This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
It's a fairly quiet day in the College Basketball sphere, with Villanova and Creighton highlighting the action as Big East play begins. It's one of four games on the DraftKings slate, with the $10 Big Jam as the featured contest starting at 6:30 pm. EST with a $2,000 top prize. FanDuel starts at 4 p.m. EST for their $5.55 All-American contest and a $500 top payout.
Top Players
Alondes Williams, G, Wake Forest ($8,600 DK)
Williams is my prime target to pay up for tonight, having massive upside in GPPs with a pair of 50+ point fantasy games this season. This should be a spot for him to near that output against a Charlotte squad that ranks 285th in KenPom's defensive efficiency metric. The 6-5 wing provides a safe floor as well with his ability to contribute across the stat sheet, having posted a triple-double last week. He is also shooting 65 percent from inside the arc.
Collin Gillespie, G, Villanova ($7,500 DK, $7,400 FD)
Gillespie gets a $900 price drop on DraftKings after recording his worst game of the season on the road against top-ranked Baylor. This should be a much better matchup against an inexperienced Creighton roster, as the typically-consistent Gillespie had logged 30+ fantasy points in his previous five games. He's once again having an incredibly efficient season, shooting 43 percent from three while also leading the team in assists.
Middle Tier
Terquavion Smith, G, N.C. State ($6,800 DK, $6,100 FD)
Smith entered the starting lineup three games back for the injured Casey Morsell, and it's hard to imagine that he's headed to the bench anytime soon after winning back-to-back ACC Rookie of the Week honors. Over the three-game stretch he's averaging 17.3 points, and on the season, he's been one of the team's biggest offensive contributors, taking 24.8 percent of the shots when he's on the floor.
Ryan Hawkins, G, Creighton ($6,600 DK, $6,900 FD)
The Division-II transfer from Northwest Missouri State has had little issue translating his game to the next level, leading Creighton in points on impressive 57/36/81 shooting splits. He's averaging over two threes made per game -- an area Villanova has struggled to defend, allowing 10+ threes three times this season. Hawkins has showed he can play well against tough competition, lighting up BYU for 25 points on 56 percent shooting last week.
Values
Grant Golden, F, Richmond ($5,300 DK, $5,700 FD)
Golden is a great value play with his 1.08 fantasy points per minute -- fourth highest among players on tonight's slate. Richmond gets a matchup against N.C. State who just allowed Trevion Williams to put up a massive 22/12/9 line, and the 6-10 Golden ranks second on the team in points, rebounds and assists. The sixth-year senior's efficiency is the best it has ever been, as he's shooting 56 percent from the floor while also showing range from deep.
Aly Khalifa, F, Charlotte ($4,700 DK)
Khalifa is simply too inexpensive to pass up on tonight, having recorded three 28+ point fantasy games in his last five. Wake Forest likes to push the tempo with all but one of its games recording at least 70 possessions, which should create some additional opportunities for Khalifa and Charlotte in the highest over/under game of the slate. The freshman from Egypt is shooting 52 percent thus far and has been an active contributor across the stat sheet.
