Pick details
| MATCHUP | Monmouth Hawks | St. John's Red Storm |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Where | Carnesecca Arena, Queens, NY | |
| When | Monday, November 2, 2026 | |
| Time | 06:30 PM EST | |
| TV | ESPN+ | |
Monmouth vs St. John’s Prediction
I’m not a fan of laying massive numbers in a season opener when guys are still trying to gett heir feet under them. However, Monmouth said goodbye to a lot of production, and this isn’t an ideal spot to start the season. St. John’s is loaded with talent, and while the chemistry may not be there out of the gate, talent often eventually wins in college basketball. Monmouth doesn’t have the offensive horses to scare St. John’s. This should be a comfortable win for the Red Storm as basketball in New York remains alive and well.
Monmouth Hawks Betting Preview
Monmouth won 19 games last season and enters year 16 under coach King Rice. Monmouth hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament since the 2005-06 season.
Stefanos Spartalis returns after averaging 10.7 points and 5.1 rebounds, while Jack Collins averaged 7 points and 4.7 rebounds. Jinup Dobuol averaged 0.2 assists per game, and Zubayr Griffin played in 35 minutes last season. Monmouth obviously lost a ton of production from last season, as Spartalis is the only returning starter. A lot of roster turnover, but Rice has earned the right to believe Monmouth can once again compete in the CAA when it’s all said and done.
St. John’s Red Storm Betting Preview
St. John’s has made back-to-back trips to the big dance and enters year four under coach Rick Pitino. St. John’s has won a combined 61 games in the last two seasons.
Ian Jackson returns after averaging 9.4 points and 2.3 rebounds, while Ruben Prey averaged 4.3 points and 2.1 rebounds. Lefteris Liotopoulos averaged 0.4 assists per game, and Fotis Konstantinidis played in 8 minutes last season. Endless roster turnover for St. John’s, who lost three players to the NBA Draft. With that said, Tounde Yessoufou was a stud at Baylor and instantly becomes the go-to guy for the Johnnies. Keyshawn Hall is a key transfer from Auburn, and Quinn Ellis brings EuroLeague experience. An elite transfer class makes St. John’s worth keeping an eye on this season.
Why the St. John’s Red Storm will win
- St. John’s has won each of its last 39 games against non-Conference opponents at Carnesecca Arena.
- Monmouth has lost each of its last nine Monday night games against non-Conference opponents.
- Monmouth has lost the first half in 12 of its last 13 Monday road games against non-Conference opponents.
Why the Monmouth Hawks will win
- Monmouth has won five of its last six games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
Total Points Facts
- Nine of Monmouth’s last 10 games against the Big East Conference have produced a total of 151 or fewer points.
- Seven of St. John’s’ last eight night games have produced a total of 146 or fewer points.
Matchup/League Facts
- St. John’s ranked T5th for opponent assists per game (10.0) in last season’s NCAA Tournament.
- St. John’s ranked T7th for three-pointers attempted per game (32.0) in last season’s NCAA Tournament.
Randy Chambers's Pick: St. John's ATS
