College Basketball Preview: Baylor Bears vs. St. Johns Red Storm – Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024

The Bahamas Championship is coming up soon between the 13th-ranked Baylor Bears (3-1) and the 22nd-ranked St. John’s Red Storm (4-0) on Thursday, November 21 at 7:00 PM ET at the Baha Mar Convention Center. Betting trends show that the Bears are slight favorites with a point spread at -2.5 (+100).

Baylor Bears Betting Preview

The Bears have looked much better after getting blown out (101-63) in their season opener against the Gonzaga Bulldogs. They have won three straight, with their most recent victory being a 104-41 thrashing over the Tarleton State Texans.

Jalen Celestine led with 20 points off the bench, along with six other players who reached double digits in points. The first half ended 56-13, so you can imagine the confidence they had going into the second.

Turnovers were a huge aspect of this game, as the Bears had 12 but forced the Texans to have 28. Shooting was also a major factor, with the Bears landing 51.7 percent of their shots from the field and they held the Texans to 38.5 percent.

The Bears are averaging 85.8 points per game and allowing their opponents to get 69.0. They are also shooting 48.8 percent from the field, which is on par with what the Red Storm average.

St. John’s Red Storm Betting Preview

The Red Storm are seeking their fifth consecutive win to start the season. Coach Rick Pitino is coming off a win with his team over his son Richard, who coaches the New Mexico Lobos, in an 85-71 outing.

RJ Luis Jr. led the Red Storm in several categories, such as 21 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. Even with a double-digit victory, the team shot horrifically behind the arc at 22.2 percent. They will need to improve on this aspect if they want to beat the Bears.

Overall, the Red Storm made 50.0 percent of their shots and held the Lobos to 43.8 percent. Another key area of concern is turnovers, as the Red Storm have it up 16 times and only forced the Lobos to have 11.

The Red Storm produce 84.8 points per game and are allowing other teams to put up 62.3 in return. This is a great margin of victory, but this will arguably be their toughest test yet.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

The Bahamas Championship betting odds have been provided by MyBookie, showing the Baylor Bears vs. St. John’s Red Storm best odds. Current odds show the Bears as 2.5-point favorites, while market analysis indicates they have a 67.8 percent chance of winning outright.

The Bears have plenty of weapons offensively to get it going, while the Red Storm have shown some weakness with turnovers and long range shooting. The Bears are appealing to cover the spread.

Final Pick: Baylor Bears -2.5 (+100)