St. John’s Red Storm vs. Georgetown Hoyas Pick & Prediction December 31 2025
The St. John’s Red Storm (8–4, 1–0 Big East) head to Washington, D.C. to take on the Georgetown Hoyas (9–4, 1–1 Big East) at Capital One Arena on Wednesday at 8:00 PM ET, with coverage on FS1. The market is telling you this one should be controlled by St. John’s, and the matchup numbers support that: St. John’s is the more explosive offence, creates more disruption defensively, and tends to dictate the style of game—especially against teams that can be baited into rushed possessions. The college basketball world is getting heated up and you should get ahead of the game with our free college basketball picks.
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Game Snapshot
- Spread: St. John’s -8.5
- Total: 152.5
- Matchup predictor: St. John’s favoured (78% range)
Why St. John’s has the edge
St. John’s is scoring 85.8 PPG while shooting a solid 47%, and they pair it with pressure: 8.7 steals per game plus 5.6 blocks is a disruptive defensive profile that can manufacture easy points without needing perfect half-court execution. That matters on the road, because it gives them multiple ways to score—runouts, second chances, and trips to the line—rather than relying solely on jump-shot variance. Their recent stretch shows the baseline is steady: wins over Harvard (85–59), DePaul (79–66), Iona (91–64), and Ole Miss (63–58), with the only blemish a 78–66 loss to Kentucky, which isn’t exactly a red flag.
St. John’s leading scorer listed is Bryce Hopkins (13.9 PPG), and even if he doesn’t go nuclear, the Red Storm can still get to their number because their defence fuels offence. If the game turns into a track meet, St. John’s are the side built for it.
What Georgetown needs to do to keep it close
Georgetown is a capable team—79.5 PPG on 45% shooting, competitive rebounding (37.2 per game), and a recent résumé that includes a strong win at Marquette (78–69). But their margins tend to shrink when they’re forced into sloppy possessions, and that’s exactly the pressure St. John’s wants to apply. Georgetown’s top scorer listed is Malik Mack (14.5 PPG), and his efficiency becomes the swing factor because St. John’s defence is designed to turn lead guards uncomfortable—speeding up decisions, contesting lanes, and turning a clean first look into a late-clock second look.
The concern for Georgetown backers is that their defence allows 73.6 PPG, and St. John’s is the type of opponent that can turn “a few bad minutes” into a decisive run because of the steals/blocks creating instant offence.
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Tony Karpinski | +2,494.00 |
| 2 |  Joe Duffy | +1,859.00 |
| 3 |  The Insiders Room | +1,788.00 |
| 4 |  Mark Ruelle | +1,428.00 |
| 5 |  Jackie Mack | +1,400.00 |
Betting Outlook
Spread lean: St. John’s -8.5
This number is mostly about whether Georgetown can consistently handle St. John’s pressure. If Georgetown coughs up even a normal amount of live-ball turnovers, St. John’s can create a scoring gap without needing to shoot lights-out.
Total lean: Under 152.5 (slight)
St. John’s can score, but their best “cover” script often involves defence-first disruption that breaks an opponent’s rhythm. If Georgetown is forced into tougher possessions and St. John’s gets a lead, the game can settle into a more controlled second half.
Pick and Prediction
Best Bet: St. John’s -8.5
St. John’s has the cleaner path to separation because their defensive disruption (steals and blocks) creates points that don’t depend on perfect shot-making, and Georgetown’s offence is more likely to get dragged into rushed decisions and late-clock looks when the pressure ramps up. Georgetown is good enough to trade punches early—especially at home—but if St. John’s strings together a few forced turnovers, those quick runouts can turn a close game into a double-digit margin in a hurry.
Projected Final Score: St. John’s 82, Georgetown 72
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