This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
Selection Sunday is finally upon us, but first and foremost, four conferences have to declare a tournament champion. The early Atlantic 10 game is the only one with an automatic bid still in the balance, but it also has the lowest over/under by nearly 10 points. I'll discuss the status of Houston's Marcus Sasser (groin) at length below, as that's what could open up value. Also, while Memphis has multiple studs, I'm staying away in cash due to a brutal pace/defense combination that Houston brings to the table. Let's take a look at the best DFS options to scratch that itch before the Big Dance.
Top Players
Zach Edey, F, Purdue ($11,000)
With only four games on the slate, it's difficult to ignore the player with by far the highest ceiling. Edey already has the track record against the Nittany Lions, putting up 40.8 and 56.8 DK points in two prior matchups this season. While the random assortment of big men Penn State trots out is effective on the defensive glass, PSU has the second-worst offensive rebounding rate in the country, so look for Edey to eat.
Jalen Pickett, G, Penn State ($10,100)
It's a bit of a cop-out to recommend two five-figure guys, I know, but if you're taking a risk and fading Edey, Pickett, in my eyes, is a slightly better play than Brandon Miller ($9,900). Miller doesn't have the track record against the red-hot Aggies, while Pickett has a 52.3 DK point game against Purdue on his game log (though another with just 30.8 DK points). It's a correlation play -- if you think PSU has a shot as six-point underdogs, the only way that happens is with Edey cold and Pickett lighting it up. It's a solid GPP pivot, and you'll need a unique lineup with just four games to choose from. I'd still prefer Edey in cash, though, if you can swing it.
Another strategy, if you're fading Edey, is to hope he gets into foul trouble and cross your fingers for a monster game from Seth Lundy ($7,400). This would allow a far more balanced approach to lineup construction and leave you with fewer risky liabilities.
Middle Tier
Jamal Shead, G, Houston ($7,200)
The story of this entire slate comes down to whether or not Marcus Sasser ($8,800) suits up after leaving Saturday's game with a groin injury. Considering Houston has a No. 1 seed locked up regardless of outcome here, I'd consider Sasser on the doubtful side of the "game-time decision" status that was reported Saturday night. Houston isn't a team that relies on its bench much, so I'm primarily looking to Sasser's backcourt running mate for value against a Memphis team with a top-20 adjusted tempo rating (per KenPom). Shead has been hot even with Sasser in the lineup, reaching 4x in three of his last four and 5x twice in that span. He does have one dud against Memphis this year, but more recently, a 34.3 DK point performance.
Jahvon Quinerly, G, Alabama ($6,400)
It was only a matter of time before Quinerly, and while the pricing has creeped up a bit much for my liking, the senior's ceiling cannot be denied. Even after going 0-for-9 from the field Saturday, he still put up 14.8 DK points due to seven assists. In the four games leading up to that, he had 22.0, 20.8, 42.5 and 29.3 fantasy points, which included matchups against some of the SEC's toughest defense. I'm ignoring the price bump and buying the talent, finding any way I can to work the senior into my lineups. Alabama also has the highest implied total of the slate by four points at time of posting, so you have to find one way or another to work in some exposure.
BONUS: Camren Wynter, G, Penn State ($5,100) / Andrew Funk, G, Penn State ($5,500)
These are the types of plays you need to fill in a lineup with Edey or Pickett -- low-cost guys that start and can hit the three in hopes of keeping PSU in contention. Both have cashed 40 or more threes this year at a success rate north of 40 percent. Funk has had the better Big Ten tournament and comes at a higher cost, but both have a fantasy point ceiling in the 30s.
Value Plays
Charles Bediako, F, Alabama ($5,400)
Bediako's game log on the year has been maddenly inconsistent, but it seems like Nate Oats is giving him more run in crunch time. That's resulted in performances of 21.8, 32.0 and 23.0 DK points in his last three and 20+ DK points in five of his last six. Alabama does have the highest implied total, and the Aggies sit at No. 238 nationally in defensive rebounding rate. Foul trouble is a risk, but this is an affordable way to get a piece.
Julius Marble, F, Texas A&M ($4,600)
This game log is even more inconsistent than Bediako's, but the price is right to roll the dice in GPPs. He did hit 4x Saturday against Vanderbilt and has a 30-point celing, and let's face it, you need guys like this to fit Edey in. Alabama's defense is elite, but Texas A&M has the second-highest implied total of the slate due to the Tide's fourth-ranked adjusted tempo rating (per KenPom). It's wise to get a piece in some capacity, so why not do so with a lower salary risk.
BONUS: Emanuel Sharp, G, Houston ($3,400)
I mentioned previously that Houston doesn't go to its bench much, but when it does, the freshman is the teams minutes leader among reserves. There are 31.7 minutes and 12.5 field-goal attempts up for grabs if Sasser ends up sitting, and Sharp would stand to pick up a good chunk of that. On the downside, he's been held to single-digit DK points in his last three games, and this play of course goes out the window if Sasser suits up. But you need at least one punt to fit in the studs, and this seems like the right spot for that.
