Bob Balfe
St. John’s +1.5 over Xavier
Xavier is a well-coached team under Sean Miller, but they have a lot of transfers on the court as the injury bug hit a couple of their big men. Seniors Jerome Hunter and Zach Freemantle are out for the season. The Mustakeers will miss their rebounding and ability to make easy points. St. John’s has changed their culture by hiring head coach Rick Pitino. Pitino wins everywhere he goes and has done a remarkable job assembling an intelligent veteran team. The Red Storm already beat Xavier this season, and they should win again versus a team that is missing key players. Take St. John’s
Florida/Kentucky Over 170.5
In the previous matchup, Florida and Kentucky shot poorly from the three-point and foul line yet still managed to put up over 170 points. Both teams are offensive-minded and operate at a fast pace. Defense isn’t the strong suit of either team, so I expect it to be high-scoring due to the tempo. Iona transfer Walter Clayton should lead the way for the visiting Gators, while senior Antonio Reeves will lead the Wildcats. Tonight’s game will be electric. Take the Over.
