This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
Thanks to the Diamond Head Classic, we're treated for a four-game slate for college hoops diehards on this Christmas. Tipoff for the first game is 1:30 p.m. EST, which makes for a nice 8:30 a.m. local get go. Heck yeah!
Top Targets
Scotty Pippen, G, Vanderbilt ($8,900)
Pippen hasn't been as great as he was a year ago, but on this limited slate, especially where the other top options have much bigger questions, he seems the safest of the pay-up options. There's a tight spread, which has the Commodores flirting with the slate's highest total. There's no reason to think Pippen will have less than 25-30 DKP, so while he doesn't have a guaranteed 4x floor, he's a clear plug-and-play building block.
Darius McGhee, G, Liberty ($8,300)
McGhee has simply been matchup proof. He's scored 20-plus points in all but three of the Flames' games, leading to the slate's second-highest DKP per game average. BYU's 28th-ranked defensive efficiency is of grave concern. But McGhee averages morer than 16 shots a game and has played all but seven minutes in two games in Hawaii. As is my normal strategy, take the guaranteed points and chase volatility in the lower tiers.
Middle Tier
Spencer Jones, F, Stanford ($6,400)
This slate has a huge void of options in the front court. As such, I don't think we need to choose between Jones and teammate Jaiden Delaire ($7,000); both seem likely to be heavily used. But it's Jones who's elevated his game in Hawaii, taking 11 shots in each of the Cardinal's two games, connecting on 15 of 22 while also pulling down 12 rebounds. With 30 DKP potential, the price doesn't seem to have caught up to the form.
Caleb Lohner, F, BYU ($6,000)
Lohner averages 7.3 rebounds and has had double-digits boards three times. He averages 7.2 shots a game, up from 5.3 a year ago; he just can't throw it in the ocean. Lohner shoots 41.5 percent (against 46.9 a year ago) from the field and 10.0 percent against 33.3 from last season from three-point range. The boards give a floor, and the offensive opportunities give upside if Lohner ever sees it go through consistently.
Values
Javon Greene, G, South Florida ($5,900)
We're not going to get any pace boost with USF 341st in adjusted tempo and Wyoming 292nd. As such, I'm happy to fade the Cowboys' high-priced duo of Graham Ike ($8,700) and Hunter Maldonado ($8,500), pay up elsewhere and seek some overlooked value. Greene averages right at 4x his price and has three games north of 32 DKP. His ability to rebound as a guard and create turnovers gives him upside not easily found at less than 6k.
Noel Coleman, G, Hawaii ($5,800)
Coleman does little more than score, so the ceiling isn't high and a cold shooting night could lead to a low floor as well, but I feel good about his chances. This contest has the highest total on the slate, and with the Warriors underdogs, it will fall on Coleman to keep this close. He's played 38 and 39 minutes in the team's first two games at this event. Everything points to him seeing high usage again and providing a nice return. Teammate Kamaka Hepa ($4,100) merits consideration if you're really cash strapped.
