This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
Wednesday night features several major battles between ranked teams in college hoops, with Baylor and UConn squaring off in the early window. Alabama and North Carolina also tangle in Chapel Hill at 7:15 p.m. ET on ESPN, while Marquette and Iowa State meet in a battle of two top-6 teams at 8 p.m. ET. Auburn and Duke lock horns in a showdown of top-10 teams at 9:15 p.m. ET at Cameron Indoor Stadium, too. There are a lot of options to choose from Wednesday.
If you're unfamiliar with how to play, you must simply choose at least two players from any sport and pick more or less on their projected statistics to win. We'll obviously be exclusively selecting college hoops players, but you can mix and match from various other sports. You can also go with a flex play, meaning you still can have a winning night even if you have one losing selection. Or, you can go big and choose the power play, which pays out higher. However, you must hit all ends to win. Let's get started.
Liam McNeeley, F, UConn
The UConn Huskies and Baylor Bears clash at Gampel Pavilion in a battle of ranked teams, and tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET. The game can be viewed or streamed on FS1.
For a number of reasons, McNeeley is quite an attractive play against Baylor in this showdown. First off, Baylor allows 73.0 PPG, which is rather middle of the road. What's worse, the Bears are allowing teams to hit 47.3 percent against them from the field, and 41.0 percent from behind the 3-point line. Second, Alex Karaban remains sidelined due to a head injury suffered in the Maui Invitational, so McNeeley will see more responsibilities on offense.
McNeeley and Jaylin Stewart led the Huskies with 16 points against Maryland-Eastern Shore last time out on Saturday, while McNeeley was good for five boards. He actually struggled with his shot against UMES, hitting only 4-of-12 from the field, and 1-of-8 from downtown. If you think that was bad, he was 0-for-9 against Dayton while going scoreless in the previous game Nov. 27. He is due for a good game, and the Baylor defense should offer little resistance in a potential track meet.
CBB PrizePicks Selection: Liam McNeeley, Over 17.5 Pts+Rebs
Alijah Martin, G, Florida
The Virginia Cavaliers and Florida Gators tangle at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville at 7:15 p.m. ET, and the game can be viewed or streamed on ESPN2.
The ranked Gators are heavily favored at home against the ACC's Cavaliers, who continue to play slow, deliberate basketball with a solid brand of defense. However, while Tony Bennett has retired, interim head coach Ron Sanchez continues to implement the same system we've all grown to know. Virginia is allowing just 58.7 PPG to rank 10th in the nation, while limiting teams to just 38.6 percent from the floor.
Martin and his Gators teammates will have their possessions limited, as the Hoos try to slow the pace down to a crawl. Martin has been a bit erratic in his first season in Gainesville after starring for FAU the past couple of seasons. He managed just five points in 22 minutes against Wichita State in the ESPN Events Invitational Championship Game last time out, as the starters grabbed a big lead before giving way to the reserves for some much-needed experience. While Martin's minutes will likely be up, his counting stats should generally be the same against UVA's suffocating defense.
CBB PrizePicks Selection: Alijah Martin Under 23.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts
Pop Isaacs, G, Creighton
Isaacs and the Bluejays host the top-ranked Kansas Jayhawks at CHI Health Center Omaha with a tip time of 8:30 p.m. ET. The game can be viewed or streamed on FS1.
If you're a regular reader, you know that I tend to love either the 3-pointer or Steals categories for those Over 0.5 plays. You simply need a player to register one triple or one theft, and then you can sit back, kick up the feet and enjoy.
Isaacs has managed at least one steal in four consecutive games, and those outings were against Nebraska, San Diego State, Texas A&M and Notre Dame -- some heavy hitters. He and the Bluejays won't be fazed by facing KU.
In the most recent game against a power opponent against Duke, the Jayhawks had 16 turnovers, while the Blue Devils posted 11 steals. There is ample opportunity for Isaacs to extend his streak to five games with a swipe.
CBB PrizePicks Selection: Pop Isaacs, Over 0.5 Steals
Wednesday's College Basketball PrizePicks Selections
Here's a recap of my best college basketball selections for Wednesday:
- Liam McNeeley, UConn, Over 17.5 Pts+Rebs
- Alijah Martin, Florida, Under 23.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts
- Pop Isaacs, Creighton, Over 0.5 Steals
For additional recommendations for PrizePicks and other similar sites, check out our College Basketball Picks page.
For more fantasy college hoops content, be sure to check out features like our college basketball injury report, college basketball depth charts and latest college basketball news.
