The Iona Gaels (8-3) and No. 21 St. John’s Red Storm (5-3) meet Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. Tip-off is set for noon ET (TNT). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NCAA basketball odds around the Iona vs. St. John’s odds and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions for the best bets.
Iona picked up its second straight win Wednesday, edging the Bryant Bulldogs 69-63 at home. The Gaels failed to cover as 8.5-point favorites, while the Under (147.5) hit. G CJ Anthony finished with 18 points and 5 assists. F Toby Harris added 18 points and 5 rebounds off the bench. Iona’s defense forced 17 turnovers to seal the win.
St. John’s picked up a much-needed win last Saturday, edging the Ole Miss Rebels 63-58 at home. The Red Storm failed to cover as 13.5-point favorites, and the Under (152) cashed. The defense carried the night, holding the Rebels to 2-of-16 (13%) shooting from 3-point range. F Zuby Ejiofor anchored the effort with 15 points, 9 rebounds and a career-high 8 blocks.
– Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
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Iona at St. John’s odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:01 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Off the board
- Against the spread (ATS): Iona +27.5 (-115) | St. John’s -27.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 162.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Iona at St. John’s picks and predictions
Prediction
St. John’s 95, Iona 65
PASS.
The moneyline is off the board. Bet the spread and/or total instead.
BET ST. JOHN’S -27.5 (-105).
Iona is a solid mid-major, but this is a big step up in class, and it shows when you dig in. The Red Storm are scoring 88.6 points per game, shooting efficiently and winning by an average of nearly 15 points. At Madison Square Garden, they’ve been reliable, and Rick Pitino has this group defending and running with purpose.
What really swings it for me is the matchup on the glass. Iona struggles to rebound on both ends, and that’s a problem against a St. John’s team that thrives on second chances and physical play. The Gaels can hang around for stretches if the 3-pointers fall, but sustaining that for 40 minutes feels unlikely. With St. John’s covering in 4 of its last 6 and owning the talent edge, I’m comfortable backing the Red Storm to cover at home.
BET UNDER 162.5 (-110).
Iona has stayed Under in its last 3 games and just held Bryant to 63 points on 39.3% shooting. St. John’s has seen the Under cash in 4 of its last 6, including a 63-58 win over Ole Miss that Rick Pitino called the team’s best defensive effort of the season.
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