This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
Twenty-seven games are featured across DraftKings' three slates Saturday. I've been trying to track myself the last four weeks, specifically entering small GPPs with the six selections posted here to see how I fare ... and it hasn't been stellar. But I stand by the calls, as they've seen solid usage just continue to shoot poorly. Here's hoping a long overdue breakout comes Saturday, which happens to be my birthday. Can I get some karma, please?
Main Slate
We have a 12-gamer at DK, with seven of those games overlapping in FanDuel's main contest Saturday, tipping at our traditional noon EST. It's a a slate with five games flirting with totals of 140 or higher, which doesn't suggest a plethora of games to target. But a couple defensive grinders from the Big 12 come with totals of less than 130, which we'll largely exclude from builds. The middle tier seems tightly packed, making game flow and matchups of paramount importance.
Top Targets
E.J. Liddell, F, Ohio State 
($9,600 DK, $8,300 FD)
There are six options priced at 9k or above, and all look desirable. I settled on Liddell, who is $300 less than Iowa adversary Keegan Murray ($9,900 DK, $8,800 FD), both of whom come with huge usage expectations. This is a game we want to target with a tight spread and 153-point total, and we have two studs and no one else priced within $3,200 of them. Both should feast, but give me the slightly less expensive elite option for that reason only.
Jack Nunge, F, Xavier 
($7,600)
Nunge is in a zone, scoring 22 points in each of Xavier's last three games. He's averaged 16.4 points and 7.4 rebounds in his last seven outings and is just two games removed from a 41.75 DKP against Saturday's opponent in UCONN. While a repeat likely would surprise against a defense that ranks 28th in efficiency and 254th in tempo, per KenPom, Nunge's price isn't huge thanks to the depth of the slate, and he needs just 30.4 DKP to return 4x, something he's only been drastically under in two of his last eight games.
Middle Tier
Dane Goodwin, G, Notre Dame 
($6,800)
Goodwin is quietly in a nice little groove. He's provided better than 4x in four straight, averaging 30.9 DKP in that stretch. He rarely leaves the floor, playing 34.8 minutes a game, and is in a matchup we want to target given the high total, relative to other games. I expect more managers to be drawn to Blake Wesley ($6,900), so we can save a little and get lower usage, hopefully with at least a similar return, if not better.
Adam Flagler, G, Baylor 
($6,100 DK, $6,100 FD)
Flagler likely lacks upside, as he's nothing more than a scorer. But he's taken 10-plus shots in every game dating to Dec. 28, a stretch of 14 games, which should give him a very stable floor. Baylor is a big favorite with a respectable implied total, and Flagler went for 22 points (and 33.25 DKP) against TCU previously, when he was priced at $7,300. TCU comes in at 29th in defense and 250th in tempo, so he may not have that same upside in this rematch. But he's not priced to where he should be.
Values
Keyshawn Bryant, F, South Carolina 
($5,400)
Bryant is finally playing like the guy we expected in November, as he averaged 14.4 points and 5.4 boards last season. In his last three games, Bryant has averaged 18.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals, resulting in 36.1 DKP. You could argue he'll struggle against LSU's size/length and second-ranked defensive efficiency. Or you could argue Bryant is equally as long, and his athleticism could exploit the Tigers' bigs. Either way, I don't believe the price has caught up to the form.
Davion Mintz, G, Kentucky 
($5,100 DK, $4,300 FD)
It doesn't look as though TyTy Washington ($6,300 DK, $6,200 FD) will play, and I'll take the veteran Mintz to be the beneficiary. He saw 31 minutes against Tennessee due to Washington's ankle injury, 34 at Vanderbilt when Washington was in foul trouble and 35 with Washington out against Mississippi State previously. The usage rate isn't tremendous, but he's been at 3x this number in four of five, and with an increased role, Mintz should sail beyond that return.
Afternoon Slate
Eight games await the afternoon contests, which begin at 4 p.m. EST. It's another tightly packed slate, with six games having spreads of less than five points and and six with totals within 10 points of each other.
Top Targets
Armando Bacot, F, North Carolina 
($8,900)
There's absolutely nothing wrong with paying up for Paolo Banchero ($9,300), but for a decent discount, we likely can get the same floor with a greater ceiling. Virginia Tech doesn't have the size to match up with Bacot. Yes, it could create the opposite mismatch, forcing Bacot to guard on the perimeter and foul trouble as he moves laterally. But even if he sees less than 30 minutes, Bacot seems a lock for a double-double, as he'll have his way on the glass and at worst stick backs and lobs offensively. He had 14 points and 20 rebounds (43.0 DKP) in a prior meeting with the Hokies.
Michael Devoe, G, Georgia Tech 
($7,800)
Truth be told, every time I buy in on Devoe, he disappoints. But I'm absolutely buying the dip on a player who has seen a salary as high as $9,300 this season. He's been worth at least 28.25 DKP in three straight, eight of nine and 13 of 16, suggesting a stable floor. Pitt's defense won't give him a big boost, coming in at 124th in efficiency but 328th in tempo, but I'm expecting a letdown after its surprising road win at UNC Wednesday night.
Middle Tier
Stanley Umude, G, Arkansas 
($6,500)
The middle tier on this slate isn't my favorite, as most of the 6-7k options seem to come with volatility. But if we're getting frisky, my choices come down to Umude and Virginia Tech's Hunter Cattoor ($6,800), as targeting outside shooters against UNC usually returns well. Umude is certainly a wild card, as twice in the last seven games he scored single-digit fantasy points. But he's also gone for 52.0 DKP and at least 35 DKP in two others, so there's plenty of upside potential.
Brandon Slater, F, Villanova 
($5,800)
Slater's price is creeping upward, and rightly so. After a seven-game stretch when he averaged only 2.9 points and 3.0 rebounds, he's gone for 13.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals in the Wildcats' last five games. This is a good matchup to target with Villanova playing a Georgetown defense that ranks 250th in efficiency. And while I'm fully on board with stacking top options in Justin Moore ($7,300) and Collin Gillespie ($7,100), both of whom are also priced favorably, Slater allows for a cheap in to the 'Nova offense while differentiating elsewhere.
Values
Cam'Ron Fletcher, G, Florida State 
($5,300)
Fletcher has totaled 33 points, 18 rebounds and six steals in 55 minutes off of the bench the last two games. I don't expect Caleb Mills ($6,600) to play, which should keep Fletcher be heavily involved, and the price simply hasn't caught up to current usage. FSU likely will get blown out, which should lend itself to some garbage time production as well. Wyatt Wilkes ($3,700) played 30 minutes Tuesday in Mills' absence, putting up 14.5 DKP, and would be appealing giving his tag as well assuming Mills is again out.
Jalen Celestine, G, California 
($4,300)
There's not huge upside, but Celestine looks stable when paired with a low price. He's started three straight and nine of the Bears' last 10, averaging 9.8 points and 3.4 boards in 28.2 minutes. The Bears are short-handed and the contest is essentially a pick 'em, which should force Celestine to produce on both ends of the floor. Minimal risk, minimal reward, but he allows for some bigger spending elsewhere.
Evening Slate
Seven games is our DK nightcap, tipping at 8 p.m. EST and featuring West Coast teams heavily. There's huge disparity across both totals and spreads, with game totals ranging from 134 to 156, while Arizona, UCLA and Gonzaga come in as big-time favorites.
Gonzaga features in these Saturday evening slates weekly, and I'd be curious to hear if anyone has taken down these tournaments without using a Bulldog. I'm not sure it's possible, but perhaps stacking the other heavy favorites on this slate could present a path? I'm not buying it, but just maybe.
Top Targets
Javon Freeman-Liberty, G, DePaul 
($8,400)
With everyone likely zeroed in on Gonzaga, Freeman-Liberty could come with lower-than-expected roster rates. He's just two games removed from a month-long absence, and with DePaul playing its third game this week, there could be some tired legs. But it's hard to argue with a 34.5 percent usage rate that could increase with second-leading scored David Jones unlikely to suit up. He made just 4-of-22 in his last outing and still finished with 38.25 DKP. It's unlikely anyone on this slate can match the expected volume.
Drew Timme, F, Gonzaga 
($8,100)
As the Zags remain a mainstay Saturday night, Timme remains a mainstay in this column. He's a nice discount to Chet Holmgren ($9,500) and has more stability and upside than Andrew Nembhard ($7,600) without breaking the bank. Timme scored 32 points in just 26 minutes against Santa Clara earlier this year in a game in which Gonzaga scored 115 points. With both teams being top 25 in tempo, that could be repeatable.
Middle Tier
Jalen Graham, G/F, Arizona State 
($6,200)
Graham has taken double-digit shots in nine consecutive games for the Sun Devils and has a huge 30.3 percent usage rate. You can't find that at this price. He's coming off a 44.25 DKP outing and has a matchup against a woeful Beavers defense that ranks 307th in efficiency.
Jalen Williams, G/F, Santa Clara 
($6,000)
With a total of 164 points, this is a game we want multiple pieces of, and it's challenging to build with multiple Bulldogs. Enter Williams, who has gone for 4x this number in 11 of the Broncos last 12 games, including a 35.25 DKP showing against Gonzaga previously. Again, these teams rank second and 25th in tempo. Vegas is telling us points will come freely, making Williams a building block.
Values
Maurice Calloo, F, Oregon State 
($4,700)
Calloo has been useful as a starter, averaging 13.0 points and 4.6 rebounds with a 27.1 percent usage rate. The matchup isn't ideal, with Arizona State ranking 52nd defensively and just 165th in tempo, but the Beavers' own defensive deficiencies should have them chasing points. Given the usage and lower price to a handful of folks priced around $5,700 that could have equal volatility like Jacob Young, Jalen Terry and/or Quincy Guerrier, Calloo seems a nice bargain.
Maxime Raynaud, F, Stanford 
($3,400)
This is simply a means to get multiple Gonzaga pieces into your builds. Raynaud has seen an uptick in playing time in the Cardinal's last three games, averaging 13.0 minutes. Yes, that's still minor, but he's averaged 16.0 DKP in that stretch, which flirts with 5x. It's entirely possible he puts up a zero, and the game comes with the lowest total on the slate, amplifying risk. But assuming Raynaud gets 10-plus minutes, he'll land five rebounds and balance your budget nicely.
