St. John’s (9-5, 2-1) will take on Butler (10-5, 1-3) tonight at 7:00 p.m. EST at Indianapolis’ Hinkle Fieldhouse. For the visiting Johnnies, a win is desperately needed following Saturday’s defeat vs. Providence. On the flip side, the Bulldogs have been a pleasant surprise in the Big East.
Which of these conference foes will pick up a win on Tuesday? enters as 4.5-point favorites (-112) over Butler. The total is set at 163.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here’s a college basketball pick, preview and prediction for tonight’s game between the Red Storm and the Bulldogs.
St. John’s vs. Butler prediction, preview
As previously mentioned, it’s been a less than ideal start for St. John’s. Rick Pitino’s crew has lost five games before reaching ten wins. That’s a disappointing feat for a group that entered the season with national title expectations. The biggest concern this summer was the roster’s lack of a traditional point guard. Unsurprisingly, the backcourt has been a revolving door so far for the Red Storm.
It’s not just about the losses for SJU; it’s how the team has lost those games. Blown second-half leads against Kentucky, Providence, and Auburn all loom large. Still, this group has also played some nail-biters against championship contenders such as Alabama and Iowa State. St. John’s needs to prove it on the court, but underlying metrics are still high on this squad. Per KenPom, the Johnnies rank 25th in college basketball with a 21.46 adjusted efficiency margin.
Despite giving up more points, St. John’s still ranks third in the Big East with a 99.0 defensive rating. Two-way menace Zuby Ejiofor is the biggest reason for that stellar mark. Through 14 games, the center averaging 15.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 1.1 steals. Four other Red Storm players are averaging more than ten points per game this season.
With that being said, Ejiofor could struggle in this matchup Butler wields one of the Big East’s biggest rosters, led by 6’7″ forward Michael Ajayi. The Gonzaga transfer is putting up 16.3 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. Down low, 6’10” centers Drayton Jones and Yohan Traore form a potent duo. The Bulldogs have accounted for a conference-best 41.9 rebounds per game.
Following a lackluster 2024-25 campaign, Butler looks improved this season. A November victory over Virginia, along with victories over Providence and Northwestern, are early highlights. However, the Bulldogs have gotten blown out against UConn and Villanova, arguably the Big East’s top two teams. A better showing will be needed against St. John’s, a school that has more talent than its record suggests. Ajayi and fellow scorer Finley Bizjak (16.0 PPG) could wreak havoc against a defensively limited Johnnies backcourt.
St. John’s vs. Butler pick, best bet
There’s cause for concern when it comes to backing St. John’s. We’ve seen this school not only lose, but choke against less-talented opponents. With that being said, I still believe it’s only a matter of time until the Red Storm get it together. Saturday’s loss vs. Providence could serve as a wake-up call for Pitino and company. Butler, while improved, relies heavily on Ajayi and Bizjack for points. That formula could prove difficult to replicate against one of the Big East’s best defenses. Back the Red Storm on the road this evening.
