Date: Sunday, November 17, 2024
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Broadcast: ESPN+
This Sunday, the undefeated New Mexico Lobos (3-0) take on the St. John’s Red Storm (3-0) at the iconic Madison Square Garden.
In their most recent game, the New Mexico Lobos triumphed over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, securing victory with a scoreline of 100-81. New Mexico showcased an impressive shooting display, finishing with a field goal percentage of 53.2% (33 of 62) and converting 9 of 23 attempts beyond the arc. From the free-throw line, they completed 25 of 39 shots for a rate of 64.1%. On the boards, they registered 35 rebounds, including 10 offensive boards, while distributing 22 assists. The defense managed to create 22 turnovers and recorded 15 steals. However, they did allow Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to shoot 52.7% on 29 of 55 attempts. The opposition also accumulated 20 assists and 7 steals, notching 32 rebounds (6 offensive) without any blocks to their name. They struggled from the charity stripe, converting only 18 of 35 attempts (51.4%) and hitting 5 of 16 threes. Overall, New Mexico committed 28 fouls compared to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s 26.
A standout performer for the Lobos was Donovan Dent, who exhibited remarkable efficiency with 70.0% shooting from the field and delivered 10 assists. He played 30 minutes, finished the game with 25 points on 7 of 10 shooting, but did not grab any rebounds.
Entering this matchup, New Mexico boasts a perfect 3-0 record this season. They are averaging 15.3 turnovers and committing 23.3 personal fouls per game. The team is also securing an average of 40.3 rebounds and has distributed a total of 54 assists, ranking 85th nationally. The Lobos are connecting on 29.7% of their three-point attempts (22 of 74) and hitting 67.0% from the free-throw line. Offensively, they average 87.7 points per game, placing them 58th in Division 1, while shooting 46.4% from the floor.
Defensively, the Lobos excel at forcing turnovers, averaging 20.0 per game while committing 24.7 fouls. However, they rank 311th in the nation concerning assists allowed, conceding 51 this season. The defense allows opponents to shoot 43.4% (79 of 182) and relinquishes an average of 40.7 rebounds, while limiting three-point shooting to 32.9%. Currently, they are positioned 280th in points allowed per game, conceding 76.3.
Meanwhile, the St. John’s Red Storm recently secured a 66-45 victory against Wagner. They recorded 28 defensive rebounds and 5 offensive, totaling 33 rebounds for the game. St. John’s turned the ball over 15 times but managed to generate 7 steals. They capitalized on Wagner’s 25 personal fouls, going to the free-throw line 30 times and converting 18 for a success rate of 60.0%. From beyond the arc, the Red Storm made 6 of 17 attempts (35.3%), and finished the game with a 50.0% shooting performance (21 of 42). Defensively, St. John’s restricted Wagner to just 16 successful field goals from 55 attempts (29.1%) and allowed only 5 of 24 from three-point range, while finishing 8 of 9 from the free-throw line (88.9%). They limited Wagner to a total of 26 rebounds (10 offensive).
RJ Luis was instrumental for the Red Storm, shooting 60.0% (3 of 5) and adding 5 rebounds in just 18 minutes on the floor, totaling 13 points and contributing 1 assist.
The St. John’s Red Storm also maintains a perfect 3-0 record this season. They average 15.3 personal fouls per game and are converting 71.8% of their free-throw attempts. The team distributes assists at a rate of 17.3 per game (ranked 84th in college basketball) while limiting turnovers to an average of 12.7 per contest. With 254 points scored thus far, St. John’s boasts an impressive offensive average of 84.7 points per game and collects 40.3 boards nightly. They excel with a shooting percentage of 49.7% from the field, ranking them 73rd in NCAA basketball.
Defensively, St. John’s excels by ranking 35th in points allowed per game at 59.3. They force 16.3 turnovers per game and allow a shooting percentage of 34.9% from the field, placing them 31st in Division 1 defense. Their opposition shoots 27.3% from beyond the arc (21 of 77) and converts 70.0% of their foul shots. They limit their opponents to an average of 11.0 assists and 33.0 rebounds per game, ranking 123rd and 126th respectively.
Who will prevail in this thrilling NCAA basketball matchup?
Free Prediction: Bet on St. John’s (-10.0)
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