The Johnnies will be without starting guard Andre Curbelo (10.4 ppg, 5.2 apg) for disciplinary reasons and fellow ball-handler Posh Alexander (9.1 ppg, 4.5 apg) won't start but apparently will be available -- there is some sort of flu bug going around the Johnnies so not sure if that's why. The Red Storm are 6-9 ATS on the season and have covered just three of their last 10.

St. John’s has had a tough go of it to start Big East play. They lost three in a row and continue to play very fast. Marquette has the edge offensively, shooting 34.3 percent beyond the arc and 49.6 percent from the floor. However, the Red Storm are a very good rebounding team. They’re 5th in overall rebounding and 13th in the country on the offensive glass. Despite losing three straight, the Red Storm are still very solid at home. I’m on St. John’s.

These are two teams that both like to push the pace on offense, so even though we are staring down a sky-high total I think there's even an extra bit of value given St. John's motivation. The Johnnies have lost three straight to open Big East play and with a road trip to the Dunk to play Providence coming up this weekend I think it's fair to consider this a must-win spot. The urgency should lead to more possessions, and with Marquette's offensive efficiency (No. 9 in the nation, per KenPom) the Golden Eagles should do their part with more buckets as well.