NCAA Basketball Odds: Cincinnati Bearcats and St. Johns Red Storm

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

by Mike Stewart

Cincinnati Bearcats is one of the Big East's best 3-point shooting teams, but the Bearcats were held in check by a young St. Johns Red Storm squad earlier this season. Cincinnati shot just 7 of 32 from beyond the arc in the 57-55 home loss on Jan. 7, which ended its seven-game win streak. The Bearcats managed to rally from a 15-point deficit, but Moe Harkless, one of two Red Storm players in the running for Big East Freshman of the Year, won it with a tip-in at the buzzer. Harkless finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds, and D’Angelo Harrison -- the nation's third-highest scoring freshman -- had a team-high 18 points. Harkless and Harrison are normally joined in the starting lineup by three other freshmen, forming a group that has been dubbed the “Fresh Five."

- Cincinnati Bearcats @ St. Johns Red Storm
When: 7:00 PM ET, Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
TV: ET, ESPNU

The Bearcats have opened as 4.5-point favorites on SBG Global Sportsbook’s Live NCAA Basketball Odds.

Cincinnati Bearcats (16-7): Coach Mick Cronin returned to a four-guard lineup for the first time in three weeks Saturday against DePaul, and it helped the Bearcats end a three-game losing streak. Cincinnati is still struggling with its outside shooting, though. The Bearcats are third in the conference in 3-point percentage (36.0), but have connected on just 30 percent of their attempts (18 of 60) over the last four games. Leading scorer Sean Kilpatrick, who’s has battled groin and hip injuries, scored 16 points against the Blue Demons, his highest output in three games. Kilpatrick scored 21 points, but hit just 4 of 15 3-pointers in the first meeting with St. John’s.

St. Johns Red Storm (10-13): The Red Storm has the talent to compete with anyone, but their lack of experience and depth is painfully obvious. St. John's, which has just seven scholarship players, allows the third-most points in the league (70.0) and is 15th in the Big East in assist-to-turnover ratio (0.79). Still, the future is bright for as long as Harkless and Harrison stick around. Harkless has eight double doubles, including a phenomenal 30-point, 13-rebound effort in a close loss to Duke on Jan. 28. Harrison was named to the Big East Honor Roll after he averaged 26.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists over the last two games. Twelve of Harrison's 13 field goals in that stretch were 3-pointers (12 of 20).

1. Harrison didn’t start Saturday’s loss to Syracuse because he was late for the team bus. St. John's had planned to start five freshmen for the fourth time in five games.

2. The Bearcats are the second-worst shooting team in the Big East (42.1), but lead the conference in 3-pointers (7.8).

3. Harrison (16.7 points) and Harkless (16.2 points) are ranked eighth and ninth in the conference in scoring, respectively.

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cincinnati bearcats - d’angelo harrison - madison square garden - mick cronin - moe harkless - sean kilpatrick - st. johns red storm

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