What’s better than a matinee tip-off at MSG? #17 St. John’s (21-5, 14-1) enters Saturday on an impressive 12-game winning streak. The Red Storm will hope to keep the good times rolling against Creighton (14-13, 8-8). Despite their mediocre record, the Bluejays just took down #5 UConn on Wednesday. Can they deliver another massive Big East upset this afternoon?
St. John’s comes into this one as 13.5-point favorites (+100) over Creighton. The total is set at 153.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here’s a college basketball pick, preview and prediction for Saturday’s game between the Bluejays and the Red Storm.
Creighton vs. St. John’s prediction, preview
For all their flaws, the Bluejays do possess plenty of talent. After all, this group ranks 59th on KenPom with a 117.6 adjusted offensive efficiency. Still, a lackluster defense prevents this team from joining the Big East’s elite. Creighton’s only shot at a March Madness appearance will come by winning the NCAA Tournament. Still, taking down UConn offers a nice momentum booster heading into the season’s final stretch.
If Creighton is going to pull off a second straight upset, it’ll need to put up some buckets. That means relying heavily on a balanced starting five; four different players are averaging over ten points per game. Leading the way is Josh Dix, one of the Big East’s better shooters. Despite a middling season this year, the senior is a career 38.5% shooter from three-point range. He’s joined in the backcourt by Austin Swartz (11.4 PPG) and Nik Graves (10.3 PPG, 3.9 AST).
Down low, it’s been a bit more uncertain for head coach Greg McDermott. Jasen Green has been solid (10.5 PPG, 5.6 REB), but he’s a bit undersized at 6’8″. Centers Isaac Traudt and Owen Freeman have been inconsistent, at best. It’s no coincidence that the Bluejays are averaging 35.2 rebounds per game, fourth-fewest in the conference. That could spell trouble against a St. John’s squad that loves crashing the glass.
Speaking of those Johnnies, it all starts with Zuby Ejiofor. The do-it-all center has enjoyed another terrific campaign in Queens. Over 26 games, he’s putting up 16.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists. On the other end of the floor, Zuby has chipped in with 1.9 blocks and 1.2 steals. However, he was held to just 12 points when these two schools last met on January 10th. Still, SJU managed to deliver a commanding 90-72 victory in Omaha. That win speaks to the depth at head coach Rick Pitino’s disposal.
Behind Ejiofor, the supporting cast is filled with experienced veterans. It took some time, but Providence transfer Bryce Hopkins (14.0 PPG, 5.9 REB) has been an ideal fit in the front court. At guard, Oziyah Sellers (11.0 PPG) and Ian Jackson (10.4 PPG) have split ball handling duties. Neither are traditional distributors, which has led to some early-season growing pains. However, based off of the Red Storm’s recent win streak, the pair have grown comfortable in their current roles. As a unit, St. John’s ranks 21st on KenPom with a +24.56 net rating. In addition, the school is 17th in the nation with a 96.5 adjusted defensive efficiency.
Creighton vs. St. John’s pick, best bet
Don’t let Creighton’s recent upset of UConn fool you; this group is frustratingly inconsistent. During their five most recent outings, the Bluejays have come up short against middling programs such as Georgetown and DePaul. A road matchup with the hottest team in college basketball is cause for concern. The spread is hefty, but St. John’s is poised for a dominant victory.
