The St. John's Red Storm take on the Georgetown Hoyas in Washington, DC. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
St. John's is favored by 4 points on the spread with a moneyline of -180. The total is set at 141 points.
Here are my St. John's vs. Georgetown predictions and college basketball picks for January 28, 2025.
St. John's vs. Georgetown Odds
| St. John's Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4 -110 | 141 -110 / -110 | -180 |
| Georgetown Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4 -110 | 141 -110 / -110 | +150 |
- St. John's vs Georgetown spread: St. John's -4
- St. John's vs Georgetown over/under: 141 points
- St. John's vs Georgetown moneyline: St. John's -180, Georgetown +150
- St. John's vs Georgetown best bet: St. John's -4.5 (Play to -5.5)
My St. John's vs Georgetown best bet is on the Red Storm spread, with the best odds currently available at DraftKings. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
My St. John's vs Georgetown NCAAB Betting Preview
Could now be the right time to target a Georgetown squad in the middle of a full-on free fall. Losers of five of their past six games, the Hoyas need to right the ship quickly as their NCAA Tournament hopes dwindle.
In the first battle between the two teams, Georgetown took a five-point loss in Queens, as St. John's ratcheted up the pressure to cut down a 15-point deficit.
Rick Pitino is proving why he was the guy who got the Johnnies' program on the right track. The Red Storm have won 13 of their last 14 contests, with the lone loss coming by one point in Omaha versus Creighton. They've been road warriors, securing triumphs over Seton Hall and Xavier in the past six games.
The Hoyas opted to play zone often in the first matchup, which caused problems for St. John's since it doesn't have shooting. We'll see if Ed Cooley wants to give the scalding-hot Red Storm a similar defensive look.
The shooting problems are what they are. Pitino knows it, and the roster won't change in late January. The good thing is the Johnnies' defense ranks fifth in efficiency, so it can dominate in other ways.
Also, is Kadary Richmond finally here? Perhaps. With Deivon Smith hurt, Richmond needs to step up. The former All-Big East selection at Seton Hall scored 19 points in the Red Storm's come-from-behind win against Xavier. He's a threat from 15 feet and in, so Richmond has to focus on scoring from that region.
I have two major matchup worries for Georgetown: It struggles to secure defensive rebounds, ranking 213th in defensive rebounding rate. That's a problem since St. John's is relentless on the offensive glass, ranking 11th in offensive rebounding rate.
Zuby Ejiofor, Aaron Scott and RJ Luis Jr. each secure two-plus offense rebounds per game. With three big-time athletes hitting the boards, Georgetown will struggle to end defensive possessions.
The other concern is turnovers. That's what flipped the game in the first meeting. Georgetown gave the ball away 19 times, sparking countless St. John's fastbreak chances. The pressure entirely broke the Hoyas' spirit, and I imagine Coach Pitino knows that.
Turnovers have remained a season-long worry for Georgetown, as it's turning the ball over 19% of the time.
I'm a fan of Georgetown's starting lineup, as Thomas Sorber, Micah Peavy, Malik Mack and Jayden Epps each average 12+ points per game.
However, the depth behind the stout starters is very unproven, with a huge drop-off in talent. Asking the starters to handle the press — especially with Epps nursing an injury for the past month — is a big ask.
I'm in agreement with KenPom on where he sets the line. He gives the Johnnies a six-point win, and I was surprised to see Georgetown as a 4.5-point 'dog. The turnover issues, rebounding issues and pure talent weights in the road team's favor, even in a fairly difficult spot.
Pick: St. John's -4.5 (Play to -5.5)
