St. John’s Red Storm vs Omaha Mavericks Picks and Predictions March 20th 2025

St. John’s Red Storm vs Omaha Mavericks March 20th 2025

Looking to win big? The Mavericks and Red Storm face off at 9:45 ET on CBS. The Red Storm are hosting the game at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, RI. This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 148 points, and St. John’s is favored by -18.5 vs. Omaha.

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Mavericks vs. Red Storm Key Information

• Sport: CBB
• Teams: Omaha Mavericks at St. John’s Red Storm
• Where: Providence at Amica Mutual Pavilion
• Date: Thursday, March 20th
• Betting Odds STJOHN -18.5, NEOM +1333 | STJOHN -3601 O/U 148

The Mavericks Can Win If…

Omaha Mavericks Recent Game/Games

Omaha improved to 20-12 on the season with an 85-75 win over St. Thomas (MN) on Sunday, March 9th. The Mavericks, who were +4 point underdogs, not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.

Omaha led 39-33 at halftime and scored 46 points in the 2nd half while allowing 42. The total points for the game reached 160, surpassing the O/U line of 153.

Omaha put up 85 points in their last game, shooting 49.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 56.1%. They hit 39.1% from beyond the arc, connecting on 9 of 23 attempts, and went 20-for-27 from the free-throw line, good for 74.1%.

JJ White led the way with 29 points and 5 assists, shooting 71.4% overall and 60% from deep. Marquel Sutton added 22 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, while Nolan Minessale contributed 20 points, hitting 60% from the field and 3-for-5 from three-point range.

Omaha’s defense gave up 75 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 49% from the field. They allowed 28 made field goals on 57 attempts.

From two-point range, the opposition shot 55%, hitting 19 of 34. From beyond the arc, they went 9 for 23, shooting 39%. Omaha also sent them to the line 27 times, where they made 20 free throws, shooting 74%. Omaha allowed 8 offensive rebounds.

• Although Omaha has a straight up record of 1-2 in their last three road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 1-2. The team averaged 82 points per game in these games.
• The Mavericks have played well in their last three games as the betting underdog, going 2-1 straight up and 2-1 against the spread.
• Over their last three games, the Mavericks have an over/under record of 2-1 and are 3-0 vs. the spread.

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The Red Storm Can Win If…

St. John’s Red Storm Recent Game/Games

St. John’s improved to 30-4 on the season with an 82-66 home win over Creighton on Saturday. The Red Storm entered the game as -6.5 favorites and covered the spread, while the total points of 148 went over the pre-game line of 143.5.

After trailing 28-25 at halftime, St. John’s exploded for 57 points in the second half while holding Creighton to 38 points, securing the win.

St. John’s offense put up 82 points in their last game, shooting 52.3% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc, hitting 7 of 14 threes. Their effective field goal percentage was 58.5%, and they grabbed 11 offensive rebounds, dishing out 16 assists as a team.

RJ Luis Jr. led the way with 29 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 61.1% overall and hitting all 3 of his three-point attempts. Zuby Ejiofor added 20 points, while Ryan Kalkbrenner contributed 15 points on 70% shooting. Jamiya Neal and Steven Ashworth each had 13 points, with Ashworth also adding 7 assists despite shooting just 15.8% from the field.

St. John’s gave up 66 points in their last game, allowing their opponent to shoot 52% from the field. Their defense struggled both inside and out, with the other team hitting 52% of their two-point attempts, going 27/51.

From beyond the arc, St. John’s opponent shot 50%, making 7 of 14 three-pointers. They also sent them to the free-throw line 11 times, where they converted 7, shooting 63%. St. John’s allowed 11 offensive rebounds.

• St. John’s has played well in their previous three home games, going 3-0 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 81 points per game while allowing 70. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-0-1.
• In their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Red Storm have a straight up record of 9-1 and an ATS mark of 6-3-1.
• In their last five games, the Red Storm have an over/under record of 2-3 and are 4-1 vs. the spread.

The Lean

For a pick on the point-spread in this Red Storm vs. Mavericks matchup, our bet is to grab the Mavericks at +18.5. Even though our projections have the Red Storm winning 79-68, we see the Mavericks as the play on the point-spread.

Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 148 and given that our model is projecting 147 points between the teams, we like the under.

Rick Pitino, St. John’s Zoom in on Opener Against No. 15 Omaha

St. John’s is back in the NCAA Tournament, and legendary coach Rick Pitino is making sure his squad stays locked in as it prepares for its first-round matchup against No. 15 seed Omaha in the West Region on Thursday in Providence, R.I.

St. John’s Focused on Taking Care of Business

The Red Storm (30-4) have exceeded all expectations under Pitino, securing both the Big East regular-season and tournament titles in his second season at the helm. St. John’s is riding a nine-game winning streak and enters March Madness as one of the hottest teams in the country.

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Despite the potential for a second-round showdown with either Kansas or Arkansas, Pitino remains laser-focused on Omaha.

“I’m just gonna focus on Omaha. I’ve lost in the first round before, so I’m gonna just focus on that.” — Rick Pitino

Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis Jr. leads St. John’s with 18.4 points per game, while Zuby Ejiofor (14.6 ppg, 8.0 rpg) provides a dominant interior presence. Ejiofor exploded for a career-high 33 points in the Big East semifinals against Marquette.

While the Red Storm are not a great perimeter shooting team (30.4% from three), their suffocating defense, which holds opponents to 65.9 points per game, ranks No. 1 in adjusted defensive efficiency per KenPom.

Omaha Embracing the Underdog Role

Omaha (22-12) is making its NCAA Tournament debut after a remarkable run to the Summit League championship, capped by an 85-75 win over St. Thomas. Head coach Chris Crutchfield, an Omaha graduate, knows the challenge ahead but is relishing the opportunity.

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“It’s a little bit intimidating, to be honest with you, but our guys will be up for the challenge.” — Chris Crutchfield

Summit Player of the Year Marquel Sutton (19.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg) is the Mavericks’ go-to scorer, while sharpshooters JJ White (13.7 ppg, 43.9% 3PT) and Tony Osburn (12.2 ppg, 40.4% 3PT) provide a deep threat against St. John’s aggressive defense.

Key Matchup Factors

The battle between Sutton and Ejiofor in the paint will be crucial, but Omaha’s ability to stretch the floor with White and Osburn could be the X-factor. If the Mavericks can handle St. John’s pressure defense and knock down threes at a high rate, they could make things interesting.

For those looking at March Madness betting strategies, this game presents a classic showdown between an elite defensive squad and a scrappy underdog with nothing to lose.