Rick Pitino and the top-seeded St. John’s Red Storm begin their Big East Tournament title defense in a Thursday matinee matchup against No. 9 Providence.
The Johnnies and Friars will tip off at noon, kickstarting a four-game second-round slate of Big East hoops at Madison Square Garden.
Providence and St. John’s split the season series, with each team earning a win on the other’s home floor.
Of course, the headlines coming into this grudge match won’t have much to do with basketball, but will instead focus on the intense scuffle between the two teams back on Feb. 14.
Get your popcorn ready.
The Red Storm opened 10.5-point favorites over the Friars at DraftKings as of Wednesday night, with oddsmakers penciling in an Over/Under of 160.5 points,
St. John’s vs. Providence prediction, best bet
Kim English lived to fight another day as Providence took care of business and outpaced Butler, 91-81, in their high-scoring first round matchup Wednesday.
Scoring is not an issue for the Friars; they led the Big East in points per game, averaging 83.8 in the regular season. They rank 35th in KenPom with an offensive rating of 121.7.
Jaylin Sellers’ 19.6 points per game average was best in the conference, and he kept it going with 23 points against the Bulldogs.
Sharpshooting freshman Stefan Vaaks added 28 of his own, tying a Big East Tournament record of most 3-pointers made (eight) in a game.
Jason Edwards’ availability is still in question, though, as the Friars, outside of Sellers and Vaaks, lack a consistent third or fourth scoring option.
They also don’t offer much resistance on defense, either, allowing opponents to score a Big East-worst 84.3 points per outing through 28 games.
Conference Player of the Year Zuby Ejiofor was unguardable in both games against Providence this season, averaging 23.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.
Ejiofor also secured Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors, cementing his role as the true enforcer within St. John’s top 15 defense.
Entering this game, the Johnnies’ 95.6 adjusted defensive efficiency ranks 13th in the country, per Torvik rankings.
The guard depth of the Red Storm is also key. Ian Jackson and Joson Sanon are athletic enough to pick up full court and force ball handlers into turnovers, especially if Edwards doesn’t suit up.
While Dylan Darling and Oziyah Sellers can also cash in from 3-point range, as Providence is susceptible to perimeter shooting.
Betting on College Basketball?
The Friars’ -2.36 turnover margin ranked dead last in the conference, and this metric, combined with an early-afternoon turnaround, is influencing my pick on the Under.
All eyes will be on a potential Bryce Hopkins get back performance, but in both games this season, the over/under point total finished at 148.
The -10.5 spread line has some appeal, but I’m taking the under.
The Play: Under 160.5 (-110, DraftKings Sportsbook)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.
