DraftKings is giving us a six-game slate Tuesday, that spreads from 1:00 p.m. EST to 7:00, so it will be a delay in celebrating your winnings! But there's still ample prizes out there, as the Heating Up tournament comes with $4,000 in total winnings and $1,000 to first place.
It's an odd slate, as five teams come in as 20+ point favorites and 85+ point expectancy and the tightest game of the day (Villanova - Seton Hall) is also the day's lowest total. Paying up for stars is risky given the numerous blowouts we're likely to see. And as luck has it, I wrote the meat of this article before the intro, and paying top dollar didn't manifest. It seems very conceivable to build a balanced lineup, get shares of the high-scoring teams and not have to dive deep into bargain options.
College Basketball DFS Picks for Tuesday, December 23
College Basketball DFS Top Players
Tyler Bilodeau, F, UCLA ($7,600)
Bilodeau is surging since missing time due to a knee injury, averaging 20.2 points across 31.6 minutes in his last five games, coming with a 25.6 percent usage rate. I'd like more peripheral stats, as he's putting up just 6.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists, but it's baked into the price a bit here as he doesn't need a double-double for a fair return. The Bruins play slow (317th in tempo, per KenPom), but those fears are offset by a terrible UC Riverside defense (310th). The Highlanders have played one power school, allowing 100 points to BYU. UCLA should flirt with 90, so Bilodeau can provide solid returns even if the minutes aren't as high as usual.
Jamichael Stillwell, F, UCF ($7,100)
This is a game, and the Knights in particular, where multiple pieces or a stack make sense to me. UCF has an 86.0 point expectancy, but no starters priced above Stillwell, and if you know me I enjoy paying for stability in the frontcourt. Stillwell has five double-doubles in his last seven games, and his game logs show a 4x floor with the potential for much more. FAU isn't defending at a high level, checking in 188th in defensive efficiency.
Middle Tier
Isaiah Elohim, G, Florida Atlantic ($5,900)
While I'd probably prefer to stack Knights more than game stack this matchup, Elohim has been more consitent than Riley Kugel ($6,300), and he's far cheaper than Themus Fulks ($7,100), so I'll cross the aisle and target this Owl. He's scored in double-digits in four straight, though I'd use a little caution on that form as two of those were blowout wins against lesser opponents. I don't know if there's a 4x return here and Elohim hasn't shown much more than that as his ceiling all year. We're rolling with a competitive game script resulting in ample minutes for Elohim.
Amare Bynum, F, Ohio State ($5,900)
The price is rising to uncomfortable levels, but it's still low enough where Bynum can give us a 4x return. Bynum has scored in double-digits in three of his last four while averaging 5.3 boards in that span, and moved into the starting lineup over the weekend. If you're a regular reader, you know I find mid-tier forwads challenging to pinpoint. Bynum is making that a bit easier. Ohio State is expected to flirt with 90 points, and it makes sense to play the ascending freshman plenty before Big 10 season hits.
College Basketball DFS Value Plays
Tyler Perkins, G, Villanova ($4,700)
Perkins has been wildly inconsistent, but given the price, we can live with his lows because the highs can be elite and part of the winning formula. After scoring just 13 points total in three games, Perkins erupted for 19 last time out. He's a capable rebounder and while the total in this game is only 132.5, it's got a narrow spread, so we should see 25-30 minutes. His 42.7 percent shooting percentage isn't elite, but it's a career-high, and he's taking nearly nine shots nightly. 3x works, and he's shown a 7x ceiling three times.
Jaland Lowe, G, Kentucky ($4,600)
Lowe is going to have permanent space in this portion of the column until his price is back north of $5,000. He's still not playing a ton of minutes, but has put up 21.75 and 24.25 DKP in his last two, seeing a sound 29.1 percent usage rate. Kentucky has a 93.5 point implied total, giving us a cheap entry into that offense. Lowe contributes across the board and could see a few extra minutes in a blowout situation to get him back in a groove before conference play.
