Harvard vs St. John's Picks and Prediction – 11/30/2024

The Harvard Crimson (2-5) visit the St. John’s Red Storm (5-2) at Carnesecca Arena in Queens, NY, on November 30th. Harvard comes off a 62-54 loss to UMass, while St. John’s narrowly fell to Georgia, 66-63. Both teams aim to bounce back and assert dominance in non-conference play. Slam dunk your bets with our College Basketball picks.

Harvard has struggled offensively, averaging just 66.9 points per game on 43.3% shooting from the field and 32.7 rebounds per game. Robert Hinton leads the Crimson offense with 16.4 points per game, while Chandler Pigge pulls down 7.3 rebounds per game. However, Harvard’s backcourt lacks depth, as evidenced by the low assist average of 13.7. The Crimson’s offense also struggles with efficiency, ranking near the bottom in free throw shooting at 66.7%. 

Defensively, Harvard allows 73.3 points per game, a number reflecting the inability to contain high-tempo offenses. While Thomas Batties II provides some rim protection with 1.9 blocks per game, the team’s overall lack of defensive presence makes them vulnerable against stronger opponents.

St. John’s Red Storm has displayed a potent offensive system, putting up 82.9 points per game on an impressive 48.3% shooting. RJ Luis Jr. headlines the offense with 16.7 points per game, supported by Zuby Ejiofor, who averages 6.6 rebounds and adds a strong defensive element. Additionally, Deivon Smith’s team-high 5.3 assists per game keeps the Red Storm offense flowing. 

On defense, St. John’s limits opponents to 67.0 points per game while dominating the boards with 39.9 rebounds per game. Ejiofor’s 2.6 blocks per game highlight the team’s interior strength, making them difficult to score against in the paint.

The Red Storm’s balanced attack and defensive superiority will overpower Harvard’s underwhelming offense. St. John’s robust home record (4-0) further solidifies the Red Storm’s superiority. Final Score Prediction: St. John’s Red Storm wins and covers 104-68.