Good morning, FAmily! The first weekend of March Madness is already ending but not before we set you up with one more day of college basketball games! DraftKings (eight games) and FanDuel (five games) both lock at 12pm ET on a day highlighted by Big Ten and AAC basketball. The nation’s top team, Houston, will be in play as well as #5 Purdue, #15 Indiana, and #21 Maryland.  If you're looking to play college basketball DFS this season, get full access to our CBB DFS Playbooks and Core Plays with a Fantasy Alarm All-Pro Subscription. Check out all the CBB DFS top picks, lineup strategies, teams to target, and value plays to lock in for today’s college basketball action. If you have any questions about CBB daily fantasy lineup strategy, ask away in the Fantasy Alarm Discord chat. Now, let's jump into the CBB DFS top plays and lineup picks for Sunday March 5th. 

 

COLLEGE BASKETBALL DFS SATURDAY BETTING ODDS

12pm ET Maryland @ Penn State (-3.5) 135.5 O/U

12pm ET Houston (-5.5) @ Memphis 146.5 O/U

12:30pm ET Illinois @ Purdue (-7.5) 139.5 O/U

2pm ET Nebraska @ Iowa (-11.5) 154.0 O/U

2pm ET Temple @ Tulane (-5.5) 151.5 O/U DK Only

4:30pm ET Michigan @ Indiana (-4.5) 144.5 O/U

7:30pm ET Wisconsin (-5.0) @ Minnesota 127.5 O/U DK Only

7:30pm ET Northwestern @ Rutgers (-4.5) 126.5 O/U DK Only 

 

Top CBB Team Totals

Iowa 82.75

Tulane 78.50

Houston 76.00

Indiana 74.50

Purdue 73.50

Temple 73.00

Nebraska 71.25

Memphis 70.50

Michigan 70.00

 

CBB DFS TOP GUARDS

Tony Perkins - Iowa vs. Nebraska ($7.1K DK/$7.0K FD)

Iowa junior guard Tony Perkins has been putting it all together at the right time for the Hawkeyes. He is an uber-athletic guard that has been a key player down the stretch and could be one of the biggest X-factors in the postseason. On Tuesday night, Perkins, an Indiana native that was not even recruited by the Hoosiers, executed some revenge in his home state by being arguably the best player on the floor during Iowa's 90-68 win over No. 15 Indiana. He recorded 23 points, ten rebounds, and a career-high eight assists for his second career double-double. Over his last five games, Perkins is averaging 34.90 DKFP and has put up 47.5 and 50.8 DKFP in his last two. With the star power at forward today we will have to go mid-range at guard and Perkins is one name to start your builds with. 

 

Kobe Bufkin and Dug McDaniel - Michigan @ Indiana ($7.2K DK/$7.4K FD and $6.1K DK/$6.1K FD)

We watched the evolution of Kobe Bufkin and Dug McDaniel right before our eyes this season. Michigan has been on a roll lately but that is largely thanks to how well their starting backcourt of Bufkin and McDaniel have been playing. In last Sunday’s win over Wisconsin, both young guards had a monster day with 42 minutes each and a combined 48 points as they hit some clutch shots in the second half and in overtime to keep Michigan’s tournament hopes alive. McDaniel, the point guard, is a 20-year-old freshman while Bufkin, the shooting guard, is a 19-year-old sophomore. They’ve combined to play 86 games in their collegiate careers but on Michigan’s recent three-game winning streak, McDaniel and Bufkin combined to score 35, 30, and 48 points, respectively. Both are in play today against Indiana with a lean going to the ultra-safe Bufkin who is averaging 12.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 34% from three-point range and 54.5% from inside the arc. Bufkin is shooting 38% from deep in Big Ten play and has also transformed into Juwan Howard’s best perimeter defender keeping him on the court for the entire game. 

Other Top Guards

  • Jalen Pickett, Penn State ($10.2K DK/$8.6K FD) - Pickett is GPP-only due to the presence of high-priced Zach Edey and Trayce Jackson-Davis on this slate. He is one of the top overall guards in the nation and ranked ninth in the KenPom Player of the Year Standings. 
  • Jalen Cook, Tulane ($9.7K DK) - See above. We have three ultra-stud guards on this slate: Pickett, Cook, and Kendric Davis that would be top plays any other day. Cook has an elite 30% usage rate, 30.8% shot rate, and 30.6% assist rate. 
  • Kendric Davis, Memphis ($9.5K DK) - Davis is the third of this dynamic trio and leads the AAC in scoring. He is carrying a 31.9% usage rate, 31.2% shot rate, and 31.6% assist rate. If multi-entering GPP’s I would be trying to get one of these three guards in at least one lineup.
  • Marcus Sasser, Houston ($8.7K DK/$7.7K FD) - For DFS purposes Sasser is a minor step down from the above three guards but also comes with a little discount. He is a near lock for 30 DKFP today as he has hit the mark in five of his last six games played. 
  • Matthew Mayer G/F, Illinois ($8.5K DK/$7.2K FD) - Mayer has been playing so well, especially on the road where he averages 33.55 DKFP. Over his last five games he carries a 39% usage rate with a 19.0 point and 6.6 rebound per game average. 
  • Jamal Shead, Houston ($6.9K DK/$7.1K FD) - Shead is one of the top “glue guys” in all of college basketball. He averages nearly 30 DKFP on the road and gets a pace-up game today with Memphis. 
  • Damian Dunn, Temple ($7.3K DK) - Dunn is one of my sleeper plays today. He is not the safest player but can easily put up a fifty burger on Tulane. The Green Wave will push the pace and they have allowed nearly 30 DKFP to shooting guards this season. 
  • Chucky Hepburn, Wisconsin ($5.8K DK) - Hepburn has not been great (15 DKFP over his last five games) but he was also a $7K player just two weeks ago. He offers extreme upside and torched this same Minnesota team for 36 DKFP in January. Hepburn is one of the top GPP plays at guard today and I am even thinking of using him in cash. 
  • Keisei Tominaga, Nebraska ($5.9K DK/$5.8K FD) - Tominaga made us money at Fantasy Alarm a few weeks ago when he exploded against Penn State as a low-owned sleeper going for 30 points (38 DKFP).  He is a sparkplug that can change a game with his high volume outside shooting. Tominaga is averaging 21.3 points in the last seven games and is shooting 41% from beyond the arc. 

 

CBB DFS TOP GUARD VALUE

Jamarques Lawrence - Nebraska ($4.1K DK/$4.8K FD)

Due to recent injuries, freshman guard Jamarques Lawrence been inserted into the Nebraska starting lineup and has held his own. After earning his first career start in late January, Lawrence continued to play well and during the month of February racked up 57 points, 30 rebounds, 11 assists, eight steals, and three blocks and he had four double-digit scoring games. This is a capable scorer on the permitter and he is coming off one of his best games yet with a 15-point, four rebound, and three assist performance against Michigan State. Lawrence is not the safest but anytime that you can get a starter that plays 30 minutes plus you are ahead of the game in cash lineups. 

Other Top Guard Value

  • Camren Wynter, Penn State ($5.1K DK/$5.6K FD) - You could do a lot worse than Wynter today. He is red hot with four straight games over 27 DKFP. With the lack of punt value today I can see Wynter or Ty Rodgers being cash game value-type plays today. 
  • Ty Rodgers G/F, Illinois ($4.8K DK/$4.3K FD) - If Jayden Epps remains out, Rodgers continues to be a value play. He is coming off a 14-point, seven rebound game against Michigan (27 DKFP) and brings us eligibility at either guard or forward. 
  • Payton Sandfort, Iowa ($5.5K DK/$5.5K FD) - Sandfort is an exciting player that is scoring reliant for DFS purposes. He comes off the bench and is averaging 22 DKFP over his last five games with a 26 DKFP average at home. 
  • Brandon Newman, Purdue ($3.3K DK/$4.0K FD) - Value is lacking today but Newman should be fine for a 4-5X value.
  • Don Carey, Maryland ($3.4K DK/$4.1K FD) - Carey is ultra-scoring dependent but is on a little hot streak with 13, 18.8, and 18.3 DKFP over his last three games. He is good for 22-28 minutes and if he continues to make shots, he is good for 5-6X value. 

 

CBB DFS TOP FORWARDS

Trayce Jackson-Davis - Indiana ($11.5K DK/$9.8K FD)

We have the two biggest stars in the nation on today’s slate: Trayce Jackson-Davis and Purdue’s Zach Edey. It will be a tough decision to choose who to go with, but one of these big men needs to be in your main lineup. I am leaning towards Jackson-Davis, who is averaging 20.3 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.8 blocks per game this season. The senior captain recently became the Hoosiers’ all-time leading rebounder, after already becoming the program’s blocks leader earlier in the season. Of course, Edey is also a DFS beast but you cannot go wrong with a player that is averaging 44 DKFP over his last five games and that is skewed by a ”33 DKFP clunker against Maryland” two weeks ago. Do not overthink this and get one of TJD or Edey in your lineup. 

 

Julian Reese - Maryland @ Penn State ($7.5K DK/$6.6K FD)

What a job Maryland assistant coach Grant Billmeier has done this season. The renowned big man coach has developed Julian Reese into not only a solid start but a budding Big Ten star. As a true freshman last year in a dysfunctional program Reese had plenty to learn as he went up against some loaded Big Ten frontlines and struggled. Add a new head coach in Kevin Willard to go along with Billmeier plus a new point guard (Jahmir Young) and suddenly Reese is one of the Big Ten’s most terrifying pick and rollers. He went from 0.767 points per possession to 1.173 points per possession as a roller in just one season under the new Maryland regime and has even turned it up another notch over the last couple of weeks. Over his last four games Reese has put up 43, 40, 34, and 41 DKFP with a 25% usage rate. He is also averaging a double-double over his last five games (15.2 PPG and 11.8 RPG) and it gets even better today against a soft Penn State interior. 

Other Top Forwards

  • Zach Edey, Purdue ($11.4K DK/$10.0K FD) - Edey is the top Player of the Year candidate averaging 14.2 points and 12.4 rebounds per game. 
  • DeAndre Williams, Memphis ($9.2K DK/$8.0K FD) - If you can’t get up to TJD or Edey in GPP’s then Williams is always a solid safe play. He is carrying a 28% usage rate with 32 DKFP over his last five. Williams has always been a Sunday DFS moneymaker.
  • Kris Murray, Iowa ($9.6K DK/$8.8K FD) - After a mini slump Murray is back to normal with back-to-back 40+ DKFP games. 
  • Filip Rebraca, Iowa ($7.0K DK/$7.3K FD) - Rebraca is one of the top sneaky plays at forward. He scored 35.6 DKFP in their last meeting with Nebraska. 
  • Matthew Mayer G/F, Illinois ($8.5K DK/$7.2K FD) - Mayer has been playing so well especially on the road where he averages 33.55 DKFP. Over his last five games he carries a 39% usage rate with a 19.0 point and 6.6 rebound per game average. 
  • Steven Crowl, Wisconsin ($6.8K DK) - Minnesota gets smashed inside as they allow over 27 DKFP to opposing power forwards. Crowl is coming off a flop against Zach Edey and Purdue, but this is a perfect “get right” game. 
  • Zach Hicks, Temple ($6.5K DK) - Hicks is my guy, so remember this name for next season. He has NBA-type skills and besides a foul game against UCF, he has been a consistent 25-30 DKFP player in February.

 

CBB DFS TOP FORWARD VALUE

  • Tylan Pope, Tulane ($5.6K DK) - Value is severely lacking at forward without even a player to spotlight. Pope is solid enough that he is a borderline cash game play with 20+ DKFP in three of his last four games. His DFS downfall is that he usually doesn’t go over 20 minutes. 
  • Ty Rodgers G/F, Illinois ($4.8K DK/$4.3K FD) - If Jayden Epps remains out, Rodgers continues to be a value play. He is coming off a 14-point, seven rebound game against Michigan (27 DKFP) and brings us eligibility at either guard or forward. 
  • Patrick McCaffery, Iowa ($4.4K DK/$4.5K FD) - This shows how bad forward value is today if we are considering McCaffery and his ten DKFP average over the last five games.

 

DRAFTKINGS CORE

  • Trayce Jackson-Davis - Indiana
  • Jamarques Lawrence - Nebraska (V)
  • Tony Perkins - Iowa
  • Julian Reese - Maryland 

 

FANDUEL CORE

  • Trayce Jackson-Davis - Indiana
  • Julian Reese - Maryland 
  • Tony Perkins - Iowa 
 

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