Villanova and St. John's will face off for the second time in three weeks when the Wildcats visit the Red Storm. The Johnnies upset Villanova as 3.5-point underdogs, adding to the Wildcats' woes this season. It is time to continue our men's college basketball odds series with a Villanova-St. John's prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
The loss to St. John's began a run of poor play for Villanova, showing that it may be a down year for them in the Big East. Villanova won four games in a row before the showdown with the Red Storm, but since then, have lost three of four games. The Wildcats are tied for fourth in the Big East, sitting behind Creighton, Seton Hall, and UConn. Eric Dixon leads the team in points, averaging 14.9 per game. With just two players averaging double digits, it's easy to see why Villanova's offense is letting them down this season.
St. John's was in the middle of an epic turnaround under the guidance of Rick Pitino. They were eighth in the Big East last season, finishing with a 7-13 conference record. The Red Storm had won nine of 11 games and were 4-1 in conference play when they visited Creighton on January 13th. They lost in a one-point heartbreaker to begin a three-game losing streak, which ended with another gut-wrenching loss to Marquette at Madison Square Garden. Dennis Jenkins had an opportunity to win the game at the final buzzer but missed his three-point opportunity.
Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Villanova-St. John's Odds
Villanova: +2.5 (-110)
Moneyline: –
St. John's: -2.5 (-110)
Moneyline: –
Over: 145.5 (-110)
Under: 145.5 (-110)
How to Watch Villanova vs. St. John's
Time: 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT
TV: Fox Sports 1
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why Villanova Will Cover The Spread/Win
Villanova will remember the loss St. John's handed them on home court. There will be high intrinsic motivation to repay the favor, and they face St. John's during their worst stretch of the season. St. John's has lost three consecutive games and failed to score more than 72 points in either game. Villanova's defense can shut down the Johnnies, allowing just 66.3 points per game.
Why St. John's Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Red Storm have been good at Madison Square Garden this season, boasting a 7-2 record. The Johnnies have an above-average offense, averaging 76.8 points per game. Rick Pitino doesn't take losing lightly and will have his team ready to play on Wednesday night. The Red Storm's defense isn't as good as Villanova's, but they can still shut down a Villanova offense that ranks 207th in the country. St. John's has some past success to lean on, as they just scored 81 points against Villanova three weeks ago. It may be just what the doctor ordered to get them out of their scoring slump.
Final Villanova-St. John's Prediction & Pick
This game has all the makings of a defensive battle. Both teams rely on their defense to win games, and Villanova knows that the Red Storm scoring 81 points was a big reason for them pulling off the upset on January 6th. Villanova and St. John's are known for low-scoring games, as the two teams saw the total go under in nine straight meetings before the last game. The under has hit in seven of Villanova's past ten games, while St. John's has seen it hit in six of ten.
Villanova's offense is ranked 207th in the nation, while their defense is 56th and allows 66.3 points per game. St. John's is averaging 76.8 points per game despite below-average offensive efficiency. The team ranks 200th or lower in field goal, three-point, and free-throw percentage. The team's poor shooting numbers have shown through in their three-straight losses, averaging 67.3 points per game.
If St. John's doesn't turn their offense around in this game, Villanova would also be a great bet to cover the spread in their revenge game.
Click here for more betting news and predictions
Final Villanova-St. John's Prediction & Pick: Under 145.5 (-110)
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