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Recommended plays for NCAA action on 3/25:
If anyone is new to DraftStreet college games, be sure to note the difference in scoring. Just points, rebounds and assists earn points, while missed shots and turnovers don’t hurt you. With that said, here is a list of players that should be in your lineups for Thursday.
G: Scottie Wilbekin ($13,224): There are a ton of things to love about Wilbekin in this game. He leads the Gators in minutes played and assists while coming in second on the team in scoring. As a bonus, Wilbekin has also grabbed just short of 3 boards per game on the year. Along with the good numbers, Florida is taking on the worst defensive team playing on Thursday, as UCLA allows up over 70 points a night. He is also coming off of a big game in which he had 21 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists against the defensive-minded Pitt Panthers. Expect the senior to keep his solid play going in this one and put up some big numbers.
G: Ben Brust ($12,245): It seems like each game, one of the Badgers guards goes off. Last game it was Traevon Jackson, and my bet for this one is going to be Brust. He provides a solid all-around game with 14.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists nightly, while playing just short of 30 minutes a game. Baylor likes to run as well, so this game could be high-scoring affair. The Bears have a ton of long athletic bigs to help slow teams down, but guard Brady Heslip is a poor defender and is likely to be on Brust for much of the game which should only help his cause. Brust had a game of 29 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists in the Big Ten Tournament so the ability to put up huge stats is always there.
Guard to Avoid: Xavier Thames ($16,901): After his huge 30-point effort on Saturday, most people will consider Thames a must have. Even though he leads the Aztecs in both points and assists, Thames is someone I am going to avoid on Thursday. He shoots just 41% on the season and although you do not lose points for missed shots, if he can’t find his shot it could be a long night. Also consider that Arizona is one of the best defensive teams in the country allowing just 57 points a game with Nick Johnson on the perimeter and Aaron Gordon down low to stop Thames drives. It may be wise to look elsewhere for a big scoring night from the guard position.
F: Dwight Powell ($13,121): The do it all forward for the Cardinal comes into their matchup with Dayton as the teams 2nd leading scorer and rebounder while also leading the team with 3.1 assists per game. In a fantasy game that only counts those stats; that is a huge advantage over nearly all other forwards in the game. Powell struggled in round one against New Mexico with just 3 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists but was able to rebound against Kansas with 15 points, 7 rebounds and an assist. Dayton is solid on defense, but did let C.J. Fair loose for 15 points and 10 rebounds in their last game, look for Powell to post similar numbers on Thursday.
F: Isaiah Austin ($11,885): The supremely talented Austin comes into this game playing some of his best basketball. He has scored in double figures in six straight games while also grabbing at least 4 rebounds in each. Austin should also be able to take advantage of a Wisconsin team that is statistically the worst team playing on Thursday. Even though he leads the Bears in scoring, Austin generally doesn’t score a ton of points, but when combined with some good rebound totals and a handful of assists he should be able to get well over value in this game.
Forward to avoid: Sam Dekker ($11,948): As we mentioned before, the Baylor Bears have one of the most athletic frontlines in all of college basketball. They are coming off of a game in which they held Doug McDermott to just 15 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist. Dekker is not the offensive talent that McDermott is but he plays a similar position and style so expect his numbers to be down in this game. He is coming off of a solid 12 point, 8 rebound and 4 assist game against Oregon, but he has failed to top 12 points in a game since February 25th and only has one game over 10 rebounds since mid-January. Between his matchup and recent play it’s probably a good idea to avoid Dekker tonight.
