NCAA Tournament Pick: West Region – Omaha vs. St. Johns – Thursday, March 20, 2025

The 15th-ranked Omaha Mavericks (22-12) will battle with the second-seed St. John’s Red Storm (30-4) in the opening round of the West Region on Thursday, March 20 at 9:45 PM ET at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rhode Island. The Red Storm are heavily favored with a point spread at -18.5 (-115) at MyBookie.

Omaha Mavericks Betting Preview

The Mavericks have won their last six games and will need every positive momentum to give them an edge here. Their recent win was an 85-75 performance over the St. Thomas-Minnesota Tommies in the Summit League Championship Final.

This was a steady performance by the Mavericks, as they held a slight lead for a majority of the game to give them the edge they needed. JJ White stood out with 29 points and five assists, while Marquel Sutton had 22 points and led with 18 rebounds.

Omaha accumulates 78.1 points a game and ranks 76th in the country with this output. On defense they allow 75.0 points each game, ranking 273rd. This is a slim margin and they allow a lot of points each game, which shows they do not have room for error.

The Mavericks are 166th overall for their strength of schedule and winning margins. Their efficiency on offense each 100 possessions ranks 64th, while their defense at the same rate ranks 276th.

St. John’s Red Storm Betting Preview

The Red Storm have a nine-game win streak that they aim to keep building on to. Their recent victory was an 82-66 outing over the Creighton Bluejays in the Big East Tournament Final.

Creighton had a 28-25 lead at the half, but St. John’s stormed back in the second with a 57-point outburst. RJ Luis Jr. led with 29 points on 61.1 percent shooting from the field. Kadary Richmond was also crucial, as he had 12 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists.

St. John’s ranks 66th on offense for averaging 78.7 points a game. Their defense has held opponents to 65.9 points a game, ranking 31st. This is an appealing margin of victory, especially in one of the tougher conferences in the country.

The Red Storm are 13th overall for their strength of schedule and how well they have defeated teams. Their efficiency per 100 possessions on offense ranks 115th while their defense at the same rate ranks third. Their defense will take them a long way in this tournament.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

The best Omaha Mavericks vs. St. John’s Red Storm betting odds can be found through MyBookie. According to market insights, the Red Storm have a 96.6 percent chance of winning. The Red Storm have excellent defense and should limit the Mavericks from staying in reach.

Final Pick: St. John’s Red Storm -18.5 (-115)