The No.1 ranked UConn Huskies travel to Madison Square Garden to take on Rick Pitino and the St John's Red Storm. The teams faced off in December, with UConn escaping with a 69-65 victory. It was the sixth time in seven games that St John's covered the spread against the Huskies. It is time to continue our men's college basketball odds series with a UConn-St John's prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
UConn extended their winning streak to nine games on Wednesday when they defeated Providence 74-65. It was their fifth win by single digits during the winning streak, as they are finding a new struggle in every game. On Wednesday it was their three-point shooting, as they shot just 4 of 23. The Huskies escaped with a victory due to their free-throw shooting, hitting 26 of 36. Danny Hurley added some fuel to the fire after their previous matchup this season. “Everyone's trying to get what we have,” Hurley said. “We've won four national championships since 2000 here at UConn. They haven't had much success since then.” St John's has failed to win a tournament game since 2000. Rick Pitino was unhappy with Hurley's actions on the court in that game. He is interested in playing UConn at the 5,602-seat Carnesecca Arena next season instead of MSG.
Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: UConn-St John's Odds
UConn: -4.5 (-120)
Moneyline:
St John's: +4.5 (-102)
Moneyline:
Over:
Under:
How to Watch UConn vs. St John's
Time: noon PM ET/9 AM PT
TV: FOX
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why UConn Will Cover The Spread/Win
It is clear how UConn is the No.1-ranked team in the country. They are 30th in scoring offense, averaging 81.6 points per game. They are shooting 49.4% from the floor and rank in the top 100 in almost every offensive team category. Most teams excel at one end of the floor at the expense of the other. However, that isn't the case for the Huskies. The Huskies are even better on defense, ranking 20th by allowing just 64.2 points per game. They hold opponents to 39.7% shooting from the floor and slow down the game by limiting opponents' opportunities.
St John's is an average team and stacks up against almost any opponent, but UConn is a different animal. St John's ranks 138th, allowing 69.8 points per game, and ranks 104th on the offensive end, averaging 76.5 points.
Why St John's Will Cover The Spread/Win
UConn isn't the same team on the road, and Rick Pitino will always have the advantage when hosting a game at MSG. UConn's scoring offense drops ten points to 71.8 points per game on the road, while St John's allows over five fewer points at home. On the other end, St John's averages 80 points per game at MSG, while UConn allows nine more points on the road.
UConn has two losses this season, both on the road. They traveled to Kansas for a non-conference true road game and dropped a four-point decision to the Jayhawks. Then, they opened Big East play with a 15-point loss to Seton Hall, showing they can blow up in a road spot. The Rick Pitino vs. Danny Hurley rivalry is heating up in the Big East, and if any coach can get his boys motivated to win a game that he desperately wants, it's Rick Pitino.
Final UConn-St John's Prediction & Pick
Rick Pitino will do anything to beat the nation's best team on Saturday afternoon. St John's has lost four of their last five games and is excited to host the featured Big East matchup. UConn may be head and shoulders above St John's statistically, but their road woes are an area of concern, and the Red Storm's performance against them on the road got people's attention.
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Final UConn-St John's Prediction & Pick: St John's +4.5 (-102)
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