College basketball season is in full swing, and DraftKings and FanDuel continue to provide sizable contests for CBB DFS grinders. Examining the slate for March 12, a number of core plays stand out. In this piece I’ll be locating top plays from each college basketball matchup and determining the top CBB DFS picks for your DraftKings and FanDuel lineups.
CBB DFS Picks: DraftKings + FanDuel Core Plays | March 12
Stud Tier
Ayo Dosunmu ($8,500) — With ample studs and little value, the main slate features an interesting predicament. Even without much value, Dosunmu looks like a supreme play with his sub-$9,000 price tag. In his return from a facial injury, Dosunmu immediately started and played 36 minutes for Illinois. He projects for the second-most points for Illinois. Today the Illini take on Rutgers as 7.5-point favorites in a game totaled at 137.5 points. Dosunmu has an elite 23.3% usage rate, 23.9% shot rate and 28.6% assist rate. Even on a tight slate, prioritizing Dosunmu looks like a strong approach.
Jared Butler ($8,300) — A similar play to Dosunmu, Butler is underpriced after dealing with some foul issues. He typically eclipses 30 minutes in competitive games and leads the team with a 20.9% usage rate. He also has a 19.9% shot rate and 28.4% assist rate on the year. Baylor also has the highest implied team total on the slate as an 8.5-point favorite over Oklahoma State in a game totaled at 149.5 points. Both teams play with an above-average pace, making this an ideal DFS environment. Butler is only $200 more than Davion Mitchell ($8,100), so finding the extra salary for him is an ideal move.
Justin Smith ($7,100) — Arkansas has the second-highest implied team tonight. With Moses Moody ($8,200) holding an elevated price tag, taking the discount with Smith could make sense. Smith has played at least 34 minutes in three straight games for Arkansas and has a 14.3% usage rate. He accounts for 16.8% of the shots and 20.6% of the rebounds in Arkansas’ last three games. Between the game and Smith’s solid role, he looks like a stud to target.
Check Out Our CBB DFS Picks Cheat Sheets
When building your college basketball lineups, be sure to check out our DraftKings and FanDuel CBB DFS picks cheat sheets.
Mid-Priced Tier
Eric Williams ($6,300) — Drawing a smash matchup, Oregon is a 9-point favorite over Oregon State in a game totaled at 139 points. The Ducks run one of the tightest rotations in the country and faces an Oregon State team ranked 264th in interior defense. Williams has played at least 30 minutes in three straight games for Oregon and accounts for a 13.8% shot rate, 22.8% rebound rate and 29.2% assist rate in those games. He offers mid-priced appeal.
Jamorko Pickett ($6,100) — While Sandro Mamukelashvili ($9,200) and Jared Rhoden ($7,400) provide solid plays on the other side of this game, Georgetown continues to be underpriced. The Hoyas are 3-point underdogs to Seton Hall in a contest totaled at 141 points. Pickett offers the best price-adjusted play on Georgetown with his 13.7% usage rate. He continues to start and has played at least 30 minutes in three straight games. In that span he accounts for a consistent 13.5% shot rate, 17.4% rebound rate and 16.1% assist rate. For those looking at safe, mid-priced options, Pickett fits the mold.
Davonte Davis ($5,600) — Davis and J.D. Notae ($6,000) both make some sense as mid-priced plays. Notae, the SEC Sixth Man of the Year, comes with more volatility in his reserve role. However, he has a team-leading 22.4% usage rate, giving him immense upside. Davis is the more consistent player and functions as a starter. He has a 13.4% usage rate but played at least 38 minutes in two of Arkansas’ last three games. In that span he recorded 12.6% of the shots, 17.8% of the rebounds and 27.1% of the assists. This steady usage gives Davis the superior floor.
Value Tier
Zach Reichle ($4,800) — On the other side of the Oregon game, Oregon State narrowed their rotation in a close contest against UCLA yesterday. Reichle has now played at least 30 minutes in back-to-back games and has a decent 14.1% usage rate this season. However, he recently saw an uptick in usage and is contributing 12.5% of the shots and 17.1% of the assists. With this value to be found, Reichle’s consistent minutes give him an edge over most value plays on today’s slate.
Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe ($4,400) — For those with an appetite for risk, Oklahoma State has a 70.5-point team total against Baylor’s strong defense. With Cade Cunningham ($9,000) and Isaac Likekele ($6,300) returning from injury, Oklahoma State featured a 10-man rotation yesterday. However, Moncrieffe may fly under the radar after picking up a few early fouls. He started the game for Oklahoma State and saw his role reduced after the fouls. He has a 14.2% usage rate on the year, but his minutes are volatile. For those looking at pure risk/reward plays, Moncrieffe is worth a dart in the largest of tournaments. Again, value plays are weak today.
Donald Carey ($4,100) — Georgetown often offers solid value plays since they are frequently the underdog. Today the Hoyas offer a value play in Carey. His rates leave much to be desired, but he has played at least 32 minutes in back-to-back games. In that span he has taken 9.4% of the shots, 10.9% of the rebounds and 12.9% of the assists. While he doesn’t offer much of a ceiling, Carey provides a path to consistent minutes at a discounted price.
Follow us on all of our social channels! Check out our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more great Awesemo content.
Looking for more college basketball CBB DFS content? We have loads of articles, data, DraftKings and FanDuel cheat sheets and more on the Awesemo CBB home page. Just click HERE.
