The St. John's Red Storm take on the Marquette Golden Eagles in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Wednesday, Feb. 18. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET on TNT.
St. John's is favored by 9.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -550. The total is set at 155.5 points.
Here’s my St. John's vs. Marquette prediction and college basketball picks for Wednesday, February 18.
St. John's vs Marquette Prediction
My Pick: St. John's -9.5 · Zuby Ejiofor Over Points + Rebounds + Assists
My St. John's vs Marquette best bets are on the Red Storm to cover the spread and Zuby Ejiofor to go over his points, rebounds and assists prop. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
St. John's vs. Marquette Odds
| St. John's Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9.5 -110 | 155.5 -110 / -110 | -550 |
| Marquette Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9.5 -110 | 155.5 -110 / -110 | +400 |
- St. John's vs Marquette Spread: St. John's -9.5
- St. John's vs Marquette Over/Under: 155.5 points
- St. John's vs Marquette Moneyline: St. John's -550, Marquette +400
St. John's vs Marquette College Basketball Betting Preview
St. John's Basketball
The 17th-ranked Red Storm head into this clash with Marquette with a 20-5 overall record, having won 11 straight contests.
St. John's ranks second in the Big East with a 13-1 record, trailing only Dan Hurley’s UConn Huskies in the conference standings.
Despite RJ Luis Jr.’s departure to the NBA, Rick Pitino absolutely crushed it in the transfer portal this offseason.
In a decision that surprised many, Pitino landed former UNC guard Ian Jackson. Jackson was a five-star recruit out of high school and was a huge addition for Hubert Davis at UNC last season.
While Jackson has actually taken a step back scoring-wise, posting just 10 points per contest after averaging nearly 13 points for the Tar Heels in 2024-25, his length and athleticism have turned him into an elite defender.
The sophomore runs point for a Johnnies offense that racks up 84.5 points per game and ranks inside the top 40 in the country in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom.
Pitino also acquired 6-foot-7 forward Bryce Hopkins in the transfer portal to play alongside star Zuby Ejiofor in the Red Storm's frontcourt. The former Friar transferred across the Big East after injuries largely impacted his ability to stay healthy with Providence over the last two seasons.
The fifth-year senior is averaging just shy of 14 points per contest with six rebounds. The former Providence star added much-needed depth to a Johnnies team with a very short bench.
The presence of Hopkins and Dillon Mitchell in St. John's frontcourt has made it very difficult for defenses to game plan for Ejiofor, who was getting double-teamed at an alarming rate in 2024-25.
Ejiofor is having a monster season and has stepped up in a big way as the Red Storm’s senior leader. The 6-foot-9 forward is scoring over 16 points per game, along with over seven rebounds.
The Johnnies have been even more effective on the other end of the floor, with Pitino’s defense ranking inside the top 20 in the nation in defensive efficiency, per Haslametrics.
St. John's defense is allowing 72 points per game thus far, maintaining a solid scoring margin over the course of this season.
Marquette Basketball
It's been a disastrous campaign for Marquette, which has posted a dreadful 9-17 overall record, winning just four of its first 15 matchups in Big East play.
For a Golden Eagles squad that's been very impressive in recent years — making the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four seasons — it certainly feels like a complete rebuild.
Leading the charge for Marquette’s offense is six-foot freshman point guard Nigel James Jr. The Long Island native has been spectacular in his first collegiate season, headlining a Golden Eagles backcourt that's been pretty solid offensively.
James is scoring just under 16 points per game this season, along with five assists and three rebounds. The freshman has been very efficient shooting the ball, converting on nearly half of his field goal attempts.
Alongside James, Chase Ross is quietly having a big season of his own, posting nearly 15 points per game. He's also contributing over four rebounds and three assists, as well.
The Golden Eagles are scoring under 76 points per game, ranking outside the top 100 in the country in both total offense and offensive efficiency, per KenPom.
While Marquette’s backcourt is very underrated, the same can't be said of its frontcourt.
Sophomore Royce Parham has been decent, scoring just over 12 points per contest, but the rest of Shaka Smart's forwards are all averaging below eight points on the offensive end.
It doesn't get much better for the Golden Eagles on the other end of the floor, as they're also ranking outside the top 100 in defensive efficiency while allowing nearly 80 points per contest.
St. John's vs Marquette Pick, Betting Analysis
This contest features two teams headed in completely opposite directions, and I expect the final score to resemble that.
St. John's has quietly been one of the hottest teams in the sport as of late, having won 11 in a row and 13 of its last 14 contests.
Under Pitino’s vast experience, the Red Storm are in scorching form with a few weeks left in the regular season.
While the Golden Eagles will be playing on their home floor in Milwaukee — where they've won their last three games — they run into a squad with a massive frontcourt that should pose substantial problems for their roster, which lacks size and athleticism.
In these teams’ first meeting in early January, St. John's laid a 24-point beatdown at Madison Square Garden behind Ejiofor’s 22-point scoring effort.
Smart's bunch had serious difficulty with the size and physicality of this Red Storm frontcourt, and I expect more of the same in Wednesday's rematch.
I could envision Marquette hanging around in the first 20 minutes in the comfort of its home, where it's been far more reliable this season.
However, the Red Storm should break away in the second half to win this game by double figures.
I'll be backing the Johnnies to keep on rolling to a 12th consecutive victory while covering the spread in the process.
I also see some value in backing Ejiofor to exceed his PRA prop as well, with Marquette’s frontcourt being seriously overmatched in the paint.
My Picks: St. John's -9.5 · Zuby Ejiofor Over Points + Rebounds + Assists
