RADIO
The major conference tournaments are all going in earnest starting today. The ACC and Big 12 (16) are so big that they had to start yesterday. The SEC said, "Screw it ... we'll just play on Sunday." Whatever the case, we have our first day of wall-to-wall basketball as a warm-up for next week. We have 18 games across two slates from all major conference tournaments!
We've got some big names and some great matchups today. We'll go through all of those for each slate. We'll give you the core pieces to build a cash or GPP lineup. Then, we'll have some value plays to make it all fit. And for you Ricky Bobby types, we'll give you guys with a great ceiling with a low floor because, "If you ain't first, you're last."
Here are my picks across all CBB DFS slates on Wednesday, March 12, with the main slate starting at noon EDT on DraftKings. The late slate starts at 6 p.m. EDT. NOTE: Due to the quick turnaround in tournament play, the late slate isn't up on DraftKings yet as of the publishing time. Picks for that section will be filled in early this afternoon.
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Today's Main Slate DraftKings CBB DFS Lineup Picks
Best Matchups:
Providence vs. Butler
Virginia guards vs. Georgia Tech
Arkansas guards vs. South Carolina
Northwestern forwards vs. Minnesota
Core Pieces:
Nick Martinelli, Northwestern ($9.8K)
Northwestern's Nick Martinelli has posted averages of 20+ points, 5+ rebounds and 37.5+ minutes per game this season.
Last high-major player to post those numbers: Kemba Walker at UConn (2010-11)
Last high-major forward: Hakim Warrick at Syracuse (2004-05) pic.twitter.com/L87oOQGnCL
— Jacob Pavilack (@JacobPavs) March 10, 2025
With both Jalen Leach and Brooks Barnhizer out for the last two months of the season, the Wildcats needed someone to step up. That someone was Martinelli. He was having a fine season with Northwestern at full strength, but he carried this team to the Big Ten (18) Tournament.
Northwestern has its chip and a chair. Can it make the run? Martinelli closed the season with at least 30 DraftKings points in four straight and eight of the last 10 games. One of those was in the first meeting against Minnesota when Martinelli went for 38.75 DK points in 34 minutes.
Baye Ndongo, Georgia Tech ($9.4K)
The Yellow Jackets beat both Clemson and Louisville this year, so they can play with anyone. Ndongo finished the season with at least 34 DraftKings points in eight straight games. He looks to have finally maximized his potential. This is a tough matchup against Virginia, but Ndongo held his own against the Pitt and Clemson fronts.
Day Day Thomas, Cincinnati ($6.9K)
Thomas mustered 18.5 DraftKings points in the first meeting with Iowa State on February 15. He didn't sink below 20 DK points again for the rest of the season. Thomas is a big reason that Cincinnati is playing another game. He put up 21 points and six steals against Oklahoma State yesterday. He should break 20 again today.
Value Pieces:
Andre Screen, Butler ($5.1K)
Screen has at least 15 DraftKings points in every game since December 14. He has topped 30 a handful of times since then and even hit 40 once. Screen posted 42 DraftKings points in 48 minutes in two games against the Friars this year. I'll take that for the price.
K.J. Windham, Northwestern ($5.1K)
Windham doesn't have the ceiling of Ty Berry, but he doesn't have his floor, either. Windham has at least 16 DraftKings points in all seven games as a starter for the Wildcats this year, including 26 against Minnesota on February 25.
Frank Mitchell, Minnesota ($4.9K)
Mitchell posted back-to-back double-doubles to close the regular season after posting just one in 26 games before that. He is peaking at the right time. Mitchell picked up 18.5 DK points in just 15 minutes in the first meeting with Northwestern.
Jonas Aidoo, Arkansas ($4.8K)
Aidoo was the only bright spot (29.5 DraftKings points in 26 minutes) in the first game against South Carolina. With Adou Thiero out, Aidoo and Trevon Brazile have been picking up the slack. Aidoo has played better but hasn't always stayed out of foul trouble.
Slate-Breaking Potential:
Markus Burton, Notre Dame ($10.1K)
The ACC’s leading scorer Markus Burton broke Notre Dame’s all time record for points scored in a game with 43 today. The sophomore is a a future high NBA prospect.
pic.twitter.com/fvrw6sIcre— The Cowboy Regg ✭ (@Irish_Cowboy88) March 9, 2025
The Irish needed Burton's scorching stretch to make the ACC Tournament. They got in and got a gift foul against Pitt to advance. The Irish have one chance at the postseason. This is it.
Burton, after four straight games of 36 or more DraftKings points, was held to just 25.75 against Pitt yesterday. North Carolina held him to 28 DK points in the only meeting this year despite 23 actual points. Burton only played 23 minutes in that game. He'll play close to all 40 in this one, so the ceiling is rather high.
Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina ($9.3K)
CMB had his best game of the season against Arkansas a little less than two weeks ago. He put up 35 points and seven rebounds en route to 53.75 DraftKings points. The bad news? He has a very low floor, as shown by his 11.25 DK points against Tennessee to close the regular season.
Javon Small, West Virginia ($8.9K)
Small's price was over five figures a few times earlier in the season, so this almost feels like a bargain. His floor is well below 20, but we saw Small put up 47 DraftKings points in the first meeting with Colorado, and he nuked Central Florida for 51.75 DK points on the last day of the regular season. The potential is there.
D.J. Wagner, Arkansas ($6.2K)
The only meeting between these two teams during the regular season was an epic disaster for everyone in an Arkansas uniform. The Hogs only scored 53 points on the Gamecocks and everyone's numbers suffered. That is Wagner's only game under 20 DraftKings points in the last month. He'll do better today, as will most of his teammates.
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Today's Late Slate DraftKings CBB DFS Lineup Picks
Best Matchups:
Core Pieces:
Value Pieces:
Slate-Breaking Potential:
