College football might’ve crowned its national champion, but college basketball is hitting the next gear, with conference play starting to shape standings. Tuesday features an intriguing midweek slate, with 12 schools ranked in the latest AP Poll in action. Here are my three favorite college basketball player props for this tremendous showcase of talent on DraftKings Sportsbook:
Nate Bittle 15+ Points (-155)
After coming to Eugene as a highly touted recruit, Nate Bittle spent his first three seasons struggling to stay on the floor and make an impact when he was on it. As a senior, the Oregon native has been one of the most improved players in the country. Despite his label as a stretch big, Bittle is only hitting about 30% of his shots from beyond the arc.
He’s made strides on the low block and is far more comfortable finishing in traffic. Bittle also does damage around the free-throw line and is confident knocking down a mid-range jumper. Even if the three isn’t falling, he can put up points. The Ducks are in a different class than the Huskies, and Bittle is in a position to dominate.
Mark Mitchell 5+ Rebounds (-175)
After a few solid years at Duke, Mark Mitchell made the jump to Mizzou and has flourished. Mitchell is a combo forward who does a bulk of his damage in the paint. He’s starting to see an expanded role with the Tigers, playing at least 28 minutes in four straight games.
Mitchell isn’t a typical glass cleaner, but he can do damage on the boards. Because his game revolves around the low blocks, he’s often in position for offensive rebounds. In a crucial SEC clash against Texas, Mitchell will be a focal point of the Mizzou attack. He’s surpassed the five-rebound mark in three consecutive outings—this should be no different.
Ryan Kalkbrenner 20+ Points (+115)
The most dominant center in America, Ryan Kalkbrenner, is putting up numbers in his super-senior season. The seven-footer is a machine around the rim, using his height and footwork to dominate. He has the best offensive rating in NCAA history and leads his conference in field goal percentage for the fourth campaign in a row.
The Blue Jays face an abysmal DePaul team at the bottom of the Big East. The Blue Demons are 104th in KenPom and trot out a disastrous defense. Kalkbrenner will feast on the substandard competition and should easily surpass the 20-point line as long as the game doesn’t get out of hand too quickly.
