St. John’s Red Storm vs Providence Friar Picks and Predictions February 1st 2025

No. 15 St. John’s Aims to Stay Hot Against Providence

St. John’s has been one of the hottest teams in college basketball, and as the Red Storm prepare to host Providence on Saturday, they’ll look to extend their winning streak while continuing their dominant defensive play.

St. John’s on a Historic Run

The Red Storm (18-3, 9-1 Big East) are coming off a perfect January, their first unbeaten month since the 1984-85 season—a year in which they reached the Final Four behind legendary star Chris Mullin. Their current seven-game winning streak has propelled them to No. 15 in the AP Poll, and they have held opponents under 60 points in three of their last four games.

Their latest victory, a 66-41 rout over Georgetown on Tuesday, was yet another defensive showcase. St. John’s held the Hoyas to just 24.6% shooting from the field while leading by as many as 30 points.

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Head coach Rick Pitino praised his team’s defensive growth.

“We really just focus on getting better, (and) this team is getting better and better. That defense we play. Do you know how many times first (and) second half that the clock was winding down and they had to take a desperation shot? That was great switching. That was great covering the gaps. So we’re getting better and better, and all we want to do is be the best.”

St. John’s has relied on balanced scoring throughout its run. RJ Luis Jr., who led the team in scoring for three straight games from Jan. 11-18, has cooled off slightly, totaling 26 points over the last two contests on 10-of-27 shooting. Against Georgetown, Zuby Ejiofor and Kadary Richmond each contributed 13 points.

Ejiofor has been particularly efficient, making 12 of his last 17 shots, while Richmond has reached double figures in four straight games.

Providence Looks to Keep Momentum Despite Injury Concerns

Providence (11-10, 5-5 Big East) has played better in recent weeks, winning four of its last six games. However, the Friars are still searching for consistency, as shown in their 69-67 escape against Seton Hall on Tuesday.

The Friars nearly squandered a 25-9 second-half lead and survived when Seton Hall missed two of three free throws in the final seconds. After the narrow win, head coach Kim English emphasized the need for improvement ahead of facing St. John’s.

“Disappointing. Some things we have to clean up, and we will. You better do it before you play St. John’s, who is one of the best in the country.”

Providence came close to beating St. John’s in their first meeting on Dec. 20, leading by 13 at halftime before falling 72-70. They’ll need a strong start again, but injuries could be a factor this time around.

Wesley Cardet Jr. has missed two of the last three games with a knee injury, and his status for Saturday remains uncertain. In his absence, Jayden Pierre has stepped up, leading the Friars with 16 points against Seton Hall. After struggling with his shot in mid-January (6-for-28 over three games), Pierre has rebounded, making 13 of his last 21 field-goal attempts.

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Jabri Abdur-Rahim (13 points) and Bensley Joseph (12 points) also contributed in the win over Seton Hall, but the Friars will need a complete team effort to upset St. John’s on the road.

What to Expect

St. John’s is in peak form, particularly on the defensive end, and their ability to force difficult shots has been a game-changer. Meanwhile, Providence has struggled to close out games, something they’ll need to fix if they hope to steal a win at Madison Square Garden.

Can St. John’s continue its dominant run and extend its winning streak to eight? Or will Providence pull off the upset and even the season series? The battle in New York will provide the answer.