- The #13 Baylor Bears face the #22 St John’s Red Storm Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship on Thursday night
- Baylor has rattled off three straight wins since being embarrassed by Gonzaga on opening night while the Johnnies are 4-0
- See the Baylor vs St John’s odds, pick, and predictions for Nov. 21 in Nassau
The #13 Baylor Bears (3-1, 1-0 neutral, 3-1 ATS) and #22 St John’s Red Storm (4-0, 0-0 neutral, 3-1 ATS) kick off the 2024 Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship on Thursday night in Nassau (7:00 pm ET). Since getting obliterated by Gonzaga (101-63 away) in their season opener, the Bears have responded with a trio of SU and ATS wins . The Johnnies enter on a four-game win streak, all at home, but find themselves slight underdogs in tonight’s Baylor vs St John’s odds.
Baylor vs St John’s Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baylor Bears | -2.5 (-115) | -145 | Over 152.5 (-115) |
| St John’s Red Storm | +2.5 (-105) | +125 | Under 152.5 (-105) |
The Bears are 2.5-point neutral-court favorites tonight Nassau and -145 on the moneyline in Thursday’s college basketball odds. The Johnnies come back as +125 underdogs to win straight-up. The game total is sitting at 152.5 O/U with the over slightly favored at -115.
Odds as of Nov 21 at ESPN Bet. See the full list of betting sites that accept Apple Pay.
The Bears lost four of their top-five scorers from last season (Ja’Kobe Walter, RayJ Dennis, Jalen Bridges, and Yves Missi) and the fifth, Langston Love, is out with a knee injury. Scott Drew won big in the transfer portal, though, grabbing both Miami forward Norchad Omier (the #5 transfer available, per ESPN) and Duke guard Jeremy Roach (#12), while also grabbing the #3 recruit in the nation (two-guard VJ Edgecombe).
The chemistry certainly wasn’t there yet in the Gonzaga loss but the last three games have looked much better. A 72-67 neutral-court win over #16 Arkansas (rated 33rd at KenPom) was followed up by routs of no. 111 Sam Houston (104-67) and no. 300 Tarleton (104-41).
Baylor is clearly going to have solid depth this season; despite hitting the century mark in each of its last two games, no one player score more than 20 points in either. Omier currently leads the team in scoring at just 13.3 PPG while seven Bears in total are averaging at least 8.8 PPG and 23.5 MPG.
As is the norm for Rick Pitino teams, the Johnnies also saw a ton of turnover from last season. Only one of the team’s top-seven scorers returns (RJ Luis). Predictably, Pitino landed even bigger fish in the transfer portal, specifically the top transfer available, Seton Hall point guard Kadary Richmond, who averaged 15.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 5.1 APG for the Pirates last year.
The Johnnies have shiny 4-0 record, which includes an 85-71 drubbing of New Mexico (59th at KenPom). But they have yet to play outside of New York City.
BAY vs STJ Player Props
| Player | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norchad Omier (BAY) | 16.5 (Ov +105| Un -150) | 8.5 (Ov -135 | Un -100) | OFF |
| RJ Luis (STJ) | 15.5 (Ov +105 | Un -140) | 5.5 (Ov -190 | Un +135) | OFF |
| Jeremy Roach (BAY) | 14.5 (Ov +125 | Un -175) | OFF | 3.5 (Ov -160 | Un +115) |
| Jayden Nunn (BAY) | 13.5 (Ov +105 | Un -150) | OFF | OFF |
| Kadary Richmond (STJ) | 13.5 (Ov +105 | Un -140) | 5.5 (Ov -175 | Un +120) | 4.5 (Ov -135 | Un -100) |
| Deivon Smith (STJ) | 13.5 (Ov +110 | Un -155) | 4.5 (Ov -130 | Un -105) | 4.5 (Ov -165 | Un +120) |
| Aaron Scott (STJ) | 12.5 (Ov +115 | Un -160) | 3.5 (Ov -180 | Un +130) | OFF |
| VJ Edgecomb (BAY) | 12.5 (Ov +110 | Un -155) | 5.5 (Ov -140 | Un +105) | OFF |
Player props from ESPN Bet on Nov. 21. Check out SBD’s ESPN Bet app review.
As expected, the Baylor/St John’s player props are fairly clustered. Omier has the highest point total at 16.5 but all eight players on the board are at 12.5 or higher.
Omier also has the highest rebound total at 8.5 while Richmond and Johnnies teammate Deivon Smith have the highest assist prop at 4.5 apiece.
Baylor vs St John’s Predictions
If there is a home-court advantage to be had tonight, it’s going to be on Baylor’s side. This is a homecoming for the Bahamian Edgecombe, who was born in Bimini and lived in the Bahamas until ninth grade. The Bears are also considerably more battle-tested and road-tested at this point, having faced two top-25 teams already, including a true road game in Spokane.
Pitino has undoubtedly assembled a talented roster but the Bears are deeper, and I expect that – plus their slight edge in chemistry at this point – to win out in the end.
BAY vs STJ picks:
- Baylor moneyline (-145)
- Over 152.5 (-115)
On November 21st, college basketball fans will be treated to an exciting matchup between the Baylor Bears and the St. John’s Red Storm. Both teams have had strong starts to the season and are looking to continue their success in this highly anticipated game.
Baylor, currently ranked #9 in the nation, boasts a talented roster led by standout guard Jared Butler. The Bears are known for their strong defense and efficient offense, making them a tough team to beat. On the other hand, St. John’s has been turning heads with their fast-paced style of play and impressive wins early in the season.
As the two teams prepare to face off, oddsmakers have Baylor as the favorite to win this matchup. The Bears are currently listed as 7-point favorites, with the over/under set at 145 points. This suggests that oddsmakers expect a high-scoring game with Baylor coming out on top.
In terms of player props, Jared Butler is expected to have a big game for Baylor. The junior guard has been a scoring machine for the Bears, averaging over 17 points per game so far this season. Look for Butler to be a key factor in Baylor’s offense and potentially lead the team to victory.
For St. John’s, guard Julian Champagnie will be a player to watch. The sophomore has been a scoring threat for the Red Storm, averaging over 20 points per game and shooting over 40% from three-point range. If Champagnie can continue his hot streak, St. John’s will have a good chance of pulling off the upset.
Overall, this matchup between Baylor and St. John’s promises to be an exciting and competitive game. With both teams playing at a high level, fans can expect a close contest with plenty of scoring and highlight-reel plays. Be sure to tune in on November 21st to see which team comes out on top in this thrilling showdown.
