Finally, St. John’s is seeing their potential turn into a reality. After making the NCAA Tournament only three times in the last 24 seasons, the red-hot Red Storm (20-3, 11-1 Big East) is ranked No. 12 in the country.
The Johnnies earned a statement win on Tuesday against No. 11 Marquette. Tonight, they’ll have a chance for a second such victory when St. John’s travels to Connecticut to face the No. 19 ranked Huskies (16-6, 8-3 Big East).
UConn enters the game as a well-rested team, having last played against Marquette on Saturday. In addition to that victory over the Golden Eagles, the Huskies have wins over Baylor and Gonzaga to showcase their might.
Will the two-time defending NCAA champions impose their will over the up-and-coming Red Storm? We’ll answer that along with providing our three top player prop bets for Friday’s Big East Conference matchup.
St. John’s Red Storm G Kadary Richmond OVER 20.5 Pts + Rebs + Ast
Fifth-year senior Kadary Richmond has carved out a strong role for the Red Storm. While his numbers are down from last season at Seton Hall, the 6-foot-6 guard is averaging 12.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game for St. John’s this year.
For the last five games, he’s been a beast on both ends of the court. Richmond has combined for at least 21 combined points, rebounds, and assists. Bettors should expect him to achieve that on Friday against the Huskies to cover this player prop bet.
UConn Huskies F Alex Karaban OVER 14.5 Points
UConn forward Alex Karaban is in his third season as a starter for the Huskies, and his experience is showcased each night. The 6-foot-8 junior is scoring 15 points, grabbing 5.1 rebounds, and dishing out 3.2 assists each night to lead the back-to-back champions this season.
After a strong start to the season, Karaban’s scoring has waned during Big East play. The forward has been held under his season averaging five of the past eight games, including back-to-back contests to end January’s slate. Expect him to rebound from this slump against St. John’s and finish with at least 15 points for the Huskies.
St. John’s Red Storm G R.J. Luis OVER 6.5 Rebounds
Second-year player R.J. Luis has been a force to be reckoned with this season for St. John’s. The junior is leading the team with 17.4 points and is second on the Red Storm roster with 6.8 rebounds per night.
St. John’s has relied on this remarkable guard to be a force on the glass, too. The 6-foot-7 player has recorded at least seven rebounds in the past five games, and there’s little doubt he’ll collect that total again on Friday night to cover this player prop bet.
Best Bet: Connecticut (-3.5)
There’s no doubt that legendary coach Rick Pitino has St. John’s primed for a run in the Big East and NCAA tournament, especially after the team’s first victory over a ranked opponent on Tuesday.
However, savvy bettors will take the Huskies to win this contest. UConn has been sporadic this season, losing every game in the Maui Invitational and three Big East contests. I understand the trepidation bettors may experience, but the reality is the Huskies are the better team this season.
