Baylor vs St. John’s Thursday Prediction | College Basketball Picks Today, Best Bets

Early-season tournaments are finally here in college basketball, as Feast Week is officially upon us! Thursday night’s slate culminates with an intriguing headliner as Baylor and St. John’s meet in a ranked clash in the Bahamas for the Baha Mar Championship.

Let’s examine the Bears-Red Storm matchup in more detail, including tip times, television coverage, betting odds, a brief preview of what to watch for, and a best bet.

More CBB: UConn Season Preview | St. John’s Season Preview | Marquette Season Preview

How to Watch No. 13 Baylor vs No. 22 St. John’s

• TV: CBS Sports Network | Streaming: CBS Sports App
• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET  |  Location: Baha Mar Convention Center – Nassau, Bahamas

No. 13 Baylor vs No. 22 St. John’s FanDuel Odds

• Spread: Baylor -2.5 (-108) | St. John’s +2.5 (-112)
• Moneyline: Baylor (+116) | St. John’s (-140)
• Total: OVER 152.5 (-110) | UNDER 152.5 (-110)

Baylor enters this contest as the more battle-tested team. The Bears opened their season in a hostile environment on the road against Gonzaga, where they were crushed 101-63. They followed it up with a gutsy win over Arkansas on a neutral court and have taken care of business in two buy games since. They are rightfully ranked and set to be a strong team this season, but it will take some time. The two players with the highest usage are true freshmen, VJ Edgecombe and Robert O. Wright III.

As for St. John’s, there is a lot more continuity leading this roster. RJ Luis, Kadary Richmond, and Deivon Smith all lead the line for the Johnnies with a combined decade of experience at the Division I level, and they have gelled quickly. They each bring something unique to the table on both ends of the floor and have seen it all in these early-season tournaments and high-intensity matchups throughout their careers. Luis has been a monster to start the year and is currently inside the top five of KenPom’s National Player of the Year rankings.

Like Wednesday night’s matchup between Illinois and Alabama, this feels like two teams on different pages in their development. The Red Storm have older and more experienced players, while the Bears will take some time to build up that experience, which will only come through trial by fire. This game will serve as a learning experience down the road for the Bears, so we’ll lay this shorter spread with St. John’s with their veteran presence.

The Pick: St. John’s -2.5 (-112)

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