NCAA Basketball Odds: DePaul Blue Demons vs St. Johns Red Storm

Monday, February 20, 2012

by Mike Stewart

St. Johns Red Storm and DePaul Blue Demons rank 15th and 16th, respectively, in Big East scoring margin. The Red Storm had lost four straight conference games before Saturday's 66-63 non-league win over UCLA, but their last victory in conference action came against the Blue Demons, a 87-81 triumph in Chicago on Feb. 1.

Freshman guard DAngelo Harrison led St. John's in that win with a career-high 29 points. DePaul has dropped six in a row and 11 of its last 12, falling in overtime to No. 18 Louisville on Saturday after leading for most of regulation.

- DePaul Blue Demons @ St. Johns Red Storm
When: 9:00 PM ET, Monday, February 20, 2012
Where: Carnesecca Arena, Jamaica, New York
TV: ET; ESPNU, ESPN3.com

The Red Storm have opened as 5.5-point favorites on SBG Global Sportsbook’s Live NCAA Basketball Odds.

DePaul Blue Demons (11-15): The young Blue Demons have been solid offensively, with sophomore forward Cleveland Melvin (17.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and sophomore guard Brandon Young (14.8 ppg, 4.8 apg) leading the way. What has held DePaul back has been a tendency to give up far too much at the other end — it ranks a distant last among Big East teams in points allowed (76.7) and opponent field-goal percentage (48.5), and the team has been even more generous since league play began (82.2 points allowed, 51.1 opponent field-goal percentage). The Blue Demons are forcing 16.4 turnovers, third in the Big East.

St. Johns Red Storm (11-16): The young Red Storm have struggled on the offensive end, averaging 60.5 points over its last four games and are shooting just 27.9 percent from three-point range this season, last in the conference. St. John's is also at the bottom of the league in assists (10.9), assist-turnover ratio (0.8), three-pointers made (4.1) and three-point percentage defense (35.4). A pair of freshmen has been carrying the load on the offensive end, with guard DAngelo Harrison averaging 16.9 points and small forward Moe Harkless adding 15.7 points and a team-high 8.7 rebounds.

1. The Red Storm victory earlier this month, their fifth straight against DePaul, evened the all-time series at 14.

2. Three of the five most recent St. John's victories over the Blue Demons have been by 20 points or more, including a 76-51 rout at Madison Square Garden, Feb. 23, 2011.

3. Something will have to give on the boards — St. John's and DePaul are the Big East's two worst teams in rebounding margin at minus-3.8 and minus-7.1, respectively.

NCAA BASKETBALL PREDICTION: Red Storm 83, Blue Demons 72.

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Tags

brandon young - carnesecca arena - cleveland melvin - dangelo harrison - depaul blue demons - moe harkless - st. johns red storm

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