If you joined the March Madness pool this year and you live in the Greater New York City Area, there’s a good chance that at least one person in that pool chose St. John’s to win it all.
There’s a local bias to that of course, but the Red Storm faithful looked a little wiser Friday after a 79-53 first-round victory over No. 12 Northern Iowa.
While many weren’t expecting an upset, it was a convincing performance from the fifth-placed Johnnies, who have won 20 of their last 21 games.
St. John’s blew up the contest in no time – 13-0 in three minutes, six early in the 3rd and the first half that buried Northern Iowa before it could even find its footing.
Zuby Ejiofor finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds as a dominant force in the paint on both ends of the floor.
The Johnnies carried that statement on the day with No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks on Sunday as 3.5 point favorites.
St. John’s vs. Kansas forecast, odds
Kansas plays a scrappy defense and revolves around the mature, level-three scoring talents of Darryn Peterson.
Peterson’s 28 points powered the Jayhawks to a 68-60 decision over Cal Baptist, a game in which a late run tested the Jayhawks’ defensive resolve.
A lot depends on how much Peterson can continue to produce in this game.
Even though he wasn’t blocked in 37 minutes Friday, possessions were cut short when Kansas looked to get him the ball.
St. John’s aggressive interior defense and defensive rotation are designed to slow down ball handlers like Peterson, forcing him to get to contested mid-range shots or in situations that can draw momentum.
Throughout the Johnnies’ 20-1 run, they held their opponents to just 63 points per game, forced 6.8 steals and 5.2 blocks.
And while their shooting from deep is weak (33.3 percent), they compensate with offensive rebounding and disciplined court defense that limits high-percentage looks.
Besides, Peterson’s 20-plus points in four of his last six games have come primarily on set pieces.
The Johnnies’ field goal defense is also solid; they limit their opponents to 42 percent shooting, and their presence inside with Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins creates a bottleneck in the paint.
The biggest concern for Kansas is whether this turns into a repeat of the Houston game, where a physical, defensive opponent completely disrupted them in the Big 12 Tournament.
St. John’s has the profile to do just that: top-10 defense, lowest opponent scoring (63.0 PPG over last 10), and a willingness to grind.
Kansas also hasn’t shot well recently (39.8 percent over the last 10), playing directly to St. Louis’ strength.
Betting on College Basketball?
Flory Bidunga anchors Kansas’ interior defense, averaging 2.6 blocks and 9.2 rebounds per game. He won Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year by holding opponents to low percentage shooting and grabbing a wealth of offensive rebounds.
With two of KenPom’s top 11 teams in defensive rating and it’s a game that’s been heralded as the biggest round of 32 since before the tournament even started: Rick Pitino’s toughness against one of college basketball’s best — and most versatile — players.
MATCH: Under 144.5 (-110, bet365)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Sean Treppedi handicaps NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He focuses on selections that reflect market value while tracking trends to minimize risk.
