St. John’s vs Duke odds, predictions and betting tips – back St. John’s in a defensive slugfest

After squeaking out the win against Kansas, St. John’s now faces off against their toughest opponent yet, drawing Duke in the Sweet Sixteen. The Red Storm were fortunate to make it past the round of 32, needing a last second shot to seal the win.

In a highly anticipated matchup against the Blue Devils, St. John’s will need to continue to play at a high level on defense, bottling up an offense who ranks near the top of the board in most offensive metrics.

If the Red Storm can disrupt their rhythm, then they will be able to keep it close on the scoreboard and potentially generate the upset.

St John’s vs Duke best bets

• Under 141.5 total points: -110 with BetMGM
• St. John’s to cover the +6.5 spread: -110 with BetMGM
• Cameron Boozer under 36.5 points+rebounds+assists: -106 with FanDuel

Over the past month of play, St. John’s odds of winning the National Championship have steadily grown as they continue to improve on both ends of the court. Their resurgence on offense helped spark their run in the Big East Conference Tournament, fielding a lineup who ranks in the top-50 in Adjusted Offensive Rating.

St John’s turnaround can be attributed to Zuby Ejiofor who is currently averaging 16.3 Points and 7.3 Rebounds per game while shooting 54.5% from the field. When Ejiofor is able to pull defensive attention to the middle, this frees up more space for his spot up shooters around the perimeter, improving the quality of their shot attempts from three.

Every bit of his production will be needed against Duke as he faces off against a defense who currently leads the nation in Defensive Efficiency. With St. John’s capable of matching their defensive production, Friday’s contest between the Red Storm and Blue Devils will turn into a defensive slugfest, resulting in a low scoring affair.

St John’s vs Duke preview

Even though St. John’s is listed as a sizable underdog per the current spread, their defense will be able to keep it uncomfortably close on the scoreboard, increasing their chances of covering. If they are able to get the ball out of Cameron Boozer’s hands, this will force one of Duke’s secondary scorers to beat them, leading to an uptick in their total number of one and done possessions.

St John’s vs Duke betting tips

Find the latest odds for St John’s vs Duke courtesy of BetMGM. Odds are subject to change.

Under 141.5 points

Even though St John’s has steadily improved on offense over the past month of play, they still lack the consistency that is needed to avoid prolonged scoring lulls, ranking outside the top-150 in Shot Quality. By struggling to create space, it’s easier for opposing defenses to keep a hand in their shooter’s face, lowering their chances of scoring.

Luckily for St. John’s, their defense will be able to keep them competitive in their contest against Duke, fielding a lineup who ranks well above league average in Havoc. By holding the Blue Devils into early outs, they will be able to chip away at their total number of possessions and scoring opportunities, keeping the score under the listed total.

Tip St. John’s and Duke to score under 141.5 points at -110 with BetMGM Sportsbook

St John’s to cover the +6.5 spread

Correlating this prop with the previously mentioned one, a low scoring affair shades value towards the Red Storm’s spread as points are expected to come at a premium. Especially if the Red Storm are able to continue to create Disruptions at a high rate, forcing the Blue Devils into shortened possessions before they are able to get up a shot.

Speaking of Havoc, that has quietly been a thorn in Duke’s side this year, ranking outside the top-100 in Turnover Percentage. With the Blue Devils struggling to clog St John’s passing lanes, the Red Storm will be able to break away from their coverage, increasing their chances of generating a high quality shot near the rim.

Back St John’s to cover +6.5 at -110 with BetMGM Sportsbook

Cameron Boozer under 36.5 points + rebounds + assists

Since the start of the regular season, Cameron Boozer has built a strong case for winning the Wooden award, averaging 22.4 Points, 10.3 Rebounds, and 4.2 Assists per game while shooting 56.3% from the floor. With Boozer running the offense, the Blue Devils have been efficient, ranking in the top-10 in Adjusted Offensive Rating.

In a daunting matchup against St. John’s, expect Boozer to struggle to replicate the same success he had earlier in the year, battling it out against a defense who ranks near the top of the board in Opposing Effective Field Goal Percentage. With the Red Storm capable of shifting their coverage to help keep a defender on his hip, this will force Boozer to swing the ball, keeping him out of the stat sheet in the process.

Bet on Cameron Boozer to be held under 36.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists at -106 with FanDuel Sportsbook

St John’s vs Duke injury report

Below are the key injuries to monitor for St John’s and Duke heading into the Sweet Sixteen.

St John’s Red Storm

• Out: N/A
• Questionable: N/A
• Doubtful: N/A

Duke Blue Devils

• Out: N/A
• Questionable: N/A
• Doubtful: Caleb Foster (guard) – foot

St John’s vs Duke game info

• Date: Friday, March 27th
• Time: 7:10pm EST
• Venue: Capital One Arena – Washington, DC
• Where to watch: CBS

About the author

Kody Malstrom

Kody Malstrom is a professional sports bettor and sports betting journalist with six years of experience covering a vast majority of sports. He covers football, basketball, hockey, baseball, and the UFC in written and video form.

Born and raised in Michigan, Kody is a Detroit sports fan who spends all of his Sundays in the fall rooting for the Detroit Lions and Saturdays watching as much College Football as possible. In the winter, he shifts his focus to the Detroit Red Wings and Pistons while simultaneously rooting for his North Carolina Tar Heels.

When he is not staring at betting markets, you can find Kody at the beach or snowboarding down a mountain, depending on the time of the year.

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