Number 1 UConn heads to New York City to face unranked St.John’s on Saturday afternoon at 12:00 PM ET on FOX. Can the Red Storm cover the 3-point spread as home underdogs? Keep reading for our UConn vs. St. John’s prediction.
The UConn Huskies are 19-2 straight up in the regular season this year. They are 12-9 ATS this season.
The St. John’s Red Storm are 13-8 straight up in the regular season this year. They are 11-10 ATS this season.
UConn vs. St. John’s Matchup & Betting Odds
607 UConn Huskies (-3) at 608 St. John’s Red Storm (+3); o/u 145.5
12:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, February 3, 2024
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
TV: FOX
UConn vs. St. John’s Public Betting Information
Our CBB Public Betting Information page indicates that 52% of public bettors are currently backing UConn when it comes to the spread. This information is subject to change throughout the day, however, so be sure to check the link so you’re receiving the most up-to-date public betting data.
UConn Huskies Game Notes
Huskies forward Alex Karaban is questionable for Saturday’s game against St. John’s with an ankle injury. The 6’8” sophomore is averaging 14.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 52.3% from the floor this season. If Karaban is unable to play, UConn will likely turn to a combination of Samson Johnson and Jaylin Stewart to fill his minutes. Johnson is averaging 5.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in 19.0 minutes per contest this year.
St. John’s Red Storm Game Notes
St. John’s guard Daniss Jenkins had a big game in his club’s 88-77 road loss to Xavier on Wednesday night. In that game, the senior from Dallas posted 25 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal. He shot 11 of 17 from the floor and converted 2 of 5 attempts from long range. Jenkins is second on the team in scoring with 13.6 points per game this season.
Red Storm center Joel Soriano was also solid against the Musketeers on Wednesday night. The senior from Yonkers supplied 21 points, 15 rebounds, and 4 blocked shots in the loss. Soriano leads the Big East in rebounding with 10.0 boards per game on the campaign.
UConn vs. St. John’s CBB Betting Trends
UConn is 5-3 ATS in their last 8 games.
The Huskies are 4-2 ATS when playing an opponent on equal rest this season.
St. John’s is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games.
St. John’s is 9-13 ATS as an underdog since the start of last season.
UConn vs. St. John’s CBB Prediction:
UConn is the #1 team in the country and it’s easy to see why. The Huskies are 19-2 straight up this season with an average point differential of +17.4 points per game. The latter figure ranks fourth in the country. If that wasn’t enough, UConn is third in the country in adjusted efficiency margin according to Kenpom.com, The Huskies have also excelled at exceeding expectations. Since the start of last season, UConn is 37-19-1 ATS as a favorite and 20-5 ATS when playing an opponent on equal rest in that same span. The latter figure is the best in college basketball. I think it will be a tough road test, but I like the Huskies to win and cover in MSG on Saturday.