Omaha vs St Johns - March Madness Betting Picks

The Matchup: No. 15 Omaha (22-12) faces No. 2 St. Johns (30-4) in Providence. Omaha’s Summit League champs ride a 6-game win streak, led by Marquel Sutton (19.1 PPG, 8 RPG), with a solid offense (78.1 PPG, 36.7% 3PT). St. Johns, Big East kings, boast a top-3 D (65.9 PPG allowed) and balanced attack (78.7 PPG) with RJ Luis Jr. (18.4 PPG).

Spread: St Johns -18.5 (-110, BetMGM). Red Storm are 22-12 ATS, 8-6 as double-digit favorites, and dominate mid-majors (83-49 vs St. Peters last year). Omaha’s 23-9 ATS is stellar, but their D (75 PPG allowed, 283rd in 2PT%) crumbles vs elite teams. Take St Johns -18.5.

Player Prop: Marquel Sutton O17.5 points (-115, FanDuel). Sutton’s hit 18+ in 70% of games, and St. Johns’ 31st-ranked D may focus elsewhere. He’ll get his shots.

Total: 147.5 leans UNDER (-108, DraftKings). Omaha’s pace slows vs top foes (51 vs Iowa St), and St. Johns’ D stifles scoring. Combined avg (156.8 PPG) drops in this mismatch.

Why St Johns Covers: Pitino’s tourney savvy, elite D, and rebounding edge (38.1 RPG vs Omaha’s 35.6) overwhelm. Red Storm roll by 20+.