St. John’s Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino has been a staple of March Madness since the 80s. The Northern Iowa Panthers, on the other hand, probably shouldn’t be dancing.
The No. 12 Panthers punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Missouri Valley Conference tournament as a No. 6 seed.
That’s not to say UNI isn’t worthy of this spot, but the Panthers come up short — literally — when matched up against the Big East champs.
The Johnnies are big and athletic, and our Northern Iowa vs. St. John’s predictions see that as a major edge on the boards. My March Madness picks expect burly forward Zuby Ejiofor to clean the glass in the Round of 64.
Northern Iowa vs St. John’s prediction
Who will win Northern Iowa vs St. John’s?
St. John's: If you read my Early March Madness picks on Selection Sunday, you’ll see I’ve laid the -9.5 with the St. John’s Red Storm in this game. They felt disrespected by getting dealt a No. 5 seed, especially after rolling through the Big East tournament and losing just a single game since January 3. The Northern Iowa Panthers snuck into the tournament and are just happy to be here.
Northern Iowa vs St. John’s best bet: Zuby Ejiofor Over 7.5 rebounds (-120)
St. John's forward Zuby Ejiofor averaged more than seven rebounds amongst the trees of the Big East. The 6-foot-9, 245-pound senior will be battling MVC saplings in the Round of 64.
Northern Iowa has a couple of starters who run 6-foot-8 but are nowhere near Ejofor’s strength and athleticism.
For the most part, the Panthers don’t bother crashing the offensive glass and face their toughest challenge against this St. John’s defense. Ejiofor is also active on the offensive boards (3.3 per game).
Ejiofor was a beast on the glass in the Big East tournament, and projections call for 8+ rebounds versus UNI.
COVERS INTEL: The total for this Round of 64 game is set at 131.5 points — the second-lowest O/U of the Round of 64. That means more misses than makes and ample rebounding chances.
Northern Iowa vs St. John’s same-game parlay
The Red Storm suck the methodical Panthers into a pace they’re not comfortable with and prove they’re worth more than a No. 5 seed. Pitino also takes care of his backers and makes sure to cover this spread.
Trey Campbell is UNI’s top 3-point threat. Given the game script and the Johnnies' size inside, he’ll let it fly from deep. He’s projected for at least two triples, and he's hit 2+ from distance in three of his past four games.
Northern Iowa vs St. John’s SGP
- St. John’s -9.5
- Zuby Ejiofor Over 7.5 rebounds
- Trey Campbell Over 1.5 threes
Our Big Dance SGP: East Region rock fight!
Between UNI’s plodding pace and the Red Storm’s sketchy outside shooting, this could be a rock fight in the East Region. Unders can be tough to sit through... unless you spice things up with an SGP. Turn to the dark side and cheer for misses.
Northern Iowa vs St. John’s SGP
- St. John’s -9.5
- Under 131.5
- Zuby Ejiofor Under 17.5 points
- Will Hornseth Under 11.5 points
Northern Iowa vs St. John’s odds
- Spread: Northern Iowa +9.5 | St. John’s -9.5
- Moneyline: Northern Iowa +350 | St. John’s -550
- Over/Under: Over 131.5 | Under 131.5
Northern Iowa vs St. John’s betting trend to know
March Madness totals of 135 or shorter are 34-46 Over/Under (57.5% Unders) since the 2021 Big Dance. Find more college basketball betting trends for Northern Iowa vs. St. John’s.
How to watch Northern Iowa vs St. John’s
| Location | Viejas Arena, San Diego, CA |
| Date | Friday, March 20, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 7:10 p.m. ET |
| TV | CBS |
Northern Iowa vs St. John’s key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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