problem against opposing big men and like was said earlier about Liddell- the Maryland interior is a matchup we have taken advantage of all year.
Other Top Value Forwards
Nick Jourdain (Temple) $5.7K DK
Yor Anei (DPU) $4.1K DK * volatile and coming off 33 DKFP game
Coleman Hawkins (IL) $3.6K DK/4.5K FD
Montez Mathis G/F (STJN) $4.6K DK
Moussa Diabate (MICH) $5.1K DK/4.5K FD *better FD Value
DRAFTKINGS CORE
EJ Liddell (Ohio State)
Adama Sanogo (Connecticut)
Kyle Young (Ohio State)
FANDUEL CORE
EJ Liddell (Ohio State)
RJ Cole (Connecticut)
Eric Ayala (Maryland)