Thursday NCAA Tournament Picks, Predictions for CBB DFS & PrizePicks - 3/20

Today marks one of the best days of the sports calendar — the first day of the NCAA Tournament. Half of the 64 teams in the NCAA Tournament will take center stage for an all-day slate that promises upsets, breakout performances, viral moments, and general madness.

Today’s matchups — which start early and in the late hours of the night — feature plenty of DFS opportunities, potential madness and intriguing late-night showdowns between national semifinals dark horses and potential Cinderellas. 

Below, we’ll walk you through the top NCAA tournament picks on PrizePicks for Thursday, plus the top games to target.

One of the many intriguing matchups is a high-profile showdown between No. 7 seed Kansas and No. 10 seed Arkansas, with both teams boasting Hall of Fame coaches coming off disappointing regular seasons. 

Out west, upstart UC San Diego will look to knock off a hot No. 5 seed Michigan Wolverines team that just won the Big Ten Tournament.

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With the NCAA Tournament getting into full swing, let’s take a look at some of the do-or-die matchups and our best CBB DFS picks for the best day in the sports calendar on PrizePicks.

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College Basketball DFS Cheat Sheet for Thursday

Here’s a look at some of the CBB DFS picks and player projections to target in Thursday’s college basketball games for March 20 on PrizePicks. 

Thursday CBB Games to Target

• No. 7 Kansas vs. No. 10 Arkansas: Preview & Pick
• No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 12 UC San Diego: Preview & Pick

CBB DFS Picks Today for PrizePicks

• Auburn F Johni Broome Free Pick — 0.5 Points 
• Wisconsin F Nolan Winter — 5.5 Rebounds or 9.0 Points
• High Point F Kimani Hamilton — 11.5 Points
• Gonzaga G Ryan Nembhard — 6.5 Assists (Goblin) & 7.5 Points (Goblin)
• Drake G Bennett Stirtz — 17.5 Points

Thursday CBB DFS Picks & Game Previews for PrizePicks

Here are the top games to target for CBB DFS fantasy production today, Thursday, March 20.

No. 7 Kansas vs. No. 10 Arkansas: Preview, Pick

Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
How to Watch: CBS

Grab your popcorn — Bill Self and No. 7 seed Kansas (21-12) face off against John Calipari and his No. 10 seed Arkansas Razorbacks (20-13) in a primetime first round matchup.

Kansas has been one of the most disappointing teams in college basketball this season. The Jayhawks made waves in the offseason, adding what was expected to be one of the nation’s top transfer classes, including A.J. Storr (Wisconsin), Rylan Griffen (Alabama), and hometown hero Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State). Mayo has made the biggest impact, while Storr and Griffen have struggled with consistency. 

Self’s Jayhawks are one of the most experienced and talented teams in the country. Led by walking double-double Hunter Dickinson and 2022 national champions Dajuan Harris Jr. and KJ Adams Jr., the preseason No. 1 Jayhawks have the talent to make a run, but the sum of their parts has yet to be greater than the whole.

In his first season at Arkansas, coach John Calipari brought most of his 2024 Kentucky squad and incoming recruits to Fayetteville, Ark., this offseason while delivering an iconic quote in the process. 

While results have been mixed in an extremely competitive SEC, the Razorbacks have won five of their last seven games heading into the NCAA Tournament. The roster blends experience (FAU transfer Johnell Davis) with youth (D.J. Wagner and Zvonimir Ivisic), but the x-factor could be freshman Boogie Fland, who is expected to return from injury and play for the first time since Jan. 18.

Here are a few key stats to help you make your DFS picks for Thursday’s tournament showdown on PrizePicks:

• Kansas fifth-year senior Hunter Dickinson averages 17.6 points and 10 rebounds per game. His rebound mark ranks 11th nationally and fourth among players in the NCAA Tournament.
• Dickinson has pulled down nine or more rebounds in 11 of his last 12 games, including at least 11 in six of his past eight contests. Per KenPom, the 7-foot-2 center also has the 35th highest defensive rebounding rate.
• Arkansas center Zvonimir Ivisic is averaging 9.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game this season. The 7-foot-2 big man is shooting 37.9% from beyond the arc while blocking 11% of the shots he contests, the 14th-highest rate in the nation.
• Kansas generates 56.8% of its points from inside the arc, the 13th-highest percentage in the country. 
• Arkansas, by contrast, allows opponents to score nearly half of their points from two-point range, which is around the national average.
• Both Kansas and Arkansas struggle offensively, with Kansas ranking 49th in KenPom offensive efficiency and Arkansas just 73rd. 
• In contrast, Kansas is ranked 11th in KenPom defense, while Arkansas is 18th. This matchup is expected to be more of a defensive battle than it may initially appear.

CBB PrizePicks Pick: Kansas C Hunter Dickinson — 7.5 Rebounds (Goblin) or 10.5 Rebounds (Demon)

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No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 12 UC San Diego: Preview, Pick

Time: 10 p.m. ET
How to Watch: TBS

No. 5 seed Michigan Wolverines (25-9) take on No. 12 seed UC San Diego Tritons (30-4) late Thursday night in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Led by first-year coach Dusty May, Michigan is back in the NCAA Tournament and is playing some of its best basketball of the season. The Wolverines impressed on both ends last week, knocking off No. 3 seed Wisconsin and No. 4 seeds Maryland and Purdue en route to a Big Ten Tournament title. 

Despite their strong run, fans were surprised to see Michigan land just a No. 5 seed. 

Still, with 7-footers Danny Wolf (13.1 PPG, 9.8 RPG) and Vladislav Goldin (16.7 PPG, 6.8 RPG) leading the charge, the Wolverines look to ride their momentum from Indianapolis to the national semifinals in San Antonio.

While UC San Diego might seem like just another frisky No. 12 seed, the Tritons are a wagon, ranking No. 38 in KenPom. They closed the regular season on the nation’s longest active winning streak (15 games), defeating Big West opponents by double-digits in all but two of those contests. 

Like fellow Cinderella-hopeful Drake, they’re led by a former Division II coach, Eric Olen, and a D-II star turned primetime playmaker in Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones. The New Zealander and Hawaii-Hilo transfer averages nearly 20 points per game and brings an old-school, versatile game that could pose problems for Michigan’s smaller guards. 

In its first year of NCAA Tournament eligibility, UC San Diego is dancing and has become a popular pick for a potential 12-5 upset this season.

Here are a few key stats to help you make your DFS picks for Thursday night’s NCAA Tournament matchup on PrizePicks:

• UC San Diego senior Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones (sick name) averages 19.5 points per game and 8.6 free-throw attempts per game. Tait-Jones is one of the nation’s 85 most efficient offensive players and ranks third in fouls drawn per 40 minutes.
• The Tritons fill it up from 3-point range, shooting 36.5% as a team while generating nearly 40% of their points from behind the arc, which is the 15th highest rate in the nation.
• Michigan center Danny Wolf (13.1 PPG, 9.8 RPG) played a key role in Yale’s tournament upset of Auburn last year and has been a force down the stretch this year, recording double-digit rebounds in three of his last four games and scoring 10+ points in 16 of 21 games this calendar year. 
• Wolf’s versatility, including a 33.7% mark from three, could be a game-changer.
• Wolf and FAU transfer Vladislav Goldin combine for 16.6 rebounds per game, with Goldin excelling on the offensive glass (10% offensive rebound rate) and Wolf ranking 21st in defensive rebounding percentage (26.3%).
• One major concern for Michigan: turnovers. Per KenPom, the Wolverines cough it up on nearly 20% of possessions, one of the worst rates in the country.
• Meanwhile, UC San Diego forces turnovers at a 23.3% clip (second nationally) and takes care of the ball with just a 13.4% offensive turnover rate (seventh lowest).

CBB PrizePicks Picks: Michigan C Danny Wolf — 11.5 Rebounds (Demon) & C Vlad Goldin — 14.5 Points (Goblin)

CBB DFS Picks Today for PrizePicks

Here are four CBB DFS picks to use in your PrizePicks CBB Lineups for today, Thursday, March 20.

Auburn F Johni Broome Free Pick — 0.5 Points

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Wisconsin F Nolan Winter — 5.5 Rebounds or 9.0 points

• 3-seed Wisconsin takes on 14-seed Montana at 1:30 p.m. ET on TNT today.
• Wisconsin F Nolan Winter averages 5.9 rebounds per game. 
• The 6-foot-10 sophomore has topped 5.5 boards in four of his last five games, except for the Big Ten tournament semifinal where early foul trouble limited him to 12 minutes.
• Wisconsin faces Montana, which ranks 273rd in rebound rate and 347th in offensive rebounding efficiency, per KenPom. 
• The Badgers rank 57th in defensive rebounding rate and have steadily improved on the glass this season.
• Wisconsin ranks as the 67th tallest team in the country, anchored by Winter and 7-foot starting center Steven Crowl. Montana ranks 288th, with its tallest consistent contributor standing just 6-foot-8. The Badgers have consistently used Winter at center in small-ball lineups this season.

High Point F Kimani Hamilton — 11.5 Points

• 13-seed High Point takes on 4-seed Purdue at 12:40 p.m. ET on truTV today.
• High Point F Kimani Hamilton averages 13.4 points and 4.7 rebounds for the 29-5 Panthers. The junior is used on 27.8% of offensive possessions, ranking 140th nationally.

• High Point’s opponent Purdue struggles to defend the paint, allowing opponents to shoot 56.4% from the field — one of the 15 highest conversion rates in the country. 
• High Point capitalizes inside, shooting 57.4% on two-pointers, the nation’s 15th-best mark.
• In one of his toughest matchups of the year against UAB star big man Yaxel Lendeborg, Hamilton recorded 18 points and 8 rebounds.
• KenPom projects the High Point-Purdue game to be one of Thursday’s highest-scoring matchups, with an expected 155 total points scored.

Gonzaga G Ryan Nembhard — 6.5 Assists (Goblin) or 7.5 Points (Goblin)

• 8-seed Gonzaga takes on 9-seed Georgia at 4:35 p.m. ET on TBS today.
• Gonzaga G Ryan Nembhard leads the nation with 9.8 assists per game while averaging 10.8 points.
• The senior guard has topped 6.5 assists in 16 of 19 games this calendar year. He has also scored at least 7.5 points in 25 of 33 games this season.
• While Gonzaga is viewed as a powerhouse program in its own right, Nembhard has consistently played well against high-major competition. 
• He had 13 points and 10 assists vs. No. 3 seed Kentucky and 16 and eight against No. 7 seed UCLA earlier this season.
• KenPom projects Gonzaga’s matchup with Georgia to be one of the day's highest-scoring games, with a projected 150 total points.

Drake G Bennett Stirtz — 17.5 Points

• 11-seed Drake takes on 6-seed Missouri at 7:35 p.m. ET on truTV today.
• Division II transfer Bennett Stirtz is averaging 19.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game for Drake. 
• He’s shooting 38.6% from 3-point range while playing the most minutes per game in the country.
• The Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year is the only Division I player this season with 500 points, 180 rebounds and 70 steals.
• Despite Drake playing at the slowest tempo in the country, Stirtz has continued to stuff the stat sheet. The potential NBA Draft pick has scored 20 or more points in 10 of his last 13 games.
• Drake’s first-round opponent, No. 6 seed Missouri, has struggled defensively, allowing opponents to score 80 or more points in all of its losses during a 2-5 finish to the season.

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Get Real Money NCAA Tournament Action on PrizePicks

With all-day college basketball on Thursday in the NCAA Tournament, there are tons CBB DFS picks to consider for your PrizePicks Lineups. PrizePicks is the best way to get in on the real money CBB action and get paid for your college basketball takes, from the First Round to the National Championship. 

Just pick More or Less on at least two CBB player stat projections to build your Lineup on PrizePicks — the more you pick, the more you stand to win. Use the players above to build your Lineups around, or use a 6-Pick Lineup to reach up to 1000x payouts.

With PrizePicks, you can build a Lineup of your CBB picks, however you want — from points to rebounds to combo stats, there’s endless ways to cash in on college basketball conference tournaments.

Check out the Playbook for more college basketball picks all the way through the National Championship game.