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Butler (13-7) vs St. John’s (15-5)
- When: Jan 28 2026, 7:00 PM
- Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, USA
- Where to watch: Peacock
Butler vs (25) St. John’s Preview & Prediction
Spread: St. John’s -12.5
Moneyline: St. John’s (-1000)
Total: 162.0
St. John’s Red Storm Betting Breakdown
If momentum were a beverage, St. John’s would currently be shotgunning it on the sideline and then dumping the rest on Rick Pitino’s head. The Red Storm are on a heater that feels less like a winning streak and more like a full blown Broadway production. Big comebacks. Big personalities. Big splashes of water. All of it perfectly on brand.
Pitino just hit 900 career wins and his team celebrated the only way a Pitino team should celebrate. Loudly. Dramatically. And with zero concern for dry clothing. Since their early January meltdown, St. John’s has flipped a switch and turned into a nightmare matchup. They run. They defend. They punch back when punched first. And lately they have made erasing double digit deficits look like a warm up drill.
Now back in the Top 25, the Red Storm are playing with confidence and swagger. They control tempo when they want chaos and slow it down when opponents panic. At home, this team feeds off energy and once the run starts, it snowballs fast. The current version of St. John’s looks locked in and focused on stacking wins rather than admiring milestones.
Butler Bulldogs Betting Breakdown
Butler enters this game feeling better about life than it did two weeks ago, which is progress. The Bulldogs snapped a rough stretch, held a players only meeting, and responded by playing sharper basketball. That is the good news. The bad news is that history against St. John’s has been unkind, unforgiving, and borderline rude.
Butler has struggled to close games against the Red Storm, especially when the pace picks up and the crowd gets involved. The Bulldogs can score and they can rebound, but when things get loose defensively, they tend to get dragged into track meets they did not sign up for. On the road, those problems get louder.
Confidence is back, but this is a different level of challenge. Butler needs a clean game, smart shot selection, and a little luck just to hang around deep into the second half.
Expert Final Score Prediction
This matchup screams points. St. John’s wants to run, Butler can score, and the total reflects that reality. The spread is hefty, but the Red Storm have shown they can flip games quickly and bury teams once momentum swings their way.
Expect Butler to compete early, trade buckets, and give bettors some hope. Then expect St. John’s to turn defense into offense, ignite a run, and turn the Garden into a party.
Rick Pitino probably stays dry this time. Probably.
Final Score: St. John’s 89, Butler 75
Lean: St. John’s -12.5
Total: Over 162.0
- NCAAB Odds source: MyBookie Sportsbook
