St. Johns vs Arizona | Prediction & Pick

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St. Johns Red Storm vs Arizona Wildcats
Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 9:30 PM EST on ESPN2

Spread: Arizona -2.5
Money Line: Arizona -145 / St. Johns +125

The St. John’s Red Storm will face their toughest test of the young season this Thursday as they tip off against the No. 16-ranked Arizona Wildcats at the 2K Sports Classic in New York. With what’s shaping up to be a competitive season in the Big East fast approaching, the heavyweight matchup will serve as a true test of the team’s mettle.

Though the Red Storm are distant National Championship contenders at best, they remain an intriguing choice on the college basketball odds board as a potential darkhorse power in the Big East. They may not have the firepower of Connecticut or Louisville, but they have benefited early on from the rounded contributions of their first-year players.

With freshmen Moe Harkless and D’Angelo Harrison serving as valuable options on offense, and with first-year upperclassmen God’sgift Achiuwa and Nurideen Lindsey thriving in their first years in uniform, the Red Storm have emerged as an interesting, albeit unconventional, threat.

Will it be enough to thwart Kyle Fogg and the Wildcats? The jury is still out. Though both St. John’s and Arizona approach the game with unbeaten 3-0 records, the Wildcats have done so with the sort of blue chip roster that has made them a perennial contender.

The odds makers have the Arizona Wildcats as a -2.5 point favorite.

Will we see the Red Storm continue to rise over the course of the season? Or is the ceiling pretty much set on their season. You be the judge.

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St. John’s Red Storm Betting Trends:

• St. John’s is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games
• St. John’s11-3-1 SU in its last 15 games
• St. John’s10-1-1 SU in its last 12 games at home
• St. John’s is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing St. Francis NY

Arizona Wildcats Betting Trends:

• Arizona18-4-1 SU in its last 23 games
• Arizona is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
• Arizona is 19-1 SU in its last 20 games at home
• The total has gone OVER in 10 of Arizona’s last 14 games at home