We are mere months away from March, but who says the madness hasn’t already started? Conference play is heating up across the nation, with contenders beginning to separate themselves from pretenders. With so much on the line, which stars across the nation will step up on Thursday? Here are my two favorite college basketball player props tonight on DraftKings Sportsbook:
Tyrese Hunter 5+ rebounds (-125)
#18 Memphis is off to a terrific 13-3 start, winning its first three American Athletic Conference matchups. The driving force behind the Tigers’ success is a terrific backcourt; the two-headed monster of PJ Haggerty and Tyrese Hunter have wreaked havoc for most of the season. The latter of the two, playing for his third school in four years, has put up 15.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists on 43.1% shooting from the field.
Despite a 6’0″ frame, Hunter has always played bigger than his size. That should come in handy tonight against Temple. The biggest weakness for the Owls is on the glass, where they’ve given up 38.0 rebounds per game to opponents, 310th in the nation. Having cleared this total in three of his last four outings, Memphis’ star guard should have ample opportunity to snatch some boards. Look for Hunter to make an impact on both ends of the floor in this one.
Tre Donaldson 5+ assists (+100)
In only his first year since taking over, Michigan head coach Dusty May has resurrected a once-dominant program. The #20 Wolverines are beating teams primarily on the strength of the nation’s 15th-highest scoring offense (85.1 PPG). The transfer portal has been key to UM’s success, delivering four different starters this offseason. Among the standouts, Tre Donaldson has been the biggest surprise. The former Auburn Tiger has nearly doubled his scoring average from last season, putting up 12.6 points during his first few months in Ann Arbor.
However, it’s actually the guard’s passing skills that make the most sense to back on Thursday. Michigan’s opponent, Minnesota, tend to keep games low scoring, yet they rank 244th in assists allowed per game (14.2). Donaldson has recorded six or more dimes in each of his last three appearances, with one of those matchups coming against an elite UCLA defense. Given how good this Wolverines offense is, as well as the lack of depth in their back court, the 21-year-old should have the ball in his hands for most of tonight’s contest. At even money, this line has too much potential to pass up.
