Now in his second season, Rick Pitino is living up to expectations with a Big East regular season title. Most importantly for gamblers, St. John’s proved to be one of the best values on the College Basketball odds board. When Rick Pitino was hired in 2023 to take over the St. John’s Red Storm basketball program, it was a shot across the bow. St. John’s made the ultimate statement about its desire to return to glory. Once upon a time, the Johnnies were a national powerhouse. But that was a couple of generations ago.
2025 NCAA Tournament – First Round Thursday St. John’s Red Storm vs. Omaha Mavericks
| Date and Time: | Thursday, March 20, 2025, 9:45 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | Amica Pavillion, Providence, RI |
| TV Coverage: | CBS |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Omaha | +19 -109 | 148 -110 | +1500 |  |
| St. Johns | -19 -111 | 148 -110 | -4000 | |
| ||||
Omaha Mavericks Team Overview
Late on, Omaha has covered six of its previous seven games. Omaha has gone over the total in six of its last nine outings. First among Omaha scorers is Marquel Sutton, with 19.4 points per game.
Overall, the Omaha Mavericks are 22-12 straight up, 20-9 against the spread, and 16-13 over/under the online betting total. Omaha has national metrics of 91st for scoring offense, 108th for field goal percentage, 57th for 3-point field goal percentage, 165th for free throw percentage, and 165th for offensive rebounding. While defensively, Omaha is 270th for scoring defense, 261st for field goal percentage permitted, 278th for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 62nd for defensive rebounding.
St. John’s Red Storm Team Overview
Late on, St. John’s has covered seven of its previous eight games. St. John’s has gone under the total in four of its last six outings. First among St. John’s scorers is RJ Luis, with 18.4 points per game.
Overall, the St. John’s Red Storm is 30-4 straight up, 19-11-1 against the spread, and 14-16-1 over/under the total. St. John’s has national metrics of 66th for scoring offense, 170th for field goal percentage, 349th for 3-point field goal percentage, 292nd for free throw percentage, and 16th for offensive rebounding. While defensively, St. John’s is 35th for scoring defense, 20th for field goal percentage permitted, 122nd for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 131st for defensive rebounding.
Rick Pitino’s Red Storm fell on the wrong side of the bubble in his first year in charge. Now there’s no doubt that rolling in the 2025 NCAA Tournament will be the one thing on his mind this season. The Red Storm combines their core of returners with a handful of experienced transfers and talented freshmen looking for the recipe to success in 2024-25.
On Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, a resurgent St. John’s team completed its reminder to New York of exactly what it has been missing. To do so, the Red Storm fought through early adversity. In a similar way to their three-day run at the men’s Big East tournament, to claim their first postseason conference title in a quarter-century.
In Saturday’s title game, the Red Storm overcame a slow start to beat the Creighton Bluejays 82–66. As a result, St. John’s claimed the Big East’s automatic bid in the 2025 NCAA tournament, cementing an already historic season with a trophy—and earning itself a real shot to add another.
They scored just 25 points in the first half and trailed by eight after the first eight minutes. But the Red Storm’s relentlessness began to wear on the Bluejays.
St. John’s vs. Omaha SBG Free Picks
In this situation, St. John’s is the superior March Madness betting pick. The Johnnies have more talent and showed great value this season.
St. John’s vs. Omaha SBG Best Bet: St. John’s Red Storm.