The end of the regular season is rapidly approaching for most college basketball conferences across the county. At this critical juncture, the importance of every win (and every loss) is amplified. No matter which team is taking the court, results will be determined by the players. Ahead of Friday’s action, here are my two favorite college basketball props on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Kasparas Jakucionis 5+ assists (-105)
The headliner for tonight’s slate is a Big Ten battle between #18 Purdue and Illinois. While the Boilermakers have all but guaranteed an NCAA Tournament spot, the same can’t be said for their opponents. Following a blowout loss against Duke, the Fighting Illini picked up a much-needed road win against Michigan. Key to the victory was Kasparas Jakucionis, who tallied 17 points over 33 minutes of play. The freshman has been terrific all season, leading the program in scoring (15.4) and assists (4.8) per game.
While the young guard demands plenty of shots, his passing is something to watch on Friday. Purdue’s defense is solid, but the team has surrendered 14.4 assists per game, seventh-most in the Big Ten. That number has jumped to 15.7 over the school’s last three contests. In addition, opposing teams have shot 45.2% from the field against the Boilermakers, ranking 229th in that category. Ahead of this potential shootout, Jakucionis should have little trouble finding his teammates for a handful of dimes.
PJ Haggerty 6+ rebounds (+100)
#16 Memphis is just one win away from clinching an American Athletic Conference regular season title. It’s been another stellar season for the Tigers, led by head coach Penny Hardaway. Most of the team’s offensive production comes from its back court, where Tyrese Hunter and PJ Haggerty have formed one of college basketball’s best duos. Both guards love to push the pace; the school is currently 36th in adjusted tempo (70.8) per KenPom. That tends to result in extra possessions and some impressive counting stats.
Averaging 21.3 points per game, Haggerty currently ranks sixth in scoring across all Division I programs. However, the guard isn’t a one trick pony, recording 3.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game. The sophomore is active on the glass, using his 6’3″ frame to come up with contested boards. That’s bad news for South Florida, a team that has difficulty boxing out opponents. This season, the Bulls have given up 38.2 rebounds per game, the 25th-worst mark in the nation. At even money, this is a prime opportunity for bettors to back Memphis’ best player.
