This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
The newly-minted ACC-SEC Challenge is featured in its entirety in DraftKings' Tuesday main slate, and as a Miami and UNC fan, and a USC alum, this is right up my alley! There's a $10,000 prize pool in DK's major tournament, with $2,000 available to the winner, and it's still a GPP under 1,000 entries.
Syracuse/LSU, Alabama/Clemson and Miami/Kentucky are where the points are expected to come from, so we'll want shares from these games if not all six sides, and they make for pretty obvious mini-stacking opportunties. The lowest total, by far, comes from Notre Dame/South Carolina, so while not completely ignoring this game, it's not one we want to target freely.
Top Players
Tre Mitchell, F, Kentucky ($8,200)
Mitchell has always been long on talent dating back to his recruiting pedigree and early year success at UMass, but the maturity piece appears to be coming through as a leader on this young 'Cats team. The usage is only at 17.3 percent over the last five, but he's scored in double-digits in four of six, and is chipping in at a nice rate peripherally, averaging 6.2 boards, 3.5 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks. He's not overpriced with his worst game to date being a 3.5x return, the game has the slate's highest total, and if Kentucky can get Miami's Norchad Omier into foul trouble, there's going to be big upside.
B.J. Mack, F, South Carolina ($7,100)
Mack's 270-pound frame is a matchup problem most nights, and should be even moreso against the Irish, who have length in their frontcourt, but not much bulk. Mack has committed four fouls in two straight and has topped 28 minutes just once in five games, so there's risk that is amplified by this game being the lowest scoring expectation Tuesday. But that could create low roster percentages and the price is fair. Mack has also shown 5x upside twice to date, and a 4x return against Virginia Tech, who's far better defensively than Notre Dame.
Middle Tier
Nijel Pack, G, Miami ($6,900)
With a massive 163.5 point total, we want as many pieces as possible from this game. I'd expect D.J. Wagner to be incredibly popular, but I'm leery as he's nothing more than a scorer, capping the upside. Miami doesn't have a bench, so you can confidently play any of their five starters, knowing they'll get a full set of minutes. But here's to hoping Pack is contrarian. He's taken at least nine shots in every game, and 40 across his last three. But he chips in across the board, averaging 3.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.6 steals. He's failed to reach 4x this number just once and is off a nice 5.4x return, where ironically, all he did was score. Expect a more well-rounded showing here even if the shots don't always fall.
Joe Girard, G, Clemson ($5,900)
It took a few games, but Girard is looking like the player we came to know from his time at Syracuse. He attempted only nine shots in his first two games with Clemson, but has been integrated fully since, hoisting 45 attempts over his last three. That's resulted in a 29.75 DKP average with a 25.0 DKP floor. Pair that with this price that isn't really moving given the increased volume, and Clemson's 75.25 implied total as double-digit underdogs thanks to the Tide's 28th-ranked pace, and there's clear appeal.
Bargain Options
Baye Ndongo, F, Georgia Tech ($4,000)
This might be the chalkiest play, but at the value, it arguably won't matter if it comes with high ownership. Ndongo started his first game of the year after missing three due to a hand issue, played 24 minutes and produced eight points, eight rebounds, three blocks and a steal for 22.5 DKP. The Jackets are big underdogs and have just a 65-point implied total, so there's next to no upside. It's a punt play that likely won't hurt you, which is a valuable commodity with pricing getting tighter.
T.J. Caldwell, G, Mississippi ($4,000)
Caldwell is averaging 28.4 minutes despite not starting once for the Rebels. Truthfully, that's the only analysis we need for a player at this price. Minutes should equal production. His season low is 11.75 DKP, which is still nearly a 3x return. Ole Miss has yet to face a power conference opponent, so it's to be seen if the rotation will remain the same, but Caldwell has shown he can contribute in multiple categories, the Rebels are slight favorites and expected to score a reasonable 74 points.
