DFS College Basketball: Sunday Preview

DFS College Basketball: Sunday Preview

This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.

DraftKings is kicking things off early Sunday with a 11 a.m. EST start time to a six-game slate, while FanDuel appears to be offering a three-game late set. While it's admittedly a football-heavy day, we still see top prizes in the $500 to $1000 range. Let's take a quick look at the totals before diving into the day's recommended plays.

Targets

1. Luka Garza, F, Iowa ($9,700 DK)

The all-day, six-game slate on DraftKings will make DFS players again decide whether or not to roster the player-of-the-year frontrunner and statistical powerhouse from Iowa. The last time the Hawkeyes saw Minnesota this season on the road, the game went to overtime and Garza put in one of the best efforts of his career with 32 points and 17 rebounds. Minnesota hasn't gotten much better at defending opposing big men since then, allowing 18 points and 11 rebounds to Wisconsin's Micah Potter, and more recently, 28 points and eight rebounds to Michigan's Hunter Dickinson. Look for Garza to keep rolling here with Iowa carrying the highest implied total on the slate.

2. Robert Phinisee, G, Indiana ($4,500 DK, $4,800 FD)

With Armaan Franklin out indefinitely due to an ankle injury, Phinisee returned to the starting lineup Thursday, though he needed 48 minutes and double-OT to put up 20.3 DK points against the Badgers. The matchup is significantly friendlier here, as Nebraska plays at the No. 32-fastest pace in the country (per KenPom) to go along with a defensive efficiency rating outside the top-100. You should be looking at multiple Hoosiers, whether that be Trayce Jackson-Davis ($9,500 DK, $8,500 FD) in the elite pricing tier, or a much more viable Aljami Durham ($6,500 DK, $6,000 FD), who would be a slightly safer Franklin replacement. Both are arguably must-plays on FanDuel given the site's condensed three-game slate (with no Iowa/Minnesota game).

3. Gabe Kalscheur, G, Minnesota ($4,700 DK)

To be able to use studs like Garza and Jackson-Davis, you're going to need more value plays outside of Phinisee. In comes Kalscheur or perhaps even a buy-low opportunity on Both Gach ($4,900 DK). Both are starters and sport a usage rate north of 18 percent, and Minnesota projects as the day's third-highest implied total despite being projected to lose. I highlight Kalscheur because he's seen more scoring success of late, with recent performances of 26.8 and 27.3 DK points against the Badgers and Buckeyes, respectively. His scoring and shooting percentages are also all down from a season ago, so the junior definitely hasn't reached his scoring ceiling. Even in a worst-case scenario, both cheap Minnesota options offer enough in the peripheral categories that they likely won't completely tank a lineup.

Fades

1. Dalano Banton, G, Nebraska ($8,200 DK, $7,000 FD)

Banton has been under 20 DK points in back-to-back games yet still carries a price tag of an elite player on the site. Teddy Allen recently passed him for the team lead in usage rate and Trey McGowens isn't far behind. The matchup against Indiana won't do him any favors, either, as the Hoosiers own KenPom's No. 12 national ranking in defensive efficiency while playing at a pace outside the top-300. 

2. Prentiss Hubb, G, Notre Dame ($7,200 DK, $6,300 FD)

The Irish have the lowest implied total on the slate, and at this DK price for Hubb, he hasn't hit 4x in over a month. There's also the possibility Notre Dame gets guard Trey Wertz ($4,400 DK, $5,600 FD) back from an ankle injury, which would further cut into the usage of Hubb. 

3. Aaron Wiggins, G/F, Maryland ($7,800 DK, $6,800 FD)

Wiggins has been heating up lately, but a lot of that fantasy production has derived from a 6.0 rpg average during Big Ten play. While Sunday offers an up-tempo game, Illinois ranks No. 15 and No. 43 in the country in offensive and defensive rebounding, respectively. I also expect Darryl Morsell to return to a more regular role after missing time with a facial injury, so that means a few less touches to go around. With the third-lowest implied total on the slate, not much from Maryland interests me, including its usage leader.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Jake Letarski plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: rotojakeski, DraftKings: RotoJakeSki.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jake Letarski
RotoWire Editor for College Basketball and MMA. Frequent podcaster, plus radio and video guest. Follow Jake on Twitter at @RotoJake.
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