Big East foes will help welcome our Saturday of college basketball when St John's Red Storm face the Providence Friars.
This will be a very familiar opponent for a few people in particular, it's where Johnnies head coach Rick Pitino coached for two years in the 80s but for big man Bryce Hopkins that history is much more recent.
Hopkins played for Providence for three years before transferring to the New York school this summer. These added elements should make this game particularly interesting.
I break it all down in my St. John's vs. Providence predictions and college basketball picks for Saturday, January 3.
Providence vs St. John's prediction
Providence vs St. John's best bet: Over 168.5 (-110)
Styles make fights and, in this clash, it should make points. The Over is my best bet in this spot, and it's a number I projected just over 170.
One of the questions you always have to ask yourself when you get a total approaching the 170s in college basketball is will there even be enough possessions to get to that number.
That shouldn't be a concern here, as both teams have played at a Top 50 pace this year and are more than comfortable hitting the mid-70s per possession.
The St. John's Red Storm is a transition team (1.3 points per possession on high volume), and they're also elite on the glass. When they get rebounds, they score at an absurd clip of 1.4 points per possession in such situations. One of the best marks in the country.
That matters a lot against a Providence Friars defense that's been vulnerable in those same scramble situations (1.20 PPP allowed). It's also worth mentioning that the Friars have been below average on the defensive glass. Another way to state this?
There shouldn't be many empty St. John's possessions.
On the other side, Providence's best offense also relies on pace and pressure. Transition is a significant part of their offense, and one of the Johnnies' biggest issues this season has been their poor defense during transition.
If this turns into a Jaylin Sellers and Jason Edwards rim run game for Providence or a Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins second-chance game for St. John's, the total can get dragged upward even if one team has an off shooting night.
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Providence vs St. John's odds
- Spread: Providence +10.5 (-102) | St. John's -10.5 (-120)
- Moneyline: Providence +530 | St. John's -780
- Over/Under: Over 168.5 (-110) | Under 168.5 (-110)
Providence vs St. John's betting trend to know
St. John's has hit the Moneyline in 29 of their last 35 games (+19.60 Units / 1% ROI). Find more college basketball betting trends for Providence vs. St. John's.
How to watch Providence vs St. John's
| Location | Madison Square Garden, New York, NY |
| Date | Saturday, January 3, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 12:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | FOX |
Providence 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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