This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
We're heading into the round of 32 Saturday, with eight games tipping off between noon and 9:25. DraftKings is offering a $20,000 top prize in their large tournament, giving you a one in 5,228 chance at a major victory.
We've only got two players priced in five figures, one of which is a suddenly hurt Brandon Miller ($10,000), which could make him a low-used play. The health is a concern, but surely he atones for his scoreless opening round showing. Only three games have totals north of 140 points, though two more sit around 138. Two games are below 130, and while they all figure to be tight, meaning we can't completely ignore them, there are certainly a few more obvious games to target.
Top Tier
Kyle Filipowski, F, Duke ($9,200)
It's rare I roll with a strict gut feel play, especially to open a column, but here we are. I simply expect a bounce-back performance from Filipowski after he scored just six points in Duke's last game. He still went for 28.25 DKP in that outing, so we know the risk is minimal. He has four double-doubles in his last six games, and nine boards in five of those. Tennessee has ample size, but Filipowski hasn't backed down from big matchups previously. In a game where points will be scarce, I like him for a rebounding floor and expect he'll get easier scoring chances than Duke's guards, who are surging. Jeremy Roach ($6,500) is a nice option, but I expect he'll be popular. The hope is Filipowski won't be.
Kobe Brown, G/F, Missouri ($8,500)
If budget weren't an issue, UCLA's Jaime Jaquez ($9,600) is a rock-solid anchor. But for over $1,000 less, I'll shoot for upside with similar position flexibility. Brown is averaging 16.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals across his last four, twice topping 38 DKP. This game comes with the slate's highest total at 149.5 points, creating more upside for Brown, and he hopefully gives us a different option to what's likely to be a trendy bargain play in DeAndre Gholston ($5,300)
Middle Tier
Kevin McCullar, G, Kansas ($6,600)
McCullar looked like his old self in Kansas' opening-round win, finishing with a diverse 10 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block in 25 minutes after missing the previous game due to back issues. The defensive statistics are a constant for him, and should play well here against an Arkansas team that ranks 184th in turnover percentage. His scoring has been maddenly inconsistent, but I like it to play up here against the Razorbacks in a game where Kansas should surge past 70 points. McCullar appears to have multiple paths to get us to 4x, and if the scoring and defense shine, there's room for much more.
Donta Scott, F, Maryland ($6,500)
I'm actually pretty interested in multiple Maryland pieces in a matchup where I think they'll be competitive. I also believe their path is to play through the paint, which hopefully features Scott as a larger part of the offense than normal. He's been solid yet unspectacular of late, averaging 13.7 points, 7.0 boards, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals over his last three, and it's important to remember he's a guy that was priced as high as $7,800 earlier in the year. Maybe there are better matchups to exploit with the Terps, but Scott offers a nice blend of floor and ceiling.
Bargain Tier
JP Pegues, G, Furman ($5,600)
To be very clear, the matchup is awful. Pegues is a 3-point shooter, taking 6.3 per game across his last six, and San Diego State defends the arch very well, allowing just 28.9 percent of outside shots to fall. But Pegues' place in the Paladins' attack is undeniable. He's averaging 16.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists across his last eight, only once failing to reach 20 DKP. I think we'll need more boards and assists to get there here, but Pegues will have every opportunity to do so given his stready minutes.
Donald Carey, G, Maryland ($4,300)
It may be irresponsible on my part to include two Terrapins here. We have 16 teams, so 80 starters, and I'm highlighting two from the same team. Consider each individually first, then make your own decision as to if you believe the Terrapins will keep the game competitive and be able to score with Alabama, rather than keeping it close by slowing the pace. In any case, Carey is priced too low given his recent run. He's averaging 27.9 minutes across Maryland's last seven, providing 11.3 points, but just 1.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists. The lack of peripherals is cooked into the price tag, and the scoring is really all we need for at least a 3x return while opening up our budgets. If we buy into an up-tempo game, Carey figures to see boosts across the board.
