The Butler Bulldogs take on the St. John's Red Storm in New York, NY. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on Peacock.
St. John's is favored by 12.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -675. The total is set at 161.5 points.
Here’s my Butler vs. St. John's predictions and college basketball picks for January 28, 2026.
Butler vs St. John's Prediction
My Pick: St. John's -12.5 (Play to -13)
My Butler vs St. John's best bet is on the Red Storm to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Butler vs. St. John's Odds
| Butler Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+12.5 -112 | 161.5 -115 / -105 | +490 |
| St. John's Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-12.5 -108 | 161.5 -115 / -105 | -675 |
- Butler vs St. John's spread: St. John's -12.5
- Butler vs St. John's over/under: 161.5 points
- Butler vs St. John's moneyline: Butler +490, St. John's -675
Butler vs St. John's College Basketball Betting Preview
Butler Basketball
The Bulldogs have gotten on track, winning three straight games off the heels of a season-altering four-game losing skid.
During this streak, Butler has found its form on the offensive end, scoring 1.10 PPP or more in all three games.
Leading scorer Finley Bizjack will need to continue his hot streak — he scored 24+ points in each of the games during this stretch.
The Bulldogs are terrific at scoring inside, shooting 54% on 2s. They also grab 36% of their misses, which helps them get clean looks at the hoop.
The addition of Michael Ajayi has proven to be a game-changer for Thad Matta's squad. He's a bruiser on the glass (third nationally with 11.3 RPG) and averages 16 points per game.
Of late, Butler has really been stung by the turnover bug, giving the ball away at an 18% clip in its past six games. That's not a huge stunner given that starting point guard Jalen Jackson is out for the season, and a freshman is taking his place.
Rick Pitino put Azavier "Stink" Robinson's brain in a pretzel when these two met in Indianapolis, as he turned it over four times and scored just two points.
Even with Ajayi's dominance on the glass, Butler struggles to rebound defensively, giving up offensive boards at a 30% rate.
Another issue is Butler's interior defense, as teams shoot 51% from 2-point range against it. It's hard to feel great about the Bulldogs' defense improving with all the interior woes.
St. John's Basketball
St. John's has endured some real first-half woes lately, trailing at the break by six points against Seton Hall and 12 versus Xavier — both games ended in a late rally by the Johnnies.
Pitino knows his squad's limitations. The guard play is an issue, so the Red Storm are going with the jumbo lineup. Zuby Ejiofor, Bryce Hopkins and Dillon Mitchell are turning into a strong trio. Hopkins scored 18+ points in two of his last three games, while Ejiofor leads the team with 15.7 points a night.
Mitchell is less of a bruiser and more of an athletic freak, which gives defenses a different look from Ejiofor and Hopkins. The athletic Mitchell scored 17 points in two of his last three games.
Plus, the Red Storm are great on the offensive boards, grabbing 38% of their misses.
With Mitchell playing more, it's led to St. John's turning into a force on the defensive end. It ranks 21st in defensive efficiency over its last seven games, per Bart Torvik. The Red Storm force turnovers on 20% of possessions, which allows them to run in transition.
Butler vs. St. John's Betting Analysis
Even though this spread is large, I actually like St. John's in this spot.
For one, St. John's will use its size to force a barrage of turnovers. All five Red Storm starters are 6-foot-5 or taller, and that could be a huge issue for a Butler team that has serious turnover problems.
Another reason to back the Red Storm? Their interior scoring and dominance on the glass.
In their prior meeting, St. John's shot 55% from inside the arc due to Ejiofor and Hopkins' dominance. I expect something similar here.
My Pick: St. John's -12.5 (Play to -13)
