Teams in the bottom half of the Big East standings look to turn their luck around when the Butler Bulldogs take on the St. John’s Red Storm on Tuesday. The Bulldogs (10-7, 2-4 Big East), who are just 2-3 on the road this season, have won two of their last three games overall. The Red Storm (11-6, 1-5) will be out to snap a five-game losing streak. St. John’s have been tough at home, going 8-2 at Carnesecca Arena.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 pm ET. Butler leads the all-time series 10-9, but St. John’s has won three of the last four meetings, including both last season. The Red Storm are 3-point favorites in the latest Butler vs. St. John’s from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under total points scored is set at 149. Before picking St. John’s vs. Butler, be sure to check out the SportsLine projection model college basketball predictions and betting tips.
The SportsLine projection model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters Week 9 of the 34-18 season on college basketball’s top picks, returning more than $1,000 for $100 players. Anyone who has followed him has seen profitable returns.
Now, the model has set his sights on Butler vs. St. John’s and simply posted your CBB picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to view model selections. Here are the college basketball odds and betting lines for St. John’s vs. Butler:
- Butler’s spread against St. John: St. John’s -3
- Butler vs. St. John’s plus/minus: 149 points
- BUT: Bulldogs are 9-2 against the spread in their last 11 games following an ATS loss
- STJ: The Over is 6-1 in Red Storm’s last seven home games against a team with a losing record
- Butler’s picks vs. St. John: See the picks on SportsLine
featured game | St. John’s Red Storm vs. Butler Bulldogs
Why St. John’s can cover
Red Storm has five players averaging 9.5 points per game or better. Guard Andre Curbelo is one of those players, averaging 10.5 points, 5.1 assists and 1.8 steals per game. He scored 12 points and dished out four assists in a loss to Providence. He has reached double-digit scoring in nine games, including a season-high 23 in a 76-69 overtime win at Syracuse on Nov. 22.
Junior guard Posh Alexander, who has started 15 of the 16 games he has played in, is coming off a season-tying 14-point, five-rebound effort at Providence on Saturday. It was their third double-figure scoring game in the last four, and their ninth this season. The other two 14-point performances came at No. 23 Iowa State on December 4 and against Merrimack on November 7. For the season, Alexander is averaging 9.5 points, 4.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game.
Why Butler can cover
The Bulldogs are led by second-year guard Jayden Taylor, who is coming off a 14-point, six-rebound performance in the loss at Seton Hall. Taylor is averaging 13.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.2 assists per game. He is connecting on 44.6% of his field goals, including 37.2% from 3-point range and 82.5% from the free throw line. Taylor has done much of his best work on the road, where he is averaging 16.6 points and 1.4 assists per game.
Senior center Manny Bates, a transfer from North Carolina State, is one of four Bulldogs averaging double-digit scores. Bates is averaging 13.2 points, six rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 assists per game. He has reached double-digit scoring in each of his last four games, including a 15-point, six-rebound performance at Georgetown in an 80-51 victory on Jan. 1.
How To Make St. John’s Vs. Butler
SportsLine’s model skews under the total, projecting a combined 147 points. It has also generated a pick against the spread that is correct in over 60% of the simulations. You can only get model selection at SportsLine.
So who wins Butler against St. John’s? And which side of the difference affects more than 60% of the simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on – everything from the forward model who is 34-18 in his highest-rated college basketball picks this season – and find out.