Welcome back to the start of another weekend of college basketball action as we dive into the top CBB DFS picks for Friday night. The marquee game of the night is a Big 10 matchup between Tyler Wahl and #11 Wisconsin hosting Kel’el Ware and Indiana. We also have a Big East battle between Georgetown and Xavier, an Atlantic 10 game featuring St. Louis and Sean Bairstow led-VCU and then the late-night Mountain West hammer game featuring UNLV and Isiah Stevens and Colorado State.  It's a 4-game slate on DraftKings with a 6:30p ET lock so let's dive into all the top CBB DFS picks and value plays at the guard and forward positions tonight. All college basketball odds below are via DraftKings Sportsbook when publishing. Good luck with your college basketball DFS lineups for Friday January 19th…

 

College Basketball DFS Slate January 19, 2024

6:30p ET Georgetown @ Xavier (-12.5) 149.0 O/U

7p ET Saint Louis @ VCU (-8.0) 147.0 O/U

8:30p ET Indiana @ Wisconsin (-11/0) 141.0 O/U

10:30p ET UNLV @ Colorado State (-7.0) 144.0 O/U

CBB DFS Top Guards

Isaiah Stevens- Colorado State vs. UNLV ($8.6K DK)

Isaiah Stevens may not be a household name, but he is the best point guard in the country. He is coming off a 13-point (34 DK) game against Air Force notching his 13th straight game with double-digit scoring. With a 28% usage/25.7% shot rate and an assist rate this is ranked eighth best in the entire nation, Stevens is the top overall play of tonight’s slate even in a slow-paced matchup with UNLV.

Jayden Epps- Georgetown @ Xavier ($7.2K DK)

Since returning from his injury Jayden Epps has jumped into the alpha role for the Hoyas. He has played 29, 39 and 37 minutes since his return and is carrying the offense with a 29.8% usage/30.1% shot rate and a 28.9% assist rate that is 88th in the country. Xavier’s defense is no pushover with an adjusted efficiency rate of 95.5% (25th) but they will also pace up the Hoyas in a big way and Epps does enough for this team on the offensive side to make his $7.2K price a solid point per dollar play.

Other Top CBB DFS Guards

Quincy Olivari, Xavier ($8.1K DK)- Olivari has 30DK+ in three of his last four and gets an awesome matchup against one of the worst defenses in the nation.

Luis Rodriguez, UNLV ($8.0K DK)- Rodriguez has career-best numbers in scoring (13.3 ppg), rebounding (6.7 RPG) and steals (2.1 SPG). He has 31.3 DK in his last five games. 

Sean Bairstow G/F, VCU ($7.1K DK)- Bairstow was a triple-double threat nightly last season for Utah State and is finally healthy and playing nearly every minute.

Chucky Hepburn, Wisconsin ($6.1K DK)- If Hepburn shoots the ball more than three or four times like the last two games, he will smash due to his stat sheet stuffing abilities.

Trey Galloway, Indiana ($6.6K DK)- Galloway has at least five dimes in the last four games and is coming off a team high 17 points (32 DK) in the Hoosier loss to Purdue. 

Top CBB DFS Value Guard

Max Klesmit- Wisconsin vs. Indiana ($5.4K DK)

Max Klesmit has totally elevated his play offensively the last three games as he is averaging 17.3 points while shooting at a 66.7% clip from the floor, including 9-for-13 from beyond the arc. He was a hero last Saturday when he scored 24 points (31 DK) in the Badger’s win at home over Northwestern, his most as a Badger. In the Northwestern game Klesmit did his best Klay Thompson impression from back in his heyday where there was a sequence early in the second half when he hit a big three-pointer, followed by an awesome defensive play, followed by another basket. He is a role player, but Max Klesmit makes the Badgers even more dangerous as Big Ten play continues and on a small slate starved for value he is totally in play tonight.

Other CBB DFS Value Guards

Sincere Parker, St. Louis ($5.1K DK)- After missing two months with an ankle injury Parker has returned and di d a lot (9 pts/5 rebs) in only 19 minutes last weekend. He should see a few more minutes tonight and could easily hit 4-5X.

Jalen Lake, Colorado State ($4.2K DK)- Lake has started four of the last five games and is playing nearly 30 mins (12.9 DK over the last five). 

Michael Meadows Jr, St. Louis ($4.4K DK)- Meadows has played 28 and 30 minutes over his last two games (15.8 DK/18.3 DK) which puts him in play on a slate lacking major value.

Joe Bamisile, VCU ($3.6K DK)- Bamisile can put up points in a hurry and has scored in double-digits in four of his seven games played. If Zeb Jackson (back) is out Bamisile becomes a near must value play. 

Top CBB DFS Forwards

Kel’el Ware- Indiana @ Wisconsin ($7.9K DK)

You got to love this price tag on Kel’el Ware tonight. The legit seven-footer is gifted athletically and his offensive fluidity and shot blocking ability make him tailor made for the NBA. Ware is IU's second-leading scorer (14.2), while leading the Hoosiers in 3-point shooting (41.7%), rebounds (9.4) and blocked shots (1.6). He gets a smash matchup tonight against Wisconsin as the big guy has three double-doubles in his last five games with 53 rebounds in that same span.

Steven Crowl- Wisconsin vs. Indiana ($7.5K DK)

Big 7-foot center, Steven Crowl is averaging similar numbers to last season, but he's been much more efficient, shooting a solid 58.6% from the field and 54.5% from 3-point range. Crowl is coming off his fourth double-double of the season, as he scored 17 points and 11 rebounds (39.8 DK) as the Badgers were upset by Penn State on Tuesday. He has been awesome so far this season, averaging 12 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game and has put up an average of 27.4 DK over his last five games. 

Other Top CBB DFS Forwards

Abou Ousmane, Xavier ($7.3K DK)- Ousmane has a 15.4% offensive rebound rate (22nd in the nation) with a 7.0% block rate (88th) and is averaging 27.4 DK over his last five games. He is a great play in all formats in a pace up game against Georgetown.

Malik Reneau, Indiana ($7.7K DK)- Reneau leads the Hoosiers with a 27% usage/26.8% shot rate and is averaging 31.8 DK over his last five games. 

Sean Bairstow G/F, VCU ($7.1K DK)- Bairstow was a triple-double threat nightly last season for Utah State and is finally healthy and playing nearly every minute.

Tyler Wahl, Wisconsin ($6.6K DK)- Wahl is as tilting as they come but is playing much better, averaging 14.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.8 steals across Wisconsin's last six games.

Bradley Ezewiro, St. Louis ($6.4K DK)- Ezewiro has at least 24 DK in seven of his eight games played and gets a plus matchup against a much smaller VCU front court.

Top CBB DFS Value Forwards

Gytis Nemeiksa, Xavier ($5.8K DK)- Nemeiksa is back starting is averaging 30 minutes over his last two games with a 28.3 DK night against Butler. He gets a plus matchup with Georgetown.

McKenzie Mgbako, Indiana ($5.7K DK)- The talented freshman has been volatile but is playing nearly 30 minutes and is capable of 25-30 DK.

Kuany Kuany, VCU ($4.1K DK)- 4X value is a strong possibility for Kuany as he averages 14.3 DK over his last five games.

DRAFTKINGS CORE

Isaiah Stevens, Colorado

Kel’el Ware, Indiana

Joe Bamisile, VCU (if Jackson is out)