St. John’s Red Storm vs Depaul Blue Demons Picks and Predictions December 17th 2024

St. John’s Red Storm vs DePaul Blue Demons December 17th 2024

Looking to win big? The Blue Demons and Red Storm face off at 6:30 ET on PEAC. The Red Storm are hosting the game at Carnesecca Arena in Queens, NY. The over/under for this game is set at 150 points, and St. John’s is favored by -13 vs. DePaul in a Big East conference matchup.

Blue Demons vs. Red Storm Key Information

DePaul improved to 8-2 on the season with a 91-72 win over Wichita State on Saturday. The Blue Demons, who were favored by 4.5 points, covered the spread with the victory. The total points for the game reached 163, surpassing the over/under line of 151.5.

After trailing 47-42 at halftime, DePaul turned things around in the second half, outscoring the Shockers 49-25. The Blue Demons’ strong defensive effort in the final 20 minutes was key to their win.

DePaul’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 91 points with a 51.6% shooting performance from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 64.5%, thanks in large part to their 17 made threes on 51.5% shooting from beyond the arc.

Jacob Meyer and CJ Gunn both hit 4 threes, with Meyer finishing with 23 points and Gunn adding 22 in just 13 minutes of action. DePaul also dished out 24 assists as a team, with Isaiah Rivera contributing 4 assists to go along with his 17 points and 7 rebounds.

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DePaul’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 72 points on 51% shooting from the field. The Blue Demons allowed 32 made field goals on 62 attempts.

From beyond the arc, DePaul’s defense gave up 17 threes on 33 attempts, with the opponent shooting 51% from deep. They also sent the opponent to the free-throw line 13 times, where they converted 10 free throws.

St. John’s improved to 8-2 on the season with a 99-77 win over Bryant on Wednesday. Playing at home, the Red Storm entered the game as -21 favorites and covered the spread. The total points for the game reached 176, surpassing the over/under line of 158.5.

St. John’s led 45-41 at halftime but clamped down defensively in the 2nd half, holding Bryant to 36 points while scoring 54 themselves.

St. John’s put up 99 points in their last game, shooting 50% from the field and posting an effective field goal percentage of 55.1%. They were efficient inside, hitting 59.6% of their two-point attempts, while their three-point shooting lagged at 30.8% (8/26). The Red Storm also grabbed 21 offensive rebounds and dished out 18 assists.

Zuby Ejiofor led the way with 22 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 70% from the field. Keyshawn Mitchell added 21 points and 12 rebounds, connecting on 66.7% of his shots and 50% from beyond the arc (2/4).

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St. John’s struggled defensively, giving up 77 points while allowing their opponents to shoot 50% from the field. The Red Storm had trouble containing shots inside the arc, where they gave up 31 two-point field goals on 52 attempts, a 59% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, St. John’s held their opponents to 30% shooting, with 8 made threes on 26 attempts. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 19 times, where they converted 13 free throws for a 68% rate. St. John’s allowed 21 offensive rebounds in the game.

For a point-spread wager in this Red Storm vs. Red Storm game, we suggest taking the Red Storm at -13. Even though our predictions have the Red Storm winning 76-70, we see the Blue Demons as the better choice on the point-spread.

As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 150 and our model has the Blue Demons and Red Storm finishing with a combined 146 points. Our pick is to take the under.

DePaul’s Hot 3-Point Shooting Faces Big East Test at St. John’s

DePaul and St. John’s, two teams off to promising starts, face off in a Big East clash on Tuesday night in New York. With DePaul’s red-hot 3-point shooting meeting a St. John’s team looking to clean up slow starts, both squads enter the matchup eager to prove themselves as conference play heats up.

DePaul’s 3-Point Prowess Key to Early Success

Under first-year head coach Chris Holtmann, DePaul (8-2, 0-1 Big East) has shown significant improvement, particularly from beyond the arc. The Blue Demons are shooting a blistering 40.4 percent from 3-point range—good for 13th in Division I—and have at least nine 3-pointers in every game this season.

A trio of sharpshooters has fueled DePaul’s success:

• Jacob Meyer, Isaiah Rivera, and David Skogman are each shooting at least 46 percent from deep.
• Rivera hit five 3-pointers and Meyer added four in Saturday’s 91-72 win over Wichita State, a game where DePaul set a school record with 17 made triples in regulation.

The balanced scoring approach has turned DePaul into the third-highest scoring offense in the Big East at 83.2 points per game.

Holtmann’s deep rotation has also paid dividends, with multiple players stepping up when needed. After Skogman dropped 22 points (six 3-pointers) in a loss to Providence, CJ Gunn filled the scoring void on Saturday, hitting four triples and leading the way with 22 points.

Forward N.J. Benson highlighted the team’s versatility:

“I’ve learned that it doesn’t really matter who’s playing. Coach always says that anybody can play.”

St. John’s Aiming to Fix Slow Starts

St. John’s (8-2) enters Tuesday’s contest on a three-game winning streak, having rebounded from a 66-63 loss to Georgia on Nov. 24. While the Red Storm have at times struggled to defend the 3-point line—allowing opponents to shoot 34 percent—they’ve shown recent improvement. In their last three games, they held Harvard, Kansas State, and Bryant to a combined 31 percent (22-of-71) from deep.

Head coach Rick Pitino feels good about his team’s offensive rhythm but knows they need to address their tendency to start slow.

“I think we’re more than ready. I think we’re playing really good offensive basketball,” Pitino said.

St. John’s has relied heavily on Zuby Ejiofor, who has delivered back-to-back dominant performances. Against Kansas State, Ejiofor exploded for 28 points and 13 rebounds, then followed it up with 22 points and 10 boards against Bryant. He’s now averaging 14.4 points per game and has been instrumental in helping St. John’s pull away in second halves.

Ejiofor acknowledged the need for improvement in the early stages of games:

“That’s something that we really got to work on. We’re going to be watching film and figure out what we need to work on. The little details, the little things that are going to get us a big lead in the first half.”

Key Matchup: DePaul’s 3-Point Attack vs. St. John’s Perimeter Defense

The game’s outcome will likely hinge on whether DePaul can maintain its 3-point shooting against St. John’s improving defense. If Meyer, Rivera, and Skogman continue their efficiency from beyond the arc, the Blue Demons could force St. John’s to play catch-up.

On the other hand, St. John’s size and physicality, led by Ejiofor, could exploit DePaul’s defense and dominate the paint. The Red Storm’s ability to lock in early and limit DePaul’s rhythm from deep will be crucial.

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What’s at Stake

For DePaul, a win would solidify its status as one of the most improved teams in the Big East under Chris Holtmann and prove its offensive firepower is no fluke.

For St. John’s, it’s about maintaining momentum and avoiding sluggish starts as they aim to establish themselves as legitimate contenders in the conference.

The Bottom Line

DePaul’s sharpshooting meets St. John’s physicality and experience in a game where execution will be key. Will DePaul’s red-hot 3-point shooting continue, or will St. John’s defense rise to the challenge? If the Red Storm can clean up their early-game woes, they’ll be tough to beat at home. However, if DePaul heats up from deep, the Blue Demons could pull off a statement win to kick off their Big East campaign.